Google buys NEST for 3.2 Billion Dollars

[Teken]

Not sure how I feel about the EVIL Google buying up NEST.

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... e16313217/

 

Teken . . .

[chrsb]

Now I'll have to sell my nest, I don't want google spying on me(kind of joking but not really)

[ISYhbsh01]

I don't have a NEST. But honestly I would feel much better about Google buying it rather than Apple... With Google's open philosophy there is a much better chance of seeing ISY integration one day. If Apple would have bought it it wouldn't stand a chance.

 

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[Xathros]

I don't think I like the idea of Google, Apple or any other corporate entity having access to occupancy and other sensors in my home. I'll stick with my locally controlled/monitored solutions.

 

-Xathros

[larryllix]

I don't think I like the idea of Google, Apple or any other corporate entity having access to occupancy and other sensors in my home. I'll stick with my locally controlled/monitored solutions.

 

-Xathros

No Kidding! I thought Yahoo was bad for spam when it was the "Big" search engine, but now Google prides themselves as being snooping Gods that can pry into any aspect of your life and collect data on you from birth.

 

Very good point.

[Teken]

At work all of us were joking how Google is very close to being *SkyNET* from the movie Terminator. Google in the last several years has purchased robotics companies left and right. They have acquired Motorola, deployed their own high speed fiber network. Is the undisputed search engine for data capturing and review.

 

SkyNet was a computer system that became aware at XX:XX time.

 

It was because the computer systems along with its infrastructure were wired and programmed to control all aspects of communications and systems that it was able to over ride the military elements.

 

Google has their hands in all facets of communications and information. Having the ability to know if you're home along with the status of your devices is just the small step for them.

 

Teken . . .

[apostolakisl]

Google already knows where you are if you have an Android phone. Depending on signal strength, they could even figure out what room of your house your in.

 

I still don't get what is worth $3.2B in cash about Nest. It must be that Nest has some patents that are really juicy for a slew of other things. $3.2B would buy you 16 million thermostats at $200. Now figure that the profit on a thermostat is probably less than half of that, you need to sell 32 million of them. Maybe it could be done to a worldwide audience, but that seems like a tall order. There must be something else there.

 

EDIT: Just read that Nest is shipping 40 or 50k thermostats per month. They expect that they could do as many as 1 million per year if things go well. That is pretty far away from selling 32 million at $100 profit each.

[Xathros]

Google already knows where you are if you have an Android phone. Depending on signal strength, they could even figure out what room of your house your in.

 

If your Phone checks your gmail account on a regular basis, Google knows roughly where you are based on your IP address when the phone checks. Don't need Android for the big G to find you.

 

-Xathros

[Teken]

NEST is just another element for Google to add to their infrastructure. Google has been playing with remote AP connectors for more than three years now. They have deployed this balloon type devices in remote locations to allow communications. This whole Google glasses is yet another element along with the 3D street view.

 

Google, is EVIL . . .

 

Teken . . .

[elvisimprsntr]

The new google nest.

 

[Teken]

Thats awesome!

 

Teken . . .

[elvisimprsntr]

Thought I would repeat this one here...

 

 

Ok here's a far fetched conspiracy for you. The Protect smoke detector has a speaker and wifi. Any speaker can be turned into a microphone. Just ask Edison or Bell. So basically by installing Protect smoke detector(s) you are saving the NSA from having to perform a black bag job on your home, and Google supplies all the data. Nice!

[Teken]

Thought I would repeat this one here...

 

 

Ok here's a far fetched conspiracy for you. The Protect smoke detector has a speaker and wifi. Any speaker can be turned into a microphone. Just ask Edison or Bell. So basically by installing Protect smoke detector(s) you are saving the NSA from having to perform a black bag job on your home, and Google supplies all the data. Nice!

 

Not far fetched at all. This has been used for years in the CIA / NSA recon devision for ages. If and when NEST comes out with a video camera, locks, energy management.

 

You will be under the ALL SEEING EYE of Google.

 

Teken . . .

[icerabbit]

I was a bit shocked by the valuation and the purchase.

 

It may be better that Google bought it than Apple in terms of 3rd party compatibility and maybe kicking things open, but I like some separation of powers. Personally I decided against Nest when they came out for features and cost (my system may not look as good and be self learning, but I'm in control and save more energy than we would with a Nest or eco program) and now I'm happy we don;t have Nest Tstats. It is not like Google is an example in openness and communication, at all. Ever tried to communicate with them on account issues, bugs, firmwares, spam, search engines and web app bonehead moves ? You're just talking to the wall. Just like with FaceBook and Apple. Out with the old, in with the new ... whether is is more better, more capable, user friendly, etc or not.

[apostolakisl]

I'm sure its all part of the grand government plan to tell us what temperature our houses will be whether we like it or not. Of course certain people will get waivers, like members of congress.

[ISYhbsh01]

I'm sure its all part of the grand government plan to tell us what temperature our houses will be whether we like it or not. Of course certain people will get waivers, like members of congress.

That's a good one, LOL...

[mdcastle]

I still have a 1960s Honeywell round thermostat that I change the temperature on twice a year so I'm not worried, but I imagine what Google actually wants is the developers, not the thermostats.

 

I can see the Google Fridge coming down the pike. It senses you're low on eggs and displays an ad for the local market, or a coupon for a restaurant if all you have are week-old leftovers.

