Seems like the weather demands yet more attention. At the time of this writing on February 15, Dallas is six degrees colder than Anchorage, Alaska. Houston is only one degree warmer than the Alaskan city 4,132 miles to the northwest. New York City is 23 degrees warmer than Dallas. Early morning Tuesday the 16th, the temperature bottomed out at -1 F in Dallas. Good thing these hot IoT newsbits can keep themselves warm.

Microsoft resellers need to watch a new MSDN Channel 9 video on “Getting Started with IoT Devices and Azure.” Customers are waiting, whether they realize it or not.

Intel is publicly pushing partners to take advantage of what it calls a “massive IoT opportunity for partners” as IoT moves into higher-dollar projects. Coincidentally, Intel has a new Partner Alliance with emphasis on IoT.

You know the script for new tech: hope, hype, disappointment, success. Time to manage client expectations with high-performance 5G, says New Equipment Digest in, “5G Cannot Keep its IIoT Promise.” Here’s a more positive spin from RFID Journal.

Did you know there’s an Internet of Things Caucus in Congress? The two co-chairs, Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and John Katko, R-N.Y., reintroduced the “IoT Readiness Act,” to require the FCC to collect data from IoT devices and make sure there’s enough 5G spectrum to meet the needs of IoT projects. Actually sounds like a good idea.

Powering small IoT sensors in the field remains a tough problem. ARMOR solar power films had a contest for innovative ways to replace IoT batteries with their films. French company AtmoTrack won with a highly accurate microsensor that runs on solar power.

Synaptics made its name with touchscreens for mobile devices. VentureBeat explains how and why they pivoted to IoT.

Forbes gives an updated overview of the IIoT.

Tech Times gives us another warning about older IoT devices with outdated (or no) security procedures.

A U.K. study found that enterprises across the pond really want more flexible, secure, and resilient networks built for mission-critical IoT applications. The more important the IoT project, the more you need extensive monitoring and management.

Scotland’s centre of excellence for sensing, imaging systems, and IoT technologies (CENSIS) launched new programs to provide cyber security advice and guidance for businesses.

Telefonica, along with Mavenir and Amazon Web Services, will launch a cloud-based IoT service for customers with a precommercial version available first.

From our friends at Hackster.io

Ham radio remains a huge deal to thousands, many who help in disasters. Hackster shows you how to make a portable handie-hotspot for digital ham voice communications.