Tag: Technology

Lessons Learned in Building FAVORIOT’s IoT Ecosystem

The story of FAVORIOT mirrors the word in that image, FAILURE, not as an end but as a teacher.

It began with a fall.
When FAVORIOT was first founded, the dream was bold — to make Malaysia a producer of IoT technology, not just a consumer. But reality was harsh. Funding was scarce, and few believed that a local IoT platform could compete with global giants like AWS or Azure. There were moments when the lights almost went out.

Then came acknowledgement.
The team looked in the mirror and admitted that building a platform alone was not enough. They needed to build an ecosystem. An IoT movement. Training, community, developers, partners, the entire value chain. It was not about selling software anymore. It was about empowering people.

Next was investigation.
What went wrong in those early pilots? Why were customers hesitant? FAVORIOT analysed every feedback, every failed proof of concept, and every lost deal. They realised the issue was not the technology but trust, awareness, and readiness.

So they began to learn.
They turned lessons into playbooks, products, and courses. They trained universities, upskilled engineers, and worked hand in hand with students and enterprises to show that IoT was not rocket science. Every workshop, every certification, every hands-on project became a step towards mastery.

Then came understanding.
The mission became clearer. Build Malaysia’s own IoT backbone for data sovereignty and local innovation. FAVORIOT was not just a platform; it was a bridge between learning and real-world application, between local talent and global opportunity.

With clarity, they began to realign.
FAVORIOT expanded globally, partnering with system integrators from Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Canada. The vision grew into “25 countries by 2025.” They built the Fayverse, a galaxy of innovators orbiting the same belief that local technology can shine on the world stage.

And finally, they evolved.
FAVORIOT became more than a company. It became a story of resilience. A proof that falling is not failure. Staying down is. Every setback became a stepping stone. Every obstacle, a teacher.

From falling to flying, that is the real story of FAVORIOT.

Overview of FAVORIOT C0mplete Brand

💡 Brand Strategy

Brand Substance

Purpose:
To empower nations, universities, and innovators to build their own IoT ecosystems — achieving technological sovereignty and nurturing the next generation of IoT creators.

Vision:
To make FAVORIOT the world’s most trusted IoT platform that helps nations become producers, not just consumers, of technology.

Mission:
To simplify IoT adoption through education, local partnerships, and accessible platforms — enabling anyone, from students to enterprises, to build impactful smart solutions.

Values:

  • Empowerment: We lift others to build.
  • Collaboration: We grow together through partnerships.
  • Integrity: We stand for transparency and trust in every connection.
  • Curiosity: We explore, learn, and innovate with heart.
  • Resilience: We pivot, persevere, and keep moving forward.

Positioning Strategy

Audience:
Universities, startups, system integrators, and governments seeking IoT independence and real-world learning platforms.

Competition:
Global IoT hyperscalers (AWS IoT, Azure IoT, ThingsBoard) — but FAVORIOT differentiates by offering a local, sovereign, and education-driven ecosystem that’s made by Malaysians, for the world.

Difference:
FAVORIOT bridges education and enterprise — combining IoT training, certification, and deployment in one platform. It’s not just about data; it’s about developing people, institutions, and nations.

Brand Expression

Brand Persona

Brand Voice:
Warm, insightful, humble yet confident. Speaks like a mentor or friend who believes in your potential to create something great.

Brand Communication

Core Messaging:
“Let’s build the IoT world together.”
(Reflects collaboration, empowerment, and shared growth.)

Storytelling Framework:
Stories center around:

  • Empowering students and educators.
  • Real IoT impact on communities and industries.
  • Favoriot’s journey — from survival to global partnerships.
  • The vision of a Producer Nation and the rise of the Fayverse.

Brand Taglines:

  • “Empowering Nations to Build Their Own IoT Ecosystem.”
  • “Let’s Build the IoT World Together.”
  • “From Learners to Leaders in IoT.”

Visual Expression

Brand Identity:

  • Logo: Stylized “F” circuit path on magenta circle
  • Color: Official magenta #B90083 (symbolizing creativity, boldness, and human warmth)
  • Typography: Rounded sans-serif — modern yet approachable
  • Mascot: Faybee (symbol of teamwork and energy)
  • Personas: IoT Man and IoT Queen

Brand Presence:

  • Platforms: favoriot.com, Medium, LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify podcasts
  • Ecosystem: Universities, startups, and global partners in 10+ countries
  • Tone: Storytelling-driven, people-first, optimistic, and visionary

❤️ Summary

FAVORIOT is more than an IoT platform — it’s a movement.
A story about how local innovation can grow into a global ecosystem.
It represents Malaysia’s dream of becoming a Producer Nation, built on collaboration, purpose, and belief in our own capabilities.

