Nest has been bought by Google - sound familiar?

[wayner]

Nest has been SageTV'ed - although I think the Nest guys got more money than Narflex et al.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontil...r-3-2-billion/

[tvmaster2]

ok, it's official: Google has become 'aware', and is creeping me out.
is there anywhere in our home we can be free from big brother? not to mention the deals they are making to put Android in our cars.....
Skynet would pale by comparison

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Wayneb

I was thinking of buying the new nest smoke alarms, I am not now.

+1

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

ok, it's official: Google has become 'aware', and is creeping me out.
is there anywhere in our home we can be free from big brother? not to mention the deals they are making to put Android in our cars.....
Skynet would pale by comparison

But think of the upside - they can add the thermostat UI to SageTV 8 so that you can set your house temperature from within SageTV.

(Actually I think that stuckless has already written the API for some of that!)

[Skirge01]

And with the info G shares with the NSA, they'll know whether or not you're home, estimate how many people live there or visit, and what room you're in when they want to come get you. They'll even know when you go on vacation.

</tinfoil hat>

[wayner]

They don't need the Nest for that since pretty much every Smartphone has GPS. With Find my iPhone Apple knows where I am at all times - I imagine there is an Android version of that as well. Google also likely knows where I am from Google Maps on my iPhone and iPad.

And given the Snowden revelations assuming that the NSA gets access to that info is not far fetched.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by wayner

They don't need the Nest for that since pretty much every Smartphone has GPS. With Find my iPhone Apple knows where I am at all times - I imagine there is an Android version of that as well. Google also likely knows where I am from Google Maps on my iPhone and iPad.

And given the Snowden revelations assuming that the NSA gets access to that info is not far fetched.

That's specifically why I only turn my GPS on when I need directions, don't use social media, and have almost no apps on my phone. Am I safe from spying? Hell no, but at least I'm making it a little more difficult to be tracked than most of the rest of the world.

[wayner]

Then what's the point of having a Smartphone?

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by wayner

Then what's the point of having a Smartphone?

Primarily, it's required for work. Additionally, I use it for browsing the internet, reading email, texting, and--much less frequently--for driving directions.

[Taddeusz]

It's only paranoia if it's not true.

Seriously though, even if my iPhone is providing data to the NSA I'm not concerned about being flagged for anything other than being boring. Collecting data on people is one thing. Being able to filter that data in some meaningful way that actually provides useful information is another problem entirely. If all the news is to be believed the NSA's data collection hasn't really done anything to catch terrorists. Why should I be worried about them maybe seeing that I drive back and forth from work day in and day out? I'm more concerned about a waiter at a restaurant collecting card swipes or someone breaking into an insecure database and getting away with my card number that way.

[tmiranda]

They paid $3.2 BILLION for Nest? Holy crap, either Google has lost its mind or they know something more than we do. $3.2 billion, really? Nest must be laughing all the way to the bank

[KryptoNyte]

The Nest thermostat is "learning" hardware. It's possible that there is a behavioral learning algorithm that Google is after in addition to just the relatively simple technology otherwise.

[Skybolt]

It's about the patents, even for that 3.2 billion is alot.

[ranger]

Google is banking on this as another entry point into owning the connected home market. In Nest they've acquired a team that can take a simple household device and get it connected. Google must believe Nest will be a driving force in this market. Unlike the Sage acquisition, it looks like Nest will continue to operate under its' own name.
I would guess that there are more evolutionary products in the pipeline at Nest and that Google wanted them as well.

So just how is Google going to make money by knowing that my smoke alarm had 3 false triggers last month? I'm sure they'll find some way to turn that into revenue...

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by ranger

Google is banking on this as another entry point into owning the connected home market. In Nest they've acquired a team that can take a simple household device and get it connected. Google must believe Nest will be a driving force in this market. Unlike the Sage acquisition, it looks like Nest will continue to operate under its' own name.
I would guess that there are more evolutionary products in the pipeline at Nest and that Google wanted them as well.

So just how is Google going to make money by knowing that my smoke alarm had 3 false triggers last month? I'm sure they'll find some way to turn that into revenue...

Agreed. Ars has a decent start, but I think they're under-reaching... by a lot. Think (tinfoil hat time) much wider, beyond the current capabilities of the products and include additional product links. For example, combine a Chromecast, cell phone, Nest/Protect, plus a few other devices such as cameras, etc, and then think about what Google's primary focus is: advertising.

Pool all of this together and you know the who, what, when, where, and how people are consuming products and services with a level of detail not previously possible. It could turn into the Holy Grail of demographics for targeted advertising.

[tmiranda]

IMHO Google has so much money they can afford to buy things now at high prices hoping that if they buy enough they will get some winners along with the losers. It takes only 1 big hit to generate many billions of dollars. I saw IBM do this back in the 1970's and early 1980's.

[wayner]

Did they buy anything that ended up all that successful? I wonder how the Lotus acquisition turned out, although that was later - mid 90s or so.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by wayner

Did they buy anything that ended up all that successful? I wonder how the Lotus acquisition turned out, although that was later - mid 90s or so.

Google bought Android. I'm sure there are others. Also, they seem to buy a lot of companies to halt competition, to prevent the competition from purchasing a company, or to get their IP. Acquisitions like those are difficult to quantify as to whether or not it was the right move.

[IVB]

Originally Posted by ranger

So just how is Google going to make money by knowing that my smoke alarm had 3 false triggers last month? I'm sure they'll find some way to turn that into revenue...

Insert ads into GoogleFiberTV?

Man, 1:1 advertising based on what happened in your house, your emails, what you searched on, and what you watch? A marketing persons dream...

[wayner]

Originally Posted by IVB

Insert ads into GoogleFiberTV?

Man, 1:1 advertising based on what happened in your house, your emails, what you searched on, and what you watch? A marketing persons dream...

Not too mention every place that you have been either though GPS tracing or virtual breadcrumbs, whether you are home (the Nest tracks this,), ...