The Internet of Things must be this years new buzz word, I am seeing it all the time. One day the NEM software will need to communicate with these IoT devices.
Thread will release their royalty-free protocol this year to anyone who joins the group.

Nest Nurtures New IoT Protocol
http://www.ebnonline.com/author.asp?doc_id=274080

Introducing Thread: A New Wireless Networking Protocol for the Home
http://www.threadgroup.org/2014_07_Press_Release.aspx

IoT Group Defines Comms Spec
http://www.ebnonline.com/author.asp?doc_id=274015

Open Interconnect Consortium
http://www.openinterconnect.org