Why Favoriot’s Vision to Democratize IoT Matters

What if the future of technology wasn’t just controlled by a handful of giants, but built by thousands of creators everywhere?

That’s the vision we carry at Favoriot. Not a future where IoT is locked away in labs, hidden behind paywalls, or restricted to enterprises with deep pockets. But a world where every student, every startup, every dreamer with an idea can create, test, and scale their own IoT solutions.

I often ask myself, why should the power of IoT belong to only a few?

The truth is that IoT has the potential to transform every aspect of our lives, from smart cities that breathe with data, to farms that thrive with precision, to factories that learn and improve with every machine cycle. However, the doors to building IoT are often closed by complexity, cost, and exclusivity.

That’s why Favoriot exists.

IoT Shouldn’t Be an Exclusive Club

I’ve been in the tech industry long enough to know this: many brilliant ideas die before they even take their first breath. Why? Because the entry barrier is too high.

I’ve seen students with incredible IoT project ideas get stuck because they couldn’t afford expensive platforms. I’ve watched startups burn months trying to stitch together incompatible systems, only to give up before their product reached the market.

I thought to myself, what if we could change that narrative? What if we could open the gate wider?

Favoriot’s vision is simple yet powerful — to democratize IoT. To build a platform that doesn’t intimidate but empowers. One that invites creators instead of scaring them off.

Building More Creators, Not Just More Users

Most platforms are designed to create more users. But Favoriot is designed to generate more creators.

That difference matters.

Being a user means consuming what someone else has built. Being a creator means shaping the future, solving your own problems, and building solutions that matter to your community.

At Favoriot, we want a high school student in Johor to build a smart agriculture project that could feed her village. We want a startup in Manila to prototype a healthcare monitoring device without relying on investors for funding. We want universities in Africa to launch IoT labs that not only teach theory but also create real projects that positively impact lives.

This is not about numbers. This is about empowerment.

The Favoriot Platform: More Than Just Tech

Yes, Favoriot is a platform. It’s a cloud-based IoT engine that connects devices, collects data, and helps you make sense of it. But to me, it’s more than that.

It’s a bridge.

A bridge between ideas and reality. Between imagination and execution. Between a world where IoT is for the privileged few and a future where IoT belongs to everyone.

When we built Favoriot, we made a conscious choice: simplicity, openness, and accessibility. No vendor lock-ins. No hidden traps. Just a space where your IoT journey can grow from blinking an LED to managing a smart city.

I smiled when one of our users once told me, “Favoriot is like training wheels for IoT — it helps us ride until we’re ready to pedal on our own.”

That’s exactly how I see it.

A Vision Rooted in Humanity

For me, democratising IoT is not just about technology; it’s also about empowering people. It’s about humanity.

Imagine if every farmer could monitor their crops in real time. Imagine if every doctor in rural areas had access to patient data at their fingertips. Imagine if every student, regardless of their location, could create something that addresses real-world problems.

That’s the kind of future I want to see.

I know it won’t be easy. Change never is. There will always be resistance from those who benefit from keeping technology closed, complicated, and expensive. But I also know this — the world has always moved forward when ordinary people were given extraordinary tools.

Why Now?

Because the world cannot wait.

IoT is no longer a buzzword; it’s the nervous system of modern life. From the cars we drive to the homes we live in, from the energy grids that power us to the health systems that save us, IoT is everywhere.

But here’s the catch: if only a few can create, then only a few will shape that future. And that, to me, is unacceptable.

We need diversity. We need creativity. We need more voices, more perspectives, more hands building solutions. And that only happens when IoT is democratized.

Closing the Gap Between Dream and Reality

Every time I see a young innovator upload their first data stream into Favoriot, I feel a surge of hope. It’s not just data flowing into the cloud — it’s dreams taking shape.

Every time a small business uses Favoriot to track their machines and reduce downtime, I see a glimpse of the future economy.

Every time a teacher tells me their students used Favoriot to complete a project that once felt impossible, I’m reminded of why we started this journey.

The gap between dream and reality doesn’t have to be wide. Favoriot is here to close it.

The Future We Want to Build

I don’t just want to build a successful company. I want to create an ecosystem. A movement. A community of creators who believe that IoT is not just for the rich, the powerful, or the technically elite.

I want Favoriot to be remembered not just as a platform, but as a turning point. The moment when IoT stopped being a privilege and began to become a right.

I thought to myself, maybe the true legacy of Favoriot isn’t the platform we built — but the creators we inspired.

And that’s a future worth fighting for.

Leading LLMs of August 2025: Who’s Winning the AI Race?

If AI progress felt like a sprint in 2023, by 2025, it looks more like a rocket launch. Models aren’t just improving year by year—they’re leaping ahead month by month. What we thought was “cutting edge” last quarter is already yesterday’s news.

