BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
If only you were a SageTV user, you would understand!Madcodger said:
Google to buy Nest for $3.2B
- Thread starter swaggy
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elvisimprsntr
Active Member
I have a Nest. I think its awesome. I don't have a regular schedule so the self learning function is not useful to me, but otherwise it's the best TStat on the market. I would recommend it to anyone. We just don't know what Google's plans are, but it's likely going to involve invasion of privacy or tying it to some other Google property. If I install a Protect in my home I don't have to worry if there are bugs in my home, I will know there are. LOL.
Well my issue with Nest is three-fold as a perspective customer. First, I didn't like that Nest purposely broke some of the workarounds some had come up with to integrate with Nest BUT I understand that it is their prerogative. Second, and the primary reason I don't own a Nest, is that when they released the second version, Nest reduced the warranty AND that was when there were quite a few reports of poor customer service. Finally, related to the Protect, I can't believe it doesn't utilize the standard hardwire connectivity that all other residential smoke alarms must follow.Madcodger said:
But I will give the company kudos on putting together a good product and growing their company very quickly. Don't know that they're worth what was paid but they did make some nice products.
elvisimprsntr
Active Member
While we are on the subject of the Protect, does anyone know if Nest used UV resistant plastic so the detectors don't yellow when exposed to sunlight like the cheap units?
All I know is that most tech companies follow one of two paths: They either try to make a product that looks like everyone else's (e.g., pretty much every PC I ever owned) or they rely on obscure techncal features to differentiate their product (which only engineers and techies care about). Apple and Nest both have reasonable tech specs and features, but they rely on the way their products interface with humans to differentiate them. What an interesting (and apparently profitable) concept. My big hope is that some of the HA companies learn something from this.
BaduFamily
Active Member
the reason we never considered the next was because it phoned home.
and that home wasn't our home.
any 'domestic' product that does that isn't acceptable.
At the last couple of Maker Faires there have been interesting presentations by startups with home automation and sensor products.
They all called home w/a closed stack. The crews were all about gathering information for upstream deals.
feh.
and that home wasn't our home.
any 'domestic' product that does that isn't acceptable.
At the last couple of Maker Faires there have been interesting presentations by startups with home automation and sensor products.
They all called home w/a closed stack. The crews were all about gathering information for upstream deals.
feh.
Madcodger said:
Yes, that interface with most humans, but not all. Myself, and alot of others (like many reading this) can't stand the overly simplistic interface, limited functionality, put me in a box design. Heres to the companies that put in the obscure technical features that I love!! I do my best to make them profitable.
I thought this take on it was interesting. http://www.slashgear.com/smart-home-players-welcome-google-warn-it-wont-be-as-easy-as-android-16313461/
Perspectives from some of the other players: Belkin, Honeywell, Vivint, Revolv.
Perspectives from some of the other players: Belkin, Honeywell, Vivint, Revolv.
Personally, I'm all for letting them use my home's data if they can help us all get smarter about energy use. In fact, I rather like the idea of de-identifying and aggregating the data. Should there be an opt-out option, available at any time? Absolutely! But this might be an opportunity to aggregate and make publicly available data that can help us all, while they use it to design smarter products.
mdesmarais
Active Member
Madcodger said:
This, to me, is the real issue. I think there are HUGE gains on many fronts if only this could be done. Imagine if you could see all the medical records for a whole population, all the movements of cell phones, etc etc etc.
The rub is the anonymization of the data, and making sure that it can't be traced back.
The problem is that the aggregate data is not usually public. Anyone who contributes to the dataset should have full access to the aggregate data. Not just the opportunity to purchase a proprietary solution that leverages the data to benefit you only in the ways they decide. But for these companies that data is their product, recurring revenue model, reason they get funded.
A report on recent cyber-attack involving connected home appliances:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/proofpoint-uncovers-internet-of-things-iot-cyberattack-2014-01-16
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/proofpoint-uncovers-internet-of-things-iot-cyberattack-2014-01-16
