What is the Internet of Things?

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) concept has been described by some as amorphous,blurred, clumsy, confusing, fuzzy, meaningless, nebulous, or vague. Others - such as the overwhelming majority of US consumers - never heard of it. 
Yet, the growing number of articles, conferences, workshops, and reports on the topic around the world clearly indicates that something is happening, at least brewing, and invites us to notice and seek some kind of understanding. In short, the societal changes that IoT is on the cusp of bringing about are so broad and deep that we cannot ignore them.