Here’s the reality: the global LLM market is surging toward $105.5 billion in North America by 2030. That’s not a forecast—it’s a signal. AI is no longer a novelty; it’s infrastructure.

But with so many options, which models actually matter right now? Which ones are shaping the way businesses, developers, and researchers use AI today?

I’ve rounded up the 10 large language models making the most significant impact in August 2025. Each one has its own unique personality, strengths, and trade-offs.

1. OpenAI – GPT-5

ChatGPT 5 is the next step in OpenAI’s journey, moving beyond GPT-4.5’s strengths to deliver a model that feels sharper, more adaptive, and more transparent in its reasoning. Where GPT-4.5 leaned heavily on pattern recognition, ChatGPT 5 combines that fluency with stronger deliberate reasoning, giving it the ability to break down problems with more structure and clarity.

It is also built to integrate more smoothly into real workflows. From handling long-form context with greater accuracy to providing clearer explanations of its answers, ChatGPT 5 is less about simply generating text and more about acting as a reliable partner. The model handles multimodal input—text, images, audio, and video—with greater fluidity, making it useful across industries from education to enterprise automation.

Like its predecessor, ChatGPT 5 remains proprietary, available through subscriptions or enterprise licensing. But for teams that want both conversational polish and deeper reasoning ability in one package, ChatGPT 5 has quickly become the new reference point.

2. DeepSeek – The Open-Source Challenger

China’s DeepSeek R1 took the AI world by storm with 671B parameters in a Mixture-of-Experts setup. By May 2025, their DeepSeek-V3 was leading the open-source leaderboard, proving that open models can compete head-to-head with proprietary giants.

The magic? 30 times cheaper than OpenAI’s o1 and 5 times faster. It thrives in reasoning-heavy tasks like math, coding, and scientific simulations. And with RAG integration, enterprises can plug it into sensitive datasets while maintaining control.

If you want open-source power with enterprise-level results, DeepSeek is redefining the game.

3. Qwen – Alibaba’s Efficiency Master

Alibaba’s Qwen 3 family is quietly powering industries across Asia. Their standout, QwQ-32B, rivals GPT-4o and DeepSeek in reasoning and coding while requiring far less compute.

With 32K context windows, Apache 2.0 licensing, and a parameter range from 1.8B to 72B, Qwen has become one of the most accessible and widely adopted LLM ecosystems. Already, over 90,000 businesses use it for gaming, consumer electronics, and enterprise workflows.

Qwen proves you don’t need hyperscale resources to compete at the highest level.

4. Grok – Elon Musk’s Conversational Rebel

Built by xAI and integrated into the X platform, Grok 3 feels different. It’s witty, fast, and plugged into real-time information.

With Think, Big Brain, and DeepSearch modes, it breaks down problems and pulls fresh data directly from the web and social feeds. Trained with 10x the compute of Grok 2, it’s designed for speed and trend awareness.

If your world demands live analysis, news tracking, or instant customer interaction, Grok brings something truly unique.

5. Llama – Meta’s Open-Weight Titan

Meta’s Llama 4 arrived in April with two flagship versions: Scout and Maverick. Both are natively multimodal, handling text, images, and short video, and they boast 256K token context windows.

The openness of Llama remains its secret weapon. Businesses and researchers can run it on their own terms, tune it to specific workflows, and avoid vendor lock-in.

If freedom and flexibility matter most, Llama is the open-source heavyweight to trust.

6. Claude – Anthropic’s Reflective Thinker

Anthropic’s Claude 4 Sonnet is like the careful colleague who always double-checks their work. Its extended thinking mode allows the model to pause, reflect, and refine outputs before committing.

With a 200K-token context window, it handles long documents with ease, making it a natural fit for legal analysis, compliance-heavy industries, and coding projects that need extra accuracy.

If reliability is more important than speed, Claude delivers consistency and thoughtfulness.

7. Mistral – Small but Mighty

Sometimes you don’t need a massive model—you need one that’s fast and affordable. Enter Mistral Small 3.

With 24B parameters, Apache 2.0 licensing, and speeds up to 150 tokens per second, it’s optimised for low-latency applications. The kicker? You can run it on a single GPU or even a MacBook.

For startups and lean businesses, Mistral proves that small models can pack a punch.

8. Gemini – Google’s Reasoning Powerhouse

Google’s Gemini 2.5 is pushing boundaries with a 1M-token context window. That means it can process entire books or databases in one shot.

It’s multimodal, handling text, images, and code, and comes with self-fact-checking to reduce hallucinations.

It’s proprietary, so data compliance matters, but if you want enterprise-grade multimodality and serious reasoning, Gemini is one of the most advanced options on the market.

