9/11 Introduction to smart devices

Agenda:

Review from last week (orientation, tech talk)

Additional note about OOMA (thanks Della!)

Reminder that Week 1 was recorded and is available in Week 1

Accessing Canvas site and Discussion Board

Presentation

Discussion

Homework:

Review the lesson
Identify the components of your device (ask me how!)
If getting rid of technology, review the site to learn how
Look at your smart home. What system are you leaning towards? What experiences have you had with smart home technology? What would you recommend? Respond via the Discussion Board on Canvas. (https://sdccd.instructure.com )

Recordings:

First, watch this brief introduction to Canvas.

Next, the video from Tuesday's class discussing Smart Devices.

Quick links:

Handout

Presentation

Link to Zoom: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09

If asked, the passcode is emeritus

OOMA phones (to replace landline)
From Student Della O: You can get a free Ooma phone if you get a 5G T-Mobile internet service. The cost for T-Mobile's 5G is $50.00 per month, including taxes and fees. For a free Ooma phone go to: https://promotions.t-mobile.com/ooma (T-Mobile Home / Small Business Internet customers get an Ooma Telo Air FREE (a value of $129.99) when you sign up for Ooma Premier ($9.99/month plus applicable taxes & fees) for 18 months)

Introduction

In a class called Communicating with Technology, you can be certain that it will include the use of devices to communicate. Because how else can you use technology to get in touch with others? This class provides an overview of the devices we use to communicate from the obvious (computers, smartphones, tablets) to the not so obvious (virtual assistants, smart homes). Something for everyone in this class!

Two things to consider: Connecting and Operating systems

Connecting: All devices must connect to the Internet. This connection will most likely be wireless. You can set up a wireless connection at home with a router and modem. If you want to be able to access your device anytime, even without Wi-Fi, you can purchase it with a built-in modem. In this case, you will also purchase a data plan so that it can use cellular data.

Operating systems: The operating system is software built into the computer or device.

Computers: With computers, there are 3 operating systems: Windows (currently Windows 11), Apple OS (currently Ventura), or Linux (a well-kept secret operating system). One type of laptop, Chromebook, is a no-frills laptop meant to access the Internet. It uses the Chrome operating system.

Devices and smartphones: Devices and phones have additional operating systems. Some examples are Android OS, Apple iOS, Windows, and Blackberry.

Other connected things: This lesson will describe the Internet of Things (IoT) which includes those billions of connected devices. Many of them will also have an operating system which controls its actions and allows communication with the cloud. This operating system is embedded in the device. Factors of the IoT operating system include: a small footprint with minimal memory requirements, built in security features, multiple connectivity possibilities, ability to grow with more devices, an intuitive interface, reliability and support. For more on this topic, visit this blog on the Help Wire site.

Devices

Desktop: Contains a tower, monitor and keyboard. Easier to update. Components can be bought separately so you can replace one component without whole system.

Laptop: Keyboard is attached to the monitor. All hardware contained in keyboard section. Two in ones have keyboard which can disconnect, and have a touch screen monitor. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Factors to consider: size, portability, price, components, threat of theft, operating systems and more.

Suggested minimum components:

Operating system: Apple OS (Ventura), Windows 11 or Chrome
RAM: Short term memory. Determines how much you can do at one time. Minimum 8GB computer, 4GB laptop
Processor: CPU (central processing unit), processes instructions. Speed of CPU is another factor. You will see that in GHZ. Minimum dual core @2.4 GHZ. Intel i5 or AMD compatible. (AMD is less expensive but may not be as reliable. It is much better than it was.)
Hard Drive: Storage on your device. Minimum 500 GB. A solid-state drive (SSD) is a little more expensive, but is quicker and more efficient. You can get by with less storage with SSD (250 GB). Chromebook will have a much smaller hard drive, because most storage is on the cloud (Google Drive).
Wireless (laptops): This is the standard to connect to wi-fi. The current standard is 802.11 g/n. If you have an old router, your new device will still work, but it may not be as quick.
Ports: These are many types of ports, and you would want to see what your device is offering. Some ideas:
- - HDMI: This connects the device to a TV or projector. Streaming option.
  - USB ports: There are a variety of USB ports. The key here is compatibility. They will be different sizes, and have different options. Type C is the newest. USB ports connect to things like keyboards and external drives,
  - DVI or VGA: These are the ports that connect your device (usually only desktop computers) to a monitor or projector. DVI is the new standard. If you have an old monitor, you can buy an adaptor.
  - Thunderbolt port: This port used to be used only by Apple devices, but if you can get Thunderbolt 3, it will be compatible to all. Look for a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 if you can.
  - Ethernet: Used to connect to the Internet. An Ethernet port can usually be found on the desktop devices, but you may no longer find on laptop.

