This week’s Smart City roundup features a report on how the Industrial Internet of Things impacts digital services, how workplaces can be made safer with a new emergency app, and a bag that lets you bring your office with you wherever you go.

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The true impact of IoT on digital services

In a new report from Accenture plc, the company discussed how the Industrial Internet of Things presents a tremendous opportunity for innovative companies looking to unlock new revenue sources by packaging their products with new digital services.

The report suggest three ways on how innovative companies can capture growth: boost revenues by increasing production and creating new hybrid business models; fuel breakthrough innovations through intelligent technologies; and transform the workforce to cultivate the new skills required for Industrial Internet of Things jobs.

“Industrial companies have long supplemented their product revenues with services,” said Paul Daugherty, chief technology officer, Accenture. “But innovators, companies that understand that every business is a digital business, are using this technology to create product-service hybrids that provide new growth opportunities and pave the way for pioneering the next generation of industrial products.”

An app to empower employees in case of emergencies

Irving Burton Associates Inc. (IBA), a 35 year old professional services firm serving both government and commercial clients, developed and created the In Case of Crisis app to for people in case of an emergency, such as an earthquake. The company has recently upgraded the app by expanding its focus on the enterprise. The new release includes the successful completion of third-party penetration testing, LDAP user group import and integration services, as well as increased usability and two-way communication capabilities.

“As corporations of all shapes and sizes are facing real pressures to make their workplaces safer and maintain the survivability of the business during a crisis, the In Case of Crisis team continues to innovate our mobile emergency management solution with the very best in security features while continuing to expand the functionality,” said Christopher Britton, General Manager, IBA’s In Case of Crisis. “It is clear that solutions leveraging smartphone technology will be critical to helping businesses empower their full employee base and survive unpredictable crises on a local and global level.”

The app is available for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices.

Phorce Pro

Work is no longer confined to a cubicle or an office space. Because of the Internet, laptops, smartphones and tablets, you can work from anywhere in the world – well, as long as your gadgets have power and connectivity. But there are times when plugging is simply not an option and you wish you had another source of energy. With Phorce Pro, you can travel and work at the same time, as it makes sure your gadgets are always powered up.

Phorce Pro is a smart bag that transforms styles to match your needs. It can be used as a briefcase, a sling bag or even a backpack. What makes it different from other bags is that it can provide your gadgets power to operate. It has a power source that delivers juice to your devices such as a laptop, tablet, smartphone or any other gadgets that needs recharging. Phorce connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth so you can see how much power the Smart Power Core has remaining and how many times you can still charge your device.

Aside from charging your gadgets, Phorce also protects them, as the inside of the bag is lined with soft display-cleaning microfibre and padded with foam. It is available in two colors, red and black, and comes in two versions, PC and Mac. The PC version costs €549 and the Mac version costs €599. Shipping starts on September 30, 2014.

photo credit: Robby Ryke via photopin cc