For those preferring open weights, Google’s Gemma 3 (1B–27B) brings much of the same reasoning strength in a lighter package.

9. Command R – Cohere’s Enterprise Specialist

Cohere isn’t trying to win the hype war—it’s focused on enterprise workflows. Their Command R+ offers 128K context windows, built-in citations, multilingual coverage, and retrieval-augmented generation.

It excels at policy manuals, compliance-heavy industries, and multilingual customer service. And for companies needing control, Command A is open-sourced at 111B parameters with 256K context support.

For enterprises where accuracy and compliance come first, Cohere is a trusted partner.

10. Falcon – The Middle Eastern Power Play

From the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, Falcon has emerged as one of the strongest open-weight LLMs outside the US, China, or Europe.

The latest version, Falcon 2, boasts multilingual capabilities, optimised efficiency, and open-access licensing. It’s trained on a diverse dataset with an emphasis on global inclusivity, making it particularly strong in Arabic and other underrepresented languages.

What makes Falcon stand out is its mission: bringing AI sovereignty to regions that often depend on Western or Chinese tech. By providing a robust open-source model, Falcon gives governments, universities, and enterprises across the Middle East a homegrown alternative.

If AI diversity and regional sovereignty are important to you, Falcon is an LLM worth watching closely.

Closing Thoughts

Ten models. Ten different approaches to the future of AI.

  • OpenAI and Gemini lead with polished, proprietary power.
  • DeepSeek, Qwen, Llama, and Falcon prove open-source can compete and even outpace.
  • Claude and Cohere focus on reliability and compliance.
  • Mistral and Grok carve out niches in speed, agility, and personality.

The bigger question isn’t “Which is the best?” but “Which one is the best fit for you?”

AI in 2025 is not a single path—it’s a crossroads with ten directions. And whichever road you choose, the destination is changing how we work, build, and think.

Now I’d love to hear from you. Which of these ten models do you think will dominate the AI race by 2030—and why? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Why FAVORIOT Exists: The Deeper Purpose Behind Our IoT Mission

“Why do you do what you do?”

It’s a simple question — but one that hit me like a lightning bolt the first time I heard it posed by Simon Sinek in his book “Start With Why.” I thought I had the answer years ago when we founded FAVORIOT. We wanted to build an IoT platform. We wanted to be part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We wanted to make Malaysia proud.

But after reading Find Your Why, I realized I had only scratched the surface.

So I decided to go deeper. To strip away the features, the dashboards, the data streams — and ask myself, what is our true reason for being?

The Early Sparks: Frustration as Fuel

I spent decades in various ecosystems — from academia to government, corporates to startups. In every world, I saw the same problem repeat like a broken record: brilliant people with smart ideas were stuck because the technology was either too expensive, too complicated, or too foreign.

“Why are we importing tech for things we can build locally?”

“Why can’t our students graduate with real IoT skills, not just theories?”

“Why does every ‘Smart City’ pilot end with a press release but no long-term sustainability?”

Each “why” turned into fuel.

And that’s how FAVORIOT was born. Not from a business plan, but from frustration. From the belief that things should be simpler. That IoT shouldn’t be reserved for tech giants. That a kampung farmer, a Form 5 student, and a municipal engineer all deserve access to the same tools of transformation.

Understanding Our WHY

According to Find Your Why, every organization must uncover its purpose through reflection, story, and the impact it wants to make. It isn’t about what you do — it’s about why you do it.

And the format is simple yet powerful:

TO [your contribution] SO THAT [your impact].

So I asked myself:

  • What do we do when we’re at our best?
  • What makes us proud?
  • What kind of future do we want to build — not just for us, but for others?

Our WHY Statement

To empower people and organizations with accessible IoT technology, so that they can build smarter, connected futures on their own terms.

Let me unpack that for you.

“To Empower People and Organizations…”

We don’t just provide a dashboard.

We empower students to build their final year projects with confidence. We empower lecturers to teach IoT without needing an AWS certification. We empower entrepreneurs to launch sensor-based services. We empower city councils to detect flood risks, monitor waste bins, and receive alerts directly on Telegram — without vendor lock-ins or complex coding.

This empowerment comes in the form of:

  • A local, developer-friendly IoT platform (FAVORIOT Cloud)
  • Training and certifications via FAVORIOT Academy
  • Partnerships that build ecosystems, not just transactions

We’ve seen it firsthand — the moment someone realizes “Hey, I can build this myself” — that’s where our real work begins.

“…with Accessible IoT Technology…”

IoT is often wrapped in buzzwords: LPWAN, edge computing, mesh networks. But in truth, most users don’t need to know all that.

