July 20, 2023
The Biden administration and major consumer technology players on Tuesday launched an effort to put a nationwide cybersecurity certification and labeling program in place to help consumers choose smart devices that are less vulnerable to hacking. Officials likened the new …
October 6, 2022
Despite inflation and rising costs, most Americans would rather pay more for insurance coverage than use data-monitoring devices, according to an annual survey from Policygenius. The survey found that 68% of U.S. consumers said they would not install an app …
August 25, 2022
From what you buy online, to how you remember tasks, to when you monitor your doorstep, Amazon is seemingly everywhere. And it appears the company doesn’t want to halt its reach anytime soon. In recent weeks, Amazon has said it …
May 8, 2019
Researchers at North Carolina State University have identified design flaws in “smart home” Internet-of-Things devices that allow third parties to prevent devices from sharing information. The flaws can be used to prevent security systems from signaling that there has been …
February 12, 2019
As Amazon.com Inc. and Google work to place their smart speakers at the center of the internet-connected home, both technology giants are expanding the amount of data they gather about customers who use their voice software to control other gadgets. …
January 3, 2019
Say you’re on your laptop at Starbucks, minding your own business, when an acquaintance of yours across the room isn’t minding his. Unbeknownst to you, he’s using the same store Wi-Fi as you to conduct a virtual invasion of your …
January 2, 2019
The almost weekly headlines about insurers and venture capitalists investing in insurtechs and tech-savvy insurance startups sometimes blocked the view of what established big technology firms were doing in insurance. During 2018, giant technology firms Google and Amazon showed renewed …
October 16, 2018
The Travelers Companies Inc. is teaming up with Amazon to offer smart home kits, insurance quotes and risk management information through a digital storefront: Amazon.com/Travelers. Customers will be able to obtain smart home kits at discounted prices in participating states. …
March 20, 2018
This week’s Lowdown highlights interesting results from a new report by Parks Associates entitled, Market Snapshot: Insurance, Consumers, and Smart Home Solutions. The survey reveals that nearly 60% of respondents, (consumers with homeowners or renters insurance), are likely to purchase …
September 2, 2016
Your fridge is getting so smart, security-software maker Kaspersky Lab thinks you probably shouldn’t trust it. As makers of household appliances fill their machines with computer chips to make them smarter, consumers and privacy watchdogs should beware the data collected …