Google to Acquire Nest • Hacker News Board

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#91

Post by wyager » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

chrisrhoden wrote: post #34

Karunamon wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I the only one that doesn't get chills up their spine whenever Google breaks into some new market? I see very little possible misuse of temperature preference (of all things...) and very great possible gains. The more intimately a service knows you, the more personalized and relevant data it can bring. And another thing, I am really sick and tired of tempering or being told to temper my enthusiasm for some new tec…

What about the ability to know when someone is in your home and when someone is not? If Google records that data (say, to be able to provide you with a handy chart of your energy use and some ways to improve it), the potential I am more worried about is the fact that the data exists makes it possible to subpoena.

Exactly. I don't care if the government knows when I'm home (they can already figure that out), but imagine if Google's database of Nest info got leaked.

Burglars could look at the database and say "Oh hey, look, no one's home right now."

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#92

Post by staticfish » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

psbp wrote: post #66

MrZongle2 wrote: post #11

Am I the only one who thought "well, good for the Nest guys" followed by "too bad, it looked like a good product"?

Yeah, motorola products have completely gone down the toilet after that acquisition. They were so great before with fast updates and a wonderful skin of android, and now they're either non-innovative or way too overpriced for the value.

I think there a lot of things to bash Google on, but the outcome of Motorola is not one of them. The G and X look like great phones and they were all pieces of shit before.

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#93

Post by nostromo » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

I'm happy for Nest but sad for myself, given the smoke detector was my Christmas gift last year.

Previously I would look to YouTube as an acquisition done right. But after the kerfuffle around G+ integration, I no longer feel that way.

If I have to sign in with my G+ account to manage my smoke alarm, it's going directly into the rubbish bin.

If Apple had bought Nest, on the other hand, I'd feel very differently.

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#94

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

jmduke wrote: post #12

The cynic in me shudders at the possibility of Google adding even more real-world data like temperature preference and lifestyle factors to their massive data portfolio. The idealist in me is incredibly excited at the possibility of Nest's fundamental strengths being bolstered by Google's coffers.

[deleted]

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#95

Post by Aaronn » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

psbp wrote: post #66

MrZongle2 wrote: post #11

Am I the only one who thought "well, good for the Nest guys" followed by "too bad, it looked like a good product"?

Yeah, motorola products have completely gone down the toilet after that acquisition. They were so great before with fast updates and a wonderful skin of android, and now they're either non-innovative or way too overpriced for the value.

The Moto X and G are a really GOOD value...

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#96

Post by eclipxe » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

AshleysBrain wrote: post #77

psbp wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, motorola products have completely gone down the toilet after that acquisition. They were so great before with fast updates and a wonderful skin of android, and now they're either non-innovative or way too overpriced for the value.

Like the Moto G?

Sarcasm

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#97

Post by jcastro » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

cloudwalking wrote: post #40

VLM wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google always shuts stuff down. Which is just a big laugh when its an internet application, but not so funny when its your thermostat. Anyone know what happens when GOOG shuts off the Nest system? Hopefully the thermostat reverts to at least a simple dumb mode rather than shutting everything off?

I doubt Google would shut down a $3,200,000,000.00 acquisition.

I'm not worried about a shutdown as much as I am worried about it going into maintenance mode like Google Voice.

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#98

Post by lazyjones » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:26 PM UTC

bradly wrote: post #10

Seriously not trying to troll, but could someone help explain where Google might see 3.2 billion dollars of value in a company that pretty much just sells a successful thermostat?

Blinking ads on your thermostat? Web ads targeted at people with high energy usage? Converting all nest.com users to G+? Who knows ...

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#99

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:27 PM UTC

chrisrhoden wrote: post #34

Karunamon wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I the only one that doesn't get chills up their spine whenever Google breaks into some new market? I see very little possible misuse of temperature preference (of all things...) and very great possible gains. The more intimately a service knows you, the more personalized and relevant data it can bring. And another thing, I am really sick and tired of tempering or being told to temper my enthusiasm for some new tec…

What about the ability to know when someone is in your home and when someone is not? If Google records that data (say, to be able to provide you with a handy chart of your energy use and some ways to improve it), the potential I am more worried about is the fact that the data exists makes it possible to subpoena.

[deleted]

Re: Google to Acquire Nest

#100

Post by callmeed » Mon, Jan 13, 2014, 9:27 PM UTC

FYI Google Ventures participated in 2 of Nest's funding rounds, including leading their series C last year.

I can't say exactly if/how this affects the acquisition but it does feel like some of the money is just traveling in a circle.