What they need is:

  • A clean dashboard
  • A reliable API
  • A simple setup guide
  • Local support, not just chatbot replies from time zones away

We built FAVORIOT with accessibility in mind. Not “dumbed down,” but demystified. So that even if you’re a high school student or a small-town official, you can say, “Yes, I understand this.”

We’re proudly Made in Malaysia, but we’re built for global adoption — especially in regions where digital transformation is often a PowerPoint slide, not a daily tool.

“…So That They Can Build Smarter, Connected Futures…”

This is the impact. The soul of our mission.

It’s not about selling more subscriptions or deploying more gateways. It’s about helping others take control of their own digital transformation.

A university that trains 500 certified IoT graduates per year?
That’s a smarter future.

A logistics company that reduces vehicle downtime with sensor data?
That’s a smarter future.

A kampung that uses IoT to monitor river levels and avoid flooding?
That’s not a Silicon Valley fantasy. That’s reality. And it’s happening.

Because we gave them the tools — and more importantly, the confidence — to build it on their own terms.

What Favoriot Is Not

We’re not trying to compete with AWS or Azure on scale.

We’re not just another smart city vendor with flashy mockups and no follow-through.

And we’re definitely not in it for vanity metrics.

What we are building is a platform that:

  • Trains the next generation of engineers and technologists
  • Supports local system integrators with ready-to-deploy tools
  • Strengthens national resilience by owning our tech stack
  • Connects the dots between ambition and execution

Why This Matters — Especially Now

Everyone’s talking about AI. And yes, AI is exciting.

But here’s the truth: AI needs data. And data comes from IoT.

Without sensors, there are no predictions. Without real-time input, there’s no intelligent decision-making. IoT is the nervous system — AI is the brain. You can’t build a smarter future with just one.

Yet IoT is often the unsung hero.

FAVORIOT exists to make that hero visible — to give it a platform, a purpose, and most importantly, a presence in our communities.

Closing Thoughts: Why I’m Still Here

People sometimes ask me, “After all these years, what keeps you going?”

And honestly, it’s not the tech.

It’s the message I got from a student who said, “Dr., because of the Favoriot certification, I got hired immediately after graduation.”

It’s the local council officer who said, “We prevented a flood this year — because of your alerts.”

It’s the partner in Indonesia who said, “We never thought we could build our own IoT solution — until Favoriot.”

That is our WHY.

That is why we exist.

And that is why we’ll keep building.

Your Turn

If you’re a student, a policymaker, a developer, or an entrepreneur — and you’ve ever thought “IoT is too complex” — I invite you to rethink that.

Because with the right platform, the right support, and the right purpose — you’re closer to a smarter future than you think.

And we, at Favoriot, are here to help you build it.

Let’s democratize IoT. Together.

Let’s Make IoT Great Again — The Malaysian Comeback We’ve Been Waiting For

“Malaysia’s not ready yet…”

You’ve heard that line, haven’t you?
I’ve heard it in government meetings, corporate pitches, startup huddles, even in university halls.

“Let’s wait for the right timing.”
“Let’s see if the budget gets approved.”
“Let’s hold until the talent pool matures.”

Enough waiting. Seriously.

Because if we keep hitting pause, someone else is going to press play — and leave us behind in the dust.

South Korea Didn’t Wait. China Didn’t Either.

In the 1980s, South Korea was still recovering and rebuilding.
In the 1990s, China was just finding its footing on the world stage.

They weren’t “ready” either.

But they moved.
They dared.
They started.

And now? The world watches them. Learns from them. Competes with them.

Malaysia, it’s our turn. But only if we dare to move — even if it’s messy.

Whatever Happened to IoT?

I still remember when IoT was the darling of tech conferences.

Smart cities.
Smart farming.
Smart industries.
Smart everything.

IoT was the buzzword. The future.

But slowly, it faded. AI came in with a bang — and now even school kids are doing AI projects. Meanwhile, IoT became the forgotten tech. The backup dancer.

But guess what? IoT never went away. It just stopped trending.

And that’s not fair — because IoT is the foundation.
No IoT, no data.
No data, no AI.
No AI, no “smart” anything.

We’ve been cheering for AI, but forgot where AI gets its brain food — real-world data from IoT devices.

So let’s bring IoT back to the main stage.

Waiting for a Masterplan? Here’s the Truth.

Malaysia loves blueprints. Loves roadmaps. Loves waiting for official green lights.

But progress rarely comes from the top. It starts in the cracks.
In university labs.
In garage workshops.
In kopitiam brainstorms.
In “I-don’t-know-coding-but-I’ll-try” kinda attitude.

You don’t need to be a coding wizard.
You don’t need RM100,000.
You just need the guts to start.

Platforms like FAVORIOT make it ridiculously easy to test, build, and learn. Plug and play. Create a dashboard. Get alerts. It’s not rocket science anymore.

