mankind - mobiles - machines

M2M means 'machine-to-machine.'

'In some applications, it can also mean 'mobile-to-machine' or 'machine-to-mobile'. M2M refers to systems that let machines communicate with management systems or with people using compatible mobile terminals'.......Nokia

The name machine-to-machine can be misleading because frequently only one end of the data connection is actually a machine. In many scenarios, information passes not between two machines, but between a machine and an individuals mobile phone. Or in other cases, from the machine to an IT system - a company server, other software or the Internet.M2M enables the transfer of information between remote equipment, operators in the field and company IT systems. This data and these connections enable more efficient management and maintenance of their overall operation.