Inspiring the Evolution of Embedded Design

March 18, 2025


Patch Smarter, Not Harder

Quectel Unveils FGM842D Series of Wi-Fi and BLE Modules for Smart Homes and Industrial IoT

The modules feature high performance ARM968 processors with built-in 288KB RAM and 2MB flash memory to ensure efficient performance. The modules support UART and GPIO interfaces and offer support for SPI, I2C, ADC and PWM functions in the QuecOpen solution, which offers various low power consumption modes and a keep-alive mechanism to deliver maximum flexibility to designers and developers.



Ideal for smart homes and industrial IoT deployments, the modules comply with the WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK and WPA3-SAE security standards and support True Random Number Generator (TRNG) and the AES-128 encryption algorithm. In addition, the modules feature secure firmware and flash encryption.

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Asimily Launches Automated IoT Patching Solution to Streamline Device Security

The solution’s automated capabilities enable customers to significantly reduce vulnerability windows and avoid complex technical hurdles. Through streamlined firmware updates, organizations can protect their IoT devices more efficiently without compromising operational continuity. This is particularly crucial for healthcare, manufacturing, and other industries where IoT devices and internet-connected equipment play mission-critical roles.

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Nordic Semiconductor and Skylo Partner to Bring Ultra-Low Power Satellite Connectivity to Massive IoT

With this partnership, industrial, consumer, and healthcare markets can now benefit from ultra-low power satellite connectivity. Small, battery-operated devices – from environmental sensors deployed in remote locations to trackers outside standard terrestrial connectivity - can stay connected longer, leveraging Skylo’s standards-based 3GPP satellite network, alongside Nordic’s nRF9151 module. This advancement enables seamless global coverage without reliance on terrestrial networks, unlocking new possibilities for massive IoT applications.


The award-winning ultra-compact nRF9151 is the lowest power cellular IoT solution on the market today with industry-leading battery lifetime performance. The nRF9151 module is globally certified and features support for both LTE-M, NB-IoT, and DECT NR+ modem alongside an open application MCU core, with GNSS and cell-based location capabilities. Skylo device certification and NTN support will be announced in a product update later this year, bringing even more connectivity options to users. 

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Editor's Desk by Kirsten Campbell



Lost in Space? Not Your IoT Devices.

The Struggle Is Real (and Remote)

You’ve deployed IoT devices in the field—maybe on oil rigs, in the Arctic, or across a fleet of trucks. Everything’s running smoothly… until a security patch is needed. Suddenly, you’re playing a game of “Where in the World is That Firmware Update?” Meanwhile, your devices sip power like its 1995 dial-up internet.

So, how do you keep IoT devices secure, connected, and low-power, even when they’re in the middle of nowhere? Two words: automation and satellites.


Patch Me If You Can - The Case for Automated IoT Patching

Engineers know the pain of manual firmware updates—it’s slow, costly, and error-prone.


Automated patching means devices stay secure without human intervention (because you don’t have time to micromanage a thousand sensors). OTA (Over-the-Air) updates should be fast, smart, and lightweight—not an all-you-can-eat data buffet that bricks your devices.


Best practices: Delta updates, compression, and intelligent scheduling to avoid downtime.

But What If There's No Wi-Fi? Enter Low-Power Satellites

Cellular networks don’t reach oceans, deserts, or remote industrial sites—but satellites do. Low-power satellite connectivity means IoT devices can stay online without draining their tiny batteries like an energy-hungry smartphone.

How it works: LPWAN + satellites = coverage anywhere, without burning through power budgets.


Possible use cases: agriculture, logistics, environmental monitoring, remote infrastructure management.


The Dream Team—Automated Patching + Satellite Connectivity

When automated IoT patching meets low-power satellite connectivity, the result is secure, always-up-to-date devices no matter where they are.

Examples of industries already using this tech successfully.


Future possibilities: Smarter firmware updates, AI-driven diagnostics, and even self-healing IoT systems (because why not dream big?).


IoT Doesn't Have to be a Nightmare

IoT should work for you, not against you. Whether it’s keeping firmware up to date or ensuring devices don’t become digital castaways, automated patching and low-power satellite connectivity are the heroes we need. Because no engineer wants to chopper into the Arctic just to hit ‘Update.’


Have you ever had to manually update IoT devices in a remote location? What was the biggest struggle? Hit me up with your stories.


What would you like to see, more editorial or less, more of a particular topic, or less? Let us know. Reach out to the Product Editor

Latest News

BPI R4 Lite is in Development with Wi-Fi 7 and High Speed Networking

The Banana Pi team is developing a new router board, the BPI-R4 Lite, which is expected to support Wi-Fi 7 and high-speed networking. The design is based on the MediaTek MT7987A quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 processor and includes multiple connectivity and expansion options.

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