[larryllix]

I can see the Google Fridge coming down the pike. It senses you're low on eggs and displays an ad for the local market, or a coupon for a restaurant if all you have are week-old leftovers.

 

I guess we think too small just wanting to control our own homes.

 

hmmmmmm... New ISY990004i feature request: WAN networking to talk to other ISYs with P2P. I could save a lot of time by using an accepted temperature schedule from the rest of the world's thermostat settings.

[apostolakisl]

The Ube light switches seem like the next acquisition here. It's already Android based. That would really get them into your living routine.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello everyone,

 

As you are all aware, one of the cornerstones of ISY is "autonomy". Actually, we coined ISY's design philosophy AAA:

A- Autonomy

A- Agnostic

A- Automation

 

That's why we were not very keen in developing APIs that go to the cloud. i.e. if hackers can steal 100 million credit card numbers from Target, it's not really far fetched to think that they could also hack into Nest's servers or any other cloud based system for that matter. It's pretty easy to change one's credit cards but I suspect it's not very easy to change one's residence.

 

I must say that we were pretty bemused by the acquisition NOT because NEST is bad (I think it's an excellent little gadget) or that it's not worth $3.2B, but because it's totally the opposite of what we envision a home controller/brain should be. As such, we will continue with our current approach of Autonomy and Independence!!!

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[elvisimprsntr]

You do have to concede that cloud based thermostats do have the potential for greater good of humankind, since they can combine weather, occupancy, and preference information together to refine adaptive heating and cooling profiles to minimize energy usage. The nest is already tied into

1. Local weather thru you zip code and IP address.

2. Know about the type system installed in your home

3. Although they do not have information regarding the efficiency rating of your system, they can probably develop an index based on heat and cool times.

 

I receive those nest reports every month claiming how much energy they have save customers, but in order to make those claims they must have made some rather crude assumptions regarding the type of TStat the nest was replacing. Personally I do not know anyone who doesn't have at least a one day programmable TStat installed in their home.

 

What nest does not have is information regarding the construction of the home, but they might be able to make an educated guess based on geolocation when you connect to the nest when on the same wifi network, ie you are at home, coupled with public records on when your home was built.

 

Regardless they can use the information to perhaps detect a change in the efficiency ( leak, clog ) of your system and recommend a few service companies to come take a look. Obviously it would not take into consideration if you have a manually controlled attic fan or someone left a window open, but it could simply provide an alert and let you make the decision. Or based on other homes in the same area, might recommend you have an energy audit done, typically done by your local utility for free.

 

As much as despise the google acquisition of nest, there actually could be some benefits. That assumes this is what they have I mind.

[G W]

It doesn't have to be cloud based to do good.

 

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[apostolakisl]

You do have to concede that cloud based thermostats do have the potential for greater good of humankind, since they can combine weather, occupancy, and preference information together to refine adaptive heating and cooling profiles to minimize energy usage. The nest is already tied into

1. Local weather thru you zip code and IP address.

2. Know about the type system installed in your home

3. Although they do not have information regarding the efficiency rating of your system, they can probably develop an index based on heat and cool times.

 

I receive those nest reports every month claiming how much energy they have save customers, but in order to make those claims they must have made some rather crude assumptions regarding the type of TStat the nest was replacing. Personally I do not know anyone who doesn't have at least a one day programmable TStat installed in their home.

 

What nest does not have is information regarding the construction of the home, but they might be able to make an educated guess based on geolocation when you connect to the nest when on the same wifi network, ie you are at home, coupled with public records on when your home was built.

 

Regardless they can use the information to perhaps detect a change in the efficiency ( leak, clog ) of your system and recommend a few service companies to come take a look. Obviously it would not take into consideration if you have a manually controlled attic fan or someone left a window open, but it could simply provide an alert and let you make the decision. Or based on other homes in the same area, might recommend you have an energy audit done, typically done by your local utility for free.

 

As much as despise the google acquisition of nest, there actually could be some benefits. That assumes this is what they have I mind.

 

But that really doesn't require a cloud service. You could just easily have all those calculations happen locally and use a network connection to query a weather service in your area. There really is no need to send your personal habits to an offsite server.

 

In fact, with some fancy programming, ISY might be able to do that stuff using the venstar ISY actually is ideal since it knows where and when you are in your home based on light usage and/or if you have Elk connected. And if you have a multi-zoned system it would be very smart following your light switch usage throughout the day it would be able to zone the house according to your usage. I suppose an ISY module could be to install an algorithm like Nest has to automatically figure out a heat/cool cycle that works best for you without you having to write the programs.

[GuitarBuilder]

Don't kid yourselves: Google has only one objective - to find out anything it can about you and your habits, then sell this info to the highest bidder. There are NO good intentions there!

 

NEST is their best current bet for discovering what you do at home; other cloud-based sensors are good targets as well. Makes the SmartMeter paranoia look like child's play in comparison.

 

Long live ISY!

[Michel Kohanim]

apostolakisl, to your point, we got a DOE grant for rooftop diagnostics. We used the same ISY framework and there's an algorithm running there that's pretty complex taking baselines for 3 weeks, applying multiple transformations to arrive at few diagnostics points such as: the filter needs changing or the fan is not running at optimum speed, or the unit is overheating or over-cooling. Pretty sophisticated stuff.

 

In short, automation is what ISY has been designed for and can be utilized in any type of application that has events, actions, and analysis.

 

GuitarBuilder, thanks so very much!

 

With kind regards,

Michel