IBM Genius of Things summit 2017 – The Internet of Things (IoT) moves beyond (any supposed) peak of inflated expectations.

For many of us engaged in the world of Internet of Things (IoT), anyone suggesting that the IoT paradigm is merely a passing fashion might be considered at best ill-informed***. Proof, if I can call it that, are the many, many practical use cases that IoT and it’s sister acronym, the Industrial IoT (IIoT) (and Industry 4.0) have in the market today. Indeed (if any more were needed), the many customer stories presented at IBM’s foremost customer IoT event, the IBM Genius of Things (IBMGoT) on February 18th in Munich, Germany only serve to re-confirm my sentiments; IoT is here, it’s practical and it’s valuable. Continue reading

IBM Watson – The rise of the (thinking) machine

I remember a few years ago, speaking on topics of AI and thinking machines, only to be critiqued (by some, not all) of my analyst colleagues for having expectations well beyond accepted realms of timescales and possibility. Visiting IBM’s World of Watson event in November proved that not only was I right, but even (dare I say it) not aggressive enough on my expectations. Continue reading

Autodesk University 2016 – What’s shiny and new…and a transformation from products to platforms

The key insights that I took away from Autodesk University this year were not solely centred on what’s ‘shiny and new’, but also to ‘what’s yet to come’. Continue reading

Autodesk – Aiming to Accelerate ahead of their competitors.

Autodesk’s 2016 Accelerate event – Cloud led, positive customers, excited prospects and approachable employees. In my eyes a positively transforming business. Continue reading

Developing thoughts and strategies for the next big thing – (IoT) Thinking, ‘innovating outside the traditional box (or in this case, dustbin)’

Following on my train of thought on how the IoT is transforming products and business models, I took the opportunity to visit another IoT innovator during a recent trip to the Boston area. Their story is as insightful and thought provoking to those interested in IoT innovation as was my last example. Continue reading

The Innovators’ Dilemma: Developing thoughts and strategies for the next big thing (IoT 101 v0.01)

The Innovators’ Dilemma* (by M. Clayton Christensen) suggests that companies pander disproportionately (and develop) to current customer needs. In so doing they stand to miss the opportunity to develop (their business and/or products) to cater for possible next big thing.

Continue reading

IoT (Internet of things) at PTC. An avid work in progress…. and showing promise.

I attended PTC’s LiveWorx event in June. PTC’s investments and product announcements over recent times are, to me anyway, a commitment to IoT that’s beyond that of many of their competitors. There again, PTC’s ‘old’ competition aren’t necessarily their new ones, especially in the rapidly evolving IoT market. Continue reading

Hannover Messe 2016: Digitalisation, Industrie 4.0, IoT and all things manufacturing

I’ve just returned from Hannover (Germany) having spent two days at the world’s largest industrial fair. For those unacquainted with Hannover Messe, this is a mammoth fair (trade show) with over 5,200 exhibitors. These aren’t just German companies. According to the organisers’ press release, overseas accounted for about 58% of the exhibitors. 465 of these from the US, this year’s partner country, and (not surprisingly?) about 650 from China. Continue reading

IBM : Connected and InterConneted

IBM, known by many as the world’s IT ‘super tanker’, is transforming their image of former years, to a one that’s more innovative, approachable, cool, connected and industry focused.

The message from both IBM’s PartnerWorld and InterConnect conferences (held a few weeks ago in Las Vegas, NV) is one of change. They (and their partners) are clearly excited by a new era of opportunities. One that will be driven, to a large part, by the dynamics of today’s more connected and insightful world. Continue reading

An explosion of individual innovation …incited by the Internet of Things (IoT).

Carl Bass’s (President and CEO of Autodesk) presentation at the 2016 Design Conference in San Francisco spurred me to think more on topics IoT. Specifically, his conversation spurred me to reflect that the IoT’s future is, in part, going to be defined by the enthusiasm (and possibly genius) of individual innovators, new entrants and communities of like-minded ‘boutique’ innovators. Continue reading