And you don’t need permission to innovate.

Here’s My Challenge to You

I’m not asking you to build Malaysia’s next unicorn startup tomorrow.

I’m asking you to:

  • Build a small IoT project with your kids.
  • Monitor your home’s electricity using sensors.
  • Start a DIY smart farm with friends.
  • Teach students how to send data to the cloud.
  • Connect a temperature sensor to a dashboard just because you can.

Each small project creates momentum.
Each momentum builds confidence.
Each confidence turns into a movement.

Imagine hundreds — no, thousands — of these projects happening across Malaysia. That’s not hype. That’s ecosystem-building.

Start Small. Start Messy. But Please—Start Now.

Let’s stop worrying if it’ll fail. Let’s stop doubting ourselves.

Failure is part of the story.

Every successful nation, every great tech innovation — it all started with people trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again.

If we want Malaysia to lead in IoT, we need to stop talking and start doing.

Because:

  • The technology is already here.
  • The talent is growing.
  • The platforms are local and ready.
  • The excuses are tired.

The Revival Starts Here — and With Us

I’m writing this not just as someone in the IoT industry, but as a Malaysian who’s tired of hearing “We’re not ready.”

What if we stopped asking for permission?
What if we trusted ourselves to build something great from the ground up?
What if our “small” becomes the next big thing in Southeast Asia?

This isn’t a government-only mission. This isn’t a corporate-only opportunity.

This is everyone’s movement.

If we wait for perfect conditions, we’ll never move.

So let’s stop waiting. Let’s start building.

Malaysia, This Is Your IoT Moment

It’s not about who’s ahead now. It’s about who dares to start — and keeps going.

We’ve got what it takes.

Let’s build the sensors.
Let’s write the code.
Let’s run the dashboards.
Let’s fix the bugs.
Let’s train the students.
Let’s test the ideas.
Let’s MAKE MISTAKES.

And let’s make IoT great again — in our own Malaysian way.

Not by following others, but by leading with bold, messy action.

Are you in?

The Book That Finally Told the Truth About IoT

For years, I’ve watched the Internet of Things evolve—promises, pilots, platforms, and… silence.

We were told IoT would change everything. And yet, here we are. Smart cities still look like science projects. Predictive maintenance rarely gets past a demo. Even in conferences, IoT is the quiet cousin, while AI receives the spotlight.

So when I read “IoT: The Hype No One Knows About” by Afzal Mangal, I didn’t just read it—I felt it.

This wasn’t another technical deep dive. It wasn’t a glossy case study collection either. It was something rare: an honest book written by someone who’s actually done the work, faced the resistance, and survived the grind.

It’s Not the Technology That’s Broken

The core message? IoT works. That’s not the problem. The issue is that no one knows or sees it, and often, no one asks for it.

IoT doesn’t fail in the lab. It fails in the boardroom. It fails when:

  • Decision-makers don’t know what problem IoT solves
  • Internal champions give up after the pilot
  • Sales teams can’t explain it without five slides and a PhD

This hit hard. I’ve seen excellent IoT projects—solid tech, measurable impact—die quietly because there was no momentum to take them further.

Meanwhile, AI Took the Stage

Mangal makes a bold (and fair) comparison: AI and IoT were both hyped. But only one became mainstream.

Why?

Because AI built a tribe, it became aspirational. It had influencers, evangelists, podcasts, and memes. It was everywhere. IoT, on the other hand, stayed niche. It stayed quiet. It stayed technical.

It didn’t show off its wins. It didn’t shout. And that’s where we lost the game.

The Book Offers Solutions, Not Just Complaints

The best part isn’t just the diagnosis. It’s the prescription.

Mangal outlines 70 actions—from marketing to product strategy—that are refreshingly doable. No jargon. Just real advice:

  • Put “IoT” in your product name
  • Sell small and scale later
  • Educate the market like a campaign
  • Speak in stories, not specs
  • Make IoT visible in daily life

It sounds simple, but when did we last do any of that?

My Honest Take

This book isn’t for those looking for another buzzword to pitch. It’s for those tired of being invisible. It speaks to the founders, engineers, salespeople, and educators who want IoT to finally get the recognition it deserves, technically and publicly.

It made me reflect deeply on how I present, pitch, and teach IoT.

We can keep building great tech. But until we start creating awareness, IoT will remain a background actor in a play it should lead.

My Final Thoughts

Afzal Mangal didn’t just write a book—he wrote a mirror. If you’ve ever been frustrated with the slow progress of IoT adoption, this book gives you clarity—and a plan.

I highly recommend it to anyone in the IoT space, especially:

  • Startup founders
  • Product managers
  • Policy-makers
  • Tech educators
  • Marketers are trying to position IoT solutions

The industry doesn’t need more hype. It needs truth, clarity, and action.

