What is IoT?
The internet has evolved from an out-of-reach concept to something that permeates every sphere of our lives – from things we buy, to those we use, watch, and listen to. It is something that is entwined with things we do or use daily and hence the idea of Internet of Things (IoT) whose latest representation is the button.
What are buttons?
They are simple, multi-tasking devices with an immediate reaction and feedback chain that can be used even by people with zero understanding of technology. You can program them to send messages from your phone, take selfies on the camera, play songs from the MP3 player, or even order groceries from your favourite online store.
The key players
1. Amazon dash button :It is a small device, about the size of a pack of gum, meant to make ordering products more convenient. They come in packs and each of them is labelled with the name of the product it reorders. Once you run of a certain item, you can press the button and it will send a message to your Amazon Prime account, reordering the product. At present, they are available for some key brands like Tide, Olay, L’Oreal, Gillette, etc and Amazon is expected to expand to more products soon.
2. JD Now :Sold by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, these buttons are similar to the Amazon Dash in the fact that they also let consumers order products with a single press. They can be programmed to deliver to a fixed address and to prevent unwanted ordering by mistake, be set to accept no more than 1-5 orders a day. Currently, they are available for over 80 different items ranging from milk powder to cleaning agents from 12 different brands.
3. Spark internet button :This standalone button can be programmed to perform multiple tasks ranging from playing music to operating LED appliances and even other buttons in its vicinity. It comes with a Photon which can be removed and used for other projects, a removable plastic cover, and a USB micro-cable.
4. Bt.tn :A push button device that triggers actions like sending text messages via SMS, Twitter or Facebook, ordering food, switching lights on/off, calling cabs, controlling other appliances, the Bt.tn is indispensable for smart, futuristic homes. It operates on Wi-Fi/mobile connectivity without cell phone use. It comes in two sizes and four standard colours and the covering cap can be customised if you wish.
5. Flic :One of the most advanced buttons available, this one can perform a wide variety of functions in an equally large number of scenarios. It can perform over 50 tasks like find phones, send text messages, order pizza, navigate roads, share locations and what not! The best part is the security alarm feature which lets you share your location and sound alarms in case of any emergency. It needs to connect to a smart phone via Bluetooth and can be programmed to perform different task ranging on the different types of actions like single click, double click or hold mode.
6. Nuimo :The Nuimo is a small and powerful omni-button that lets you control multiple appliances in your home with a single device. It can operate anything that uses Bluetooth low energy and you can do anything from dim lights to control volumes on the home theatre with it. With options of touch control, gesture control or using the 360 degree dial, any action can be performed. You can just hover your hand and raise it to increase volumes, or gesture right swipes to change music tracks, or perform finger gestures to brighten lights.
