Forget the Internet of Things – the Internet of Data is where it's really at

Everyone's getting in a fuss about the Internet of Things, whether it's excitement about smart appliances like Nest, Belkin WeMo, smart bulbs and smart TVs, self-quantification fitness trackers, or about new genres of connected gadgets like smartwatches, Google Glass and the spread of Bluetooth beacons in stores.What all of these Internet of Things (IoT) devices - as many as 50 billion of them by 2020 - have in common is that they create detailed data about their users, and lots of it. From transactions and customer profiles to usage patterns and even location, the Internet of Things is really an Internet of Data that is begging to be cross-referenced and analysed. It exists not to help people per se, but as a new tool for collecting valuable business intelligence.