RAM

CPU

Hard drive

Ports

All in one

Two in one

All in One and Two in One: These are special types of computers. The all in one is a computer that has all of the hardware in the monitor piece. It is great for small places, and is very attractive. Although prices are better, it can still be a little expensive. Two in one refers to a laptop which can double as a tablet by disconnecting the keyboard part. Prices are much more competitive.

Chromebook: These are an inexpensive option to the laptop. It runs the Google Chrome operating system, and relies on the cloud for storage and running programs. Easily connects to your Google apps, such as Gmail, Drive and YouTube. Used in schools. It is great for basic computer use, but not for high use programs like Photoshop and movie editing. Will have a slower processing CPU, less RAM and less hard drive storage. But it will be great for web browsing, movie and music, email and other basic things.

Chromebook

flip phone

Phones:

A conventional phone is the old, flip phone. A smartphone has many additional features, including the ability to use multiple emails, some great organizational tools, a ready source of information, a great camera, and the ability to entertain you anywhere, anytime. It uses both cellular and wireless connections.

smart phone

tablet

Tablets and the iPad:

A tablet is a handheld computer designed mostly for “consuming” media. It is ideal for gaming, watching videos, reading, playing games, accessing your email, web browsing and more. It does not have a large amount of storage, so mostly things are kept on the cloud. The iPad is a type of tablet with the Apple iOS. Features with a tablet include a mobile operating system, free updates, solid state drives, and much less ports. You may have built-in Wi-Fi.

iPad

Kindle (e Ink)

eReaders: A past favorite for users, now it is gradually being replaced by tablets. An eReader is designed for reading books, magazine and other materials. It can be a screen similar to an iPad be a screen which resembles print (e Ink), which makes it easier to view outside or in high light conditions, or, the eReader may have an LCD screen like you see on a tablet or laptop. This allows color, but is difficult in light.

Amazon Fire Tablet (LCD)

Smartwatches:

Works with your smartphone

Includes:

Touchscreens
Apps (from your smartphone)
Health related hardware (heart rate)

Things your smartwatch can do:

Notifications: events, activities, even fall sensor
Apps: apps from phone can be viewed on watch. Watch can generate data for some of them (Map my run)
Media: Can be used to play music from your smartphone
Voice dictation
Fitness tracking
GPS
Phone calls (if cellular enabled)

Apple smart watch

Fitness testing on Apple watch

Android smart watch

GPS on Android watch

What to look for in a smartwatch

Make sure it works with your phone. (Apple watches only work with iPhones. Google watches may work with Apple but limited features)
Look for a heart rate sensor and GPS
Look at battery life. Hybrid smartwatches (looking like regular watches) have the longest battery life, but do not have touch screens
Check the band. Make sure it is easy to use, and easy to swap. Where can you find replacements?
If you want the ability to use it as a phone without your smartphone nearby, look for one with a cellular modem. It will become an additional “phone” with your service provider and will use your data from your smartphone.

Smart TVs

Most TVs now are smart TVs

Smart TVs use home Internet to access, manage and view content
May come preloaded with a menu, but can add apps via app stores. Most apps are free, but may require a subscription.
Some Smart TVs can broadcast local TV without an antenna
Some Smart TVs allow streaming from smartphones and tablets onto the TV, and some can send content form the TV to a smartphone
Issues with privacy: TV tracks what you watch to suggest things to view. A webcam or voice control feature may raise security problems.
If you don’t have a Smart TV, there are streaming devices (Roku, Firestick or Chrome as well as Blu-ray Disc players)

Certain TV brands will use different operating systems. Some examples:

Toshiba and Westinghouse: Amazon Fire TV

Insignia, TCL, Philips: Roku TV

LG: WebOS (if you want, you can install Google Chrome and use instead)

Samsung: Tizen (a smart hub along the bottom of the screen)

Shartp, Sony, Westinghouse: Android TV

Haier, JVC, Soniq: Chromecast

Visio: Smartcast

Technology to keep track of things

If you are always losing your phone, your purse, your remote control or even your dog, there is help for you! There is technology to help.

Tile : Devices that work with the free Tile app which can be downloaded to either an Apple or Android device. It works with Alexa or Google Assistant as well. The devices range from $24.99 to $34.99 and include a one-year premium account (smart alerts, battery replacements each year, $100 reimbursement if Tile can’t find it).

AirTags: Apple has an option as well. The AirTag can be put on keys, in a backpack, on a dog and more. Starting at $29, it works with the Find My app to locate your tagged items. It can even use Precision Finding to find the distance and location (iPhones 11 and up).

My Property ID registry: ID tags for items like bikes, computers, and more. You register the serial number and then have 24/7 access to your personal database stored on the FBI database

For pets, options include Whistle (includes activity levels, calories, distance, activity and behaviors of your dog and an $8.80/month subscription) or GPS Tracker ($50 for device, subscription plans $12/month or $120 for 2 years, also includes a cat model). Read about these devices and more on Best Reviews.

