Tools Toys and Technology

About the Tools You Use and the Toys That Make Life Interesting

Tools Toys and Technology - About the Tools You Use and the Toys That Make Life Interesting

Has the “Internet-of-Things” Gone Too Far?

Oral B introduces IoT Toothbrush

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is the hot topic these days. IoT involves connecting physical objects, everything from cars to refrigerators, buildings and homes, even entire cities, to the Internet. IoT objects contain electronics, sensors and accompanying software to collect information and communicate the data over the Internet or local network to other devices, for the purpose of displaying and/or analyzing the data.

IoT has the potential to be very useful for monitoring and communicating critical information, like medical issues. It also offers all kinds of possibilities for home automation. The potential for IoT is unlimited, with many applications that are yet to be imagined. And then there are those that have an uncanny imagination on how to apply this technology.

IoT-tbTake Oral B, who has just introduced a “smart” tooth brush. It is equipped with gyroscopes, accelerometers, and Bluetooth to communicate with your smartphone camera, so it can watch you brush your teeth. And you thought your mother was a stickler for making sure you brushed your teeth correctly!

Did I mention you can store your brushing history in the cloud?

Hmm? I wonder what could happen if someone hacked your toothbrush and installed some malware? The Stephen King film, “The Mangler.” comes to mind.

Spring Cleaning

If you missed the observance of National Clean Up Your Computer Month this January, never fear! This is a chore you can do any time of the year.

Cleaning video screens and the outside of your devices is fairly straightforward. Turn the device off or, better yet, unplug it. Blow off loose surface dust with canned compressed air, then wipe with a microfiber cloth using a gentle circular motion. If any smudging remains, lightly dampen the microfiber cloth with distilled water (moist, not dripping!)  and wipe again. For stubborn spots, use 50:50 distilled water and vinegar in the same fashion. Never use Windex or other household cleaners and never spray any liquids on electronics. Do not use paper towels or old cleaning rags – they can cause scratches on video screens.

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