Sometimes, small things end up making big changes. Inventions which don’t look like a big deal end up making a huge impact on the technology industry. We think that the AWS IoT button will be one of those devices which will end up being an important part of the technological revolution of our times. The product is still very confusing for people who don’t know much about the world of the Internet of Things.
The Internet of Things is going to be the next technological step we take. Over the past few decades, we have blitzed through many eras of technology. First, we had mainframes – computers which were big enough to fill up a building. They became smaller and smaller until we started seeing computers in people’s home, by the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s. Then it became normal for people to have a laptop in their room. Soon, we were all walking around with our mini computers in our pockets.
The Internet of Things is the next big thing. There is just one problem – too much of the IoT is being developed behind closed doors right now. There are companies spending billions of dollars on creating new devices and technologies. Technology has always properly grown when it has been in the hands of enthusiasts. Some of the best inventions we have these days were thought up in backyards with geeks fiddling around with technology. The IoT solutions available for enthusiasts were either too complex or not refined enough. That is why we are excited about the AWS IoT button.
The AWS IoT button provides a very simple way to control different devices around the home or outside. The best part is that it is very easy to both install and use. It is fully supported by AWS which is increasingly the home to many different technologies and solutions. The integration makes it very easy to achieve complex tasks in a simple way.
Why is the AWS IoT button useful? Here are some reasons:
With the IoT button, IoT is no longer something which only experts can dabble in. Now, anyone who has programming skills can easily test out different IoT applications and create their own through the IoT button. You can set it up in your house easily with a few scripts and an active connection to AWS. You need to create the AWS IoT resources, configure your button and create rules. There are great guides available on the internet as well as software so you can hit the ground running with it.
The problem with closed systems is that they do not let people get creative. There are already much more complex devices than the IoT button available to purchase but most of them use a closed architecture which you and I cannot access or customize. Only limited development is possible on the terms of the device’s manufacturer. The IoT button, on the other hand, is pretty much customizable.
Amazon has intentionally left the button open – they want it to become a standard controller for IoT applications. This shows how forward thinking Amazon is – while other companies are trying to create fully fledged devices, Amazon is creating the building blocks and selling them to people who will be able to construct great things with them.
AWS has made a name for itself by being excellent in providing services. Instead of working on buzzwords and gimmicks, AWS has become the premier cloud provider by delivering services that are liked by technical people. The AWS IoT button will similarly be trusted by programmers and they will test its limits.
Cost is often important when we determine how important something will be. If the cost of entry is too high, then only a few entrants can make something great. The cost of the IoT button is so low that even people who aren’t serious about IoT will happily buy a few buttons just to see what all the fuss is about.
Yes, it is just a button – that is the most genius part. Everyone is comfortable with using a button; we have been controlling appliances through buttons since we were born. Amazon has given the button as much functionality as it could without sacrificing simplicity. You can press the button, tap it lightly, or long press it. These three ways result in a lot of ways you can change different things and trigger events.
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