The document discusses the rise of smart cities and the Internet of Things. It provides examples of smart city initiatives in Portland, Guangzhou, and Amsterdam that focus on areas like transportation, sustainability, energy efficiency, and green technology. The document also outlines some technical and computing challenges of large-scale IoT systems as well as examples of how IoT can improve areas like smart buildings, energy, lighting, and water systems. EU research programs have funded work related to future internet technologies, applications, and smart cities.