This book delivers all three.

From Manual Logins to a Global Force: This is Favoriot 4.5

“Dr. Mazlan, I didn’t receive my password—boleh email balik?”

I still remember that message. One of our earliest users. Back when onboarding meant me, personally, typing out usernames and passwords… and emailing them. One. By. One.

No dashboard.
No billing.
No automation.
Just a dream—and a lot of copy-pasting.

Was it messy? Yes.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.

That’s where Favoriot was born—not in a boardroom, but in a Gmail inbox at midnight.

We Built It The Hard Way

Every support ticket? A lesson.
Every bug? A wake-up call.
Every confused user? A chance to rethink.

We didn’t have “customer personas.”
We had real people telling us, “This part tak faham…”
And that direct feedback shaped everything.

So we added what mattered:
✅ Visual dashboards
✅ Auto device creation
✅ Better user controls
✅ A real self-service platform

Eventually, we stopped emailing passwords.

And Then… We Grew

By version 3.0, Favoriot wasn’t a scrappy prototype anymore. It was real.

Today?
🌍 111 countries
👨‍💻 9,600+ developers
📱 13,000+ IoT apps

What’s wild? We have no idea what most users are building.
And you know what? We love that.

Favoriot is flexible enough for developers to use it their way—without us needing to micromanage or interfere. That’s the magic of a true IoT platform-as-a-service.

We Kept It Cheap—On Purpose

We priced it low. Dirt cheap, some said.

Because back then, IoT wasn’t mainstream.
We wanted students, hobbyists, and young startups to try.
To explore. To fail. To learn.
Without worrying about subscription fees.

That strategy worked.
It built trust. It built momentum.
And it got Favoriot where it is today.

But Let’s Be Real—It’s Time

Favoriot 4.5 isn’t a toy.
It’s a world-class platform.

We’ve benchmarked ourselves against the global giants.
We’ve made it faster, stronger, smarter.
And yes—it’s time the subscription reflects that.

Starting June 2025, our prices will change.

Why?
Because we’ve earned that seat at the table.
And we want to keep delivering the value you deserve.

But Here’s The Deal

If you subscribe before June—
You lock in the current price.
No surprises. No sudden hike.
Your loyalty gets rewarded.

To the Early Believers

If you’ve been with us since the manual days…
If you ever waited for your login in your inbox…
If you clicked “refresh” hoping we’d fix the bug…

Thank you.

Favoriot 4.5 carries your fingerprints.
We wouldn’t be here without you.

And we’re just getting started.

Let’s keep building the future of IoT—together.

Favoriot: A Marathon of Pivots, Perseverance, and Purpose

“This is going to be a game-changer!”

That was the spark that ignited our journey. In 2017, we embarked on a mission to revolutionize the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape in Malaysia. Our first stride? Raqib—a wearable device designed to ensure the safety and health of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. It was more than just a product; it was a vision to provide peace of mind to individuals and their families during spiritual journeys.

KM 0–5: The Starting Line – Raqib’s Ambitious Launch

Launching Raqib felt like the exhilarating first kilometers of a marathon. The energy was high, the vision clear, and the team motivated. We believed in our product’s potential to make a significant impact. However, as with any long-distance race, the initial excitement soon gave way to unforeseen challenges.

KM 6–10: The First Hurdles – Technical Glitches and Market Realities

As we progressed, technical issues began to surface. The device faced unexpected glitches, and our marketing efforts didn’t yield the anticipated traction. It was a tough pill to swallow. But we weren’t ready to give up. We pivoted and introduced Favorsense, aiming to capture a different segment of the IoT market. Yet, despite our best efforts, it struggled to gain user interest.

“Where did we falter? What could we have done differently?” I often pondered during those challenging times.

KM 11–15: The Turning Point – Recognizing the Core Strength

Amidst these setbacks, a realization dawned upon us. The common thread between Raqib and Favorsense was the underlying platform that powered them. This platform, robust and versatile, had the potential to be more than just a backbone for our products. It could be the very product we needed to focus on.

I told the team, “This platform can be used by anyone who wants to develop their own IoT products. “

With renewed determination, we decided to pivot once more. We introduced the Favoriot IoT Platform to the public, offering it free to attract a broader audience. However, adoption was slower than expected. Despite creating tutorials and sharing resources, many users found it challenging to navigate the platform.

KM 16–20: Bridging the Gap – Introducing IoT Courses

Understanding the need for guidance, we launched IoT courses tailored to help users grasp the platform’s capabilities. These courses weren’t just about theory; they offered hands-on experience, enabling participants to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Universities and polytechnics across Malaysia began integrating the Favoriot IoT Platform into their curricula. Students utilised it for their final-year projects, bringing innovative ideas to life.

