WTH? Google just bought Nest Labs (makers of the Nest Thermostat)

[werepossum]

G knows when you've been sleeping
G knows when you're awake
G knows when you've been bad or good
So be good for Google's sake

LOL +1

Google is Big Brother.

 

[nageov3t]

gotta love the knee-jerk hate.

more integration with android and selling your personal information to advertisers that probably won't have a significant impact on your life regardless.

I can't wait for my google car to tell my google thermostat when I'm leaving the house... the auto-sensing appeals to me. I make great use out of my programmable thermostat, but it would be nice to not have to remember to manually set it (lest I wake up to a freezing cold house) when I'm on vacation, working from home, or otherwise interrupting my normal schedule.

(currently have the thermostat set to 68F for 5 am - 7 am + 5 pm - 10 pm M-F, and 55F during the times when I'm at work/asleep)

 

[TwiceOver]

I'm sure Google has their reasons. I just don't see $3.2B in a thermostat and a smoke alarm. That being said, Nest may have a patent that can stand up against Honeywell which might have some value to it.

 

[Jeff7]

Until the little thermostats start sending out their coded signals to the armies of much larger BigDogs.

Give it awhile, and we'll have AT-AT Walkers and Cheetahs patrolling the fields by highways, acting as giant mobile billboards.

I'm sure Google has their reasons. I just don't see $3.2B in a thermostat and a smoke alarm. That being said, Nest may have a patent that can stand up against Honeywell which might have some value to it.

And I bet they don't see it as a simple thermostat and smoke alarm. It's an always-on, always-connected device that sits on your wall, complete with a touch screen.
Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

 

[Eug]

gotta love the knee-jerk hate.

more integration with android and selling your personal information to advertisers that probably won't have a significant impact on your life regardless.

I can't wait for my google car to tell my google thermostat when I'm leaving the house... the auto-sensing appeals to me. I make great use out of my programmable thermostat, but it would be nice to not have to remember to manually set it (lest I wake up to a freezing cold house) when I'm on vacation, working from home, or otherwise interrupting my normal schedule.

(currently have the thermostat set to 68F for 5 am - 7 am + 5 pm - 10 pm M-F, and 55F during the times when I'm at work/asleep)

Honeywell also has a WiFi/internet enabled thermostat. However it is just as gmmicky and just as expensive, and likely not as well implemented as Nest (before 4.0?).

 

[K1052]

However, I'm a little surprised they put out a fubar'd OS. What's wrong with 4.0? I'm curious.

A lot of people had wifi and charging problems. Some people experienced their furnace cycling quickly (my problem) which besides not being good for the unit was highly inconvenient during the recent deep freeze.

 

[herm0016]

Honeywell also has a WiFi/internet enabled thermostat. However it is just as gmmicky and just as expensive, and likely not as well implemented as Nest (before 4.0?).

actually I think the honeywell is much better. you can do everything from the touch screen and the interface is pretty good. you can also change it from online or their app. it will not automaticly schedule it self, but really, i think that is the gimmik, as its super easy to schedule it yourself. I researched heavely before choosing the honeywell over the nest.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would hate the idea of something that schedules itself, I rather have full control over that so it's predictable. My solution provides that, although it's not a very pretty interface and it could use some improvement.



If it was not for the fact that there's probably all sorts of patents on this stuff I'd probably release mine to the public as an open source project.

 

[spidey07]

Program your own web based control system?

Nice. Now go make some money.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That is my own. Chances are the concept is patented though.

 

[spidey07]

That is my own. Chances are the concept is patented though.

And google just bought them.

If only you took that control, made it wifi with a pretty interface and some learning logic and easily to install in same place regular thermo was.....

I admit. I've wanted one but not now with google.

 

[rcpratt]

I would hate the idea of something that schedules itself, I rather have full control over that so it's predictable.

You can turn the option off, you know. Different people like different levels of control. Some people like set and forget, and it does that pretty well.

 

[Nintendesert]

You can turn the option off, you know. Different people like different levels of control. Some people like set and forget, and it does that pretty well.

So then why pay out the ass for it?

 

[Phoenix86]

So then why pay out the ass for it?

It's pretty.

Surprised Apple didn't buy it.

 

[spidey07]

It's pretty.

Surprised Apple didn't buy it.

Bingo!

When it comes to being in the home it must be pretty.

 

[Phoenix86]

Bingo!

When it comes to being in the home it must be pretty.

There's something to be said about clean, simple products. Do the job a little better than everyone else, make it a clean (pretty) design and charge 2-3x the "normal" price. It's actually good for a given market, it raises the top end of what people would pay for something to allow actual features.

Would the average person have paid $150-250 (or whatever) for a set of cans? Nope. Wait, what's that? Beats by Dre? I'm in.

That allows other manufactures to produce competitive products that beat the piss out of the pretty one.

 

[Joe1987]

Fadell & Ive do not get along, it's an epic thing between the two.

Google funded Nest X2, and likely wrote a buyout clause into one or both of the buckets of money they gave Nest.

 

[rcpratt]

So then why pay out the ass for it?

There's (gasp!) more than just that one option and feature. Shocker!

No, I don't think it's worth the price. But you can still assess the features and the cost separately.

 

[Eug]

actually I think the honeywell is much better. you can do everything from the touch screen and the interface is pretty good. you can also change it from online or their app. it will not automaticly schedule it self, but really, i think that is the gimmik, as its super easy to schedule it yourself. I researched heavely before choosing the honeywell over the nest.

That's a very good point. Having to use the web or iOS interface just to program Nest would be really annoying.

It's pretty.

Surprised Apple didn't buy it.

1. Reports are that Apple was uninterested in the tech. No bid for it.
2. Apparently, the pre-buyout valuation was estimated to be in the $2 billion ballpark (which still seems too high to me).
3. Google already owned part of Nest.
4. The user agreement prevents Google from harvesting that customer information and using it directly. However, I wouldn't be surprised if that changes soon.

 

[NFS4]

 

[xanis]

Just came across this:

http://blog.spark.io/2014/01/17/open-source-thermostat/

 

[zorcean]

We have a pro1 thermostat from http://pro1iaq.com that we are very happy with and with all the hype about the new nest it has me asking questions.

Pro1 is a brand name so I am hesitant to switch when the pro1 we have has totally reduced our monthly costs. Is it worth making the switch just because Google bought them? Needing some opinions here.

Thanks

 

[Clinkster]

We have a pro1 thermostat from http://pro1iaq.com that we are very happy with and with all the hype about the new nest it has me asking questions.

Pro1 is a brand name so I am hesitant to switch when the pro1 we have has totally reduced our monthly costs. Is it worth making the switch just because Google bought them? Needing some opinions here.

Thanks

Free iPad!

 

[ComputerWizKid]

glad I can't have a Nest T-stat as my apartment is old with line voltage 240VAC baseboard heaters and a 6000BTU window shaker for the summer months

Still pissed that Google bought out SageTV though as that was my DVR program of choice (I still use it however there are no more updates)