| | August 20158CIOReviewopinionin myThe "Internet of Things" is rapidly reaching buzzword status. But don't dismiss it as just more corporate jargon to ignore, or an overhyped fad that will burn out faster than pet rocks and flash mobs. The IoT is a huge and growing industry. And it's one of the areas of technology that I am most excited about. I'm excited not just from a business perspective (although I'll get to that in a minute), but from a personal perspective, as well. A few months ago, my family and I went out of town, and we needed to leave my dog with a pet sitter. Because I'm an AT&T Digital Life home automation and security customer, though, I was able to get a lot more peace of mind than an occasional phone call to the sitter could ever produce.With Digital Life, I was able to get a message every time the sitter opened the door. I knew he was doing what I was paying him for and how much time he was spending with our dog. I even had my camera set up so I could know where she sleeps when I'm gone ­ on the couch of course ­ and could check on her from time to time. I also have a camera on the pool and the driveway and water sensors at a few key places, so it gives me a lot of comfort when I'm on an extended trip to be able to see firsthand what's going on. That's not just a toy or a fad. That's peace of mind.Of course, my interaction with the Internet of Things (or "IoT") is just a slice of the possibilities we see emerging. We're already seeing IoT touch everything from transportation and shipping, to healthcare, to agriculture, to city and traffic management. At AT&T, we're already deploying the products and services that enable customers to track their assets almost anywhere in the world in near real-time. Or connect cars to our network for safety, diagnostic tools and entertainment. Or help farmers monitor moisture, temperature and other attributes of their crops and soil.Connecting the World with IoTBy Pam Parisian, CIO, Technology Development, AT&T Services
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