Your car: You can use Apple maps if you have an iPhone. You will have to set it up first. Or, you can use Google Maps for both Android and iPhone users. See next screen for setting up for these options.

Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants work with you and your smart home to keep everything connected. Here are some of the things they can do:

Answer questions (based on what you have done on their cloud, using your data)
Keep you update on events (using your calendar)
Call someone (based on your contacts)
Help you buy things (based on what you have bought in the past)
Play music (based on what you have listened to, and what is in their library)
Read you a book (based on the books you have on their cloud)
Sing you a song or tell you a joke (based on what their programmer has put in)
Control your smart homes (with each one offering unique products that use your network)

Three virtual assistants:

Siri: An Apple product. Call by saying “Hey Siri”. Mostly accessed through iPhone, iPad and Mac. There is a device (HomePod) which will work with it.
Google: A Google Product. Call by saying “Hey Google”. Mostly accessed through Android devices and apps. For Smart Homes, it uses next devices.
Alexa: An Amazon product. Call by saying “Alexa”. Amazon has created a slew of products which can be used with Alexa, including the Echo, Dot and Show.

Smart homes

Components of a smart home include:

Includes all the devices which are interconnected and can be controlled remotely
Uses a variety of protocols, which define how they communicate
Some of these you might already recognize (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) while others may be new to you (UPB, Insteon, Z-Wave, ZigBee)
Some are more compatible than others. Some require more power and bandwidth than others.
If you are new to the smart home, consider the protocol. Choose one that you can build upon

Smart home systems:

Although you can intermix many of the smart home features, using a particular system for most of your components will make it easier to control the devices. Otherwise, you are opening several apps for different components. Systems include:

Amazon Alexa: 20,000 integrations, includes the smart speakers and now integrated in smart products like thermostats and TVs (Fire TV). Most smart products integrate with Alexa. Considered best choice.
Google Assistant: Close runner up to Amazon Alexa. Better at answering questions and commands. Understands how people speak. Can integrate with brands (Philips, Belkin, Nest) and apps like Spotify and Uber
Wink Hub2: No brand loyalty; smart products merge seamlessly. Might be best for fully integrated smart home with kitchen and wall appliances included. Can also control lights and garage door
Samsung Smart things Hub: Uses variety of smart devices from different brands, and can be accessed through an Android app. Takes voice commands, and can be integrated with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

A few things about devices

Communication with the devices can be done in different ways.

Device to device (using IP addresses or Bluetooth): light bulbs, light switches and door locks.
Device to cloud (device is connected to an Internet cloud service to exchange data, uses Ethernet wired or Wi-Fi connections): Smart TVs.
Device to gateway (uses an app to connect to a cloud service). smartphone running an app to communicate with your fitness band, sending data to the cloud.
Back-end data sharing (communications setup that enables users to export and analyze data from a cloud service in combination with data from other sources; allows a single device data stream to be aggregated and analyzed): Map My Fitness includes data from various devices like Fitbit, a pedometer and a map app with data stored on the cloud and analyzed on your smartphone with apps.

A safer online experience

Key issues with IoT:

Security: Poorly secured devices connected can affect the security of the Internet globally!
Privacy: Concerns about the way data is collected, analyzed, used and protected
Operating standards: Concerns about products that are too complex or inflexible
Legal, regulatory and rights: Concerns about crossborder data (data from one jurisdiction transferred to another that uses different data protection), misuse of data, conflict between law enforcement and civil rights, data retention long after use is ended, legal liability for unintended purposes.

Protect yourself:

What to do when your device is obsolete

Nothing lasts forever. How do you know if your device is obsolete? Here are some ideas:

The operating system is no longer updating
The device can no longer handle new applications
You have purchased a new model
It is no longer working.

There are regulations for getting rid of technology. There are many parts involved in this device, which would be dangerous to a landfill. You are probably aware of E-Waste recycling. This is one way to get rid of it. However, if it is a device with a hard drive (computer, laptop), you will need to make sure that the hard drive is erased. Although it may be a little challenging to do yourself, many of the donation sites will take care of this for you. If you are selling it, you need to make sure that the data is complete erased. There are people who purchase old technology for the purpose of getting into the files.

There are some options which can be found online to help you with your decision.

If you decide to recycle or donate it you might consider looking at this resource from the EPA: (The EPA has a great resource online)
You can recycle locally at any of these places. Contact them to see what their policy is on erasing the data: San Diego Futures Foundation , San Diego Electronics Recycling or Computers 2 Kids

Summary

Lots to learn this week about devices. Pick a topic that interests you and learn more about it. See our course website for more resources and information.

Resources used:

Description of ports: https://vsbytes.com/laptop-ports/

Discussion of different smartwatches: https://www.lifewire.com/an-introduction-to-smart-watches-3441381

What to look for in a smartwatch: http://new.whatmobile.net/smartwatch-right-10-questions-answers-help-choose/

About smart home systems: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/smart-home-devices

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