What is the Internet of Things?

What is the Internet of Things, and how does it affect you? Devices that communicate and share data on the internet are the Internet of Things (IoT). Our smart phones access all types of data through apps. The amount and type of data we access will increase as more and more devices are connected to the internet.

We can access more traffic information as street cameras network and commuter systems come online.  Sensors can detect heart rate and track our movement. This translates into health data we can access through mobile devices like smart phones or smart watches. As sensors are developed to detect even more health information, other data will be available through our devices. This information could prompt a visit to the doctor or give us the reassurance that a visit isn't necessary. We may exchange this data with our healthcare provider, and let her decide a course of action.

If you have 17 minutes, the following 2012 Tedx video by Dr. John Barrett offers a good explanation of the Internet of Things. Since its taping, more devices have become internet-compatible, and, as he predicts, there are even more things we can do with our smart phones because of the additional data on the internet.

I've written Managing the Quality of Internet-linked Products for ASQ Influential Voices. It can be found by clicking here.

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Help for the Slow Windows 8 Computer

Slow Computer

My Windows 7 laptop died last summer. I was challenged by Windows 8 on a new Dell Desktop. From the beginning, the machine was slow compared to my 3 year-old laptop. This week the processing got even slower. When I typed in the browser window, it would take a few seconds for the words to appear. When the machine was in sleep mode, it would take a couple of minutes to wake up and respond to the mouse. Delays in opening new tabs or moving to the application panel were stressing me out.

I got lucky when I found Rasim Muratovic's YouTube video: How to Speed Up Windows 8 (or 8.1) - Free and Easy. This short (5 minute) video offers 10 things you can do to improve Windows 8 machine speed. Thank you Rasim. After making these changes and restarting my computer, there is a definite improvement in response. Rasim is a genius and so generous for offering these tips for FREE.

 

I want to emphasize that Rasim is not selling a product in the video. Be prepared to take notes and make changes to speed up a slow computer.

Here's a quick summary of tips in the video. I will be brief so refer to the video for detailed instructions:

1. Power settings. Choose High Performance over Balanced. My computer didn't offer those choices so I left this alone.
2. Search > Defrag c: drive  Windows 8 claims to defrag weekly, but there was plenty of defragging going on when I clicked this.
3. Start > Run> Open: %temp% Delete contents of this file.
4. Start > Run> Open: temp Delete contents of this file.
5.  Start > Run> Open: prefetch Delete contents of this file.
6. Go to Task Manager. Start up Tab > Disable programs you do not need on start up. There were many in my computer.
7. Start > File Explorer > Right Click on Windows 8 OS(C:) >properties >Disc Clean up (Run this)
8. Start > Run> Open: msconfig Go to Services Tab IMPORTANT: Click box next to "Hide all Microsoft Services" Then click Delete.
9. Start > Run> Open: regedit Click HKEY current users >Control Panel > Double Click Mouse > Double Click MOUSEHOVERTIME > Change value from 400 to 20.
10. Same place as above. Control Panel > Double Click Desktop > Double Click MENUSHOWDELAY > Change value from 400 to 10.

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