“This is a significant achievement for us,” I expressed pridefully.

KM 21–30: Expanding Horizons – Building Partnerships

As we continued our journey, we recognised the importance of collaboration. We partnered with system integrators and enterprises, offering our platform’s cloud-based and enterprise-based models. This flexibility allowed clients to choose solutions that best fit their needs, further solidifying Favoriot’s position in the market.

KM 31–40: Gaining Momentum – Recognition and Growth

Our efforts began to bear fruit. Favoriot was no longer an unknown name in the IoT landscape. Out of 9,375 users (as of January 27, 2025), 80% came from our own country—a milestone that filled me with pride.

“We did it,” I told my team with a sense of accomplishment. “We’ve proven that we can compete with global platforms and carve out our own space.”

KM 41–42.195: The Final Stretch – Looking Ahead

Today, the Favoriot IoT Platform is a testament to resilience and adaptability. The journey has been a marathon from its humble beginnings with Raqib to becoming a cornerstone in IoT education and development. We’ve learned that setbacks aren’t failures but opportunities to pivot and grow.

As we look ahead, our vision is to take the Favoriot IoT Platform beyond Malaysia, reaching global audiences and empowering the next generation of IoT innovators.

“This is just the beginning,” I remind the team. The marathon continues, and we’re ready for the next leg of the race.

So, Startup or Marathon?

Startup is a marathon.

But with Favoriot, it’s not just about enduring.

It’s about leading, creating, and building something that lasts beyond the race.

And here’s the truth no one tells you:

The real finish line is when others start running because you did.

A New Chapter Begins: My Heartfelt Mission for Malaysia’s IoT Future

Alhamdulillah.
There are moments in life that make you pause. Not because you’re unsure—but because you feel the weight of something bigger than yourself. Being appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Malaysia IoT Association is one of those moments for me.

I didn’t chase this title. It found me after years of walking the path—failing, building, sharing, writing, and dreaming about how technology could transform our nation. And now, I’ve been entrusted with a greater purpose: to carry the hopes of a growing community of changemakers and to help shape a future that belongs to every Malaysian.

This isn’t just a new role. It’s a calling.

This Land is Full of Potential

Malaysia is not short of talent. We are not short of ideas. But for far too long, we’ve been stuck in wait mode—waiting for foreign platforms, waiting for permission, waiting for funding. We must break that cycle. We must choose action.

Because Malaysia doesn’t need to follow trends anymore.
We have what it takes to create them.

The Role of IoT in Our Nation’s Story

Let’s get one thing straight—IoT is no longer about devices.

It’s about connecting hearts and systems.
It’s about bridging rural and urban, old and new, human and machine.
It’s about giving our nation eyes that can see in real time and ears that can listen before disaster strikes.

From the farms of FELDA to the traffic lights of KL…
From lecture halls to factory floors…
IoT is not just a tool. It’s a lifeline.

And what many don’t realise is—AI needs data.
But not just any data. It needs real-world, real-time, reliable data.
And IoT is the only way we can feed that intelligence.

A Personal Mission, A National Cause

So what do I see ahead?

I see a Malaysia that no longer depends on imported systems we don’t control.
I see homegrown platforms like FAVORIOT becoming the national backbone.
I see students graduating not with theoretical knowledge—but with hands-on IoT skills, certified and industry-ready.
Every Majlis Perbandaran has its own IoT dashboard, managing waste, lighting, traffic, and water in real-time.
I see SMEs embracing smart automation—not fearing it.

But more than anything…

I see people—living safer, healthier, and more connected lives.

The Time is Now

Some say we’re not ready yet.
But if we keep waiting for perfect conditions, we’ll never move.
Neither was Korea ready in the 1980s. Or China in the 1990s. But they moved.
And now the world watches them.

It’s our turn.
Let’s start messy. Let’s start small.
But most importantly—let’s start now.

To the Silent Fighters

To every young innovator quietly coding in a dorm room.
To every lecturer who buys sensors out of pocket to teach their students.
To every entrepreneur who builds despite rejection after rejection.

I see you.
And in this new role, I carry your hopes with me.

Let us walk this path together—not because it’s easy. But because it matters.

A Final Word from the Heart

This journey is no longer mine alone. It belongs to all of us who believe in a better digital Malaysia.

To those who built the foundation before me—thank you.
To my peers in MyIoTA and the wider tech community—I’m ready to stand with you.
And to the next generation—we’re building this for you.

Let’s make IoT not just a technology—but a legacy.
Let’s make Malaysia not just relevant—but revolutionary.

The future doesn’t wait.
And neither should we.

Bismillah. We begin.