An article in Quartz laments the underwhelming results of a generation of gadgets intended to make houses technologically enabled.
Mike Murphy begins with a compendium, of sorts, of the public record on the poor performance of so-called "smart home" gadgets, intended to tap homes into the internet of things and turn them into futuristic models of efficiency. Among the examples of the failures of this ambition: a glitch in the Nest learning Thermostat that left many homeowners out in the cold and the demise of Revolv, a home automation hub, which left customers holding the bag.
Murphy notes some of the ridiculous Internet of things applications available at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January, and produces the following summation: "Perhaps we shouldn’t be entrusting basic functions of our houses and lives to technology that just isn’t yet fully realized, made by companies that haven’t proven their viability."
FULL STORY: Don’t bother trying to make your dumb house smart
Amazon's First Forays Into Homebuilding Are Worth Watching
A new player with a very familiar name has entered into the residential homebuilding market.
Google Invites Itself into Your Home
It's already conquered phones and the Internet, and is moving rapidly into the automotive world, but Google's $3.2 billion purchase of smart device maker Nest provides the company with entree into the "connected home" market.
Smart Cities and Utilities: Enhancing Energy Efficiency Through IoT Integration
Learn how IoT integration in utilities is boosting energy efficiency in smart cities, aiding urban planners in sustainable development.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)