Nest is acquiring Dropcam

Post by matt-attack » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 3:09 AM UTC

thesausageking wrote: post #51

jeroen wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Dropcam will come under Nest’s privacy policy, which explains that data won’t be shared with anyone (including Google) without a customer’s permission. Nest has a paid-for business model and ads are not part of our strategy. In acquiring Dropcam, we’ll apply that same policy to Dropcam too." Looks like nothing will change about that straightforward business model.

While technically accurate that statement is really misleading. Nest makes a significant amount of revenue from utility companies who pay up to $50 per thermostat per year for Nest agreeing to turn down their usage during peak times. This is a very different model than paying someone for a product. While you buy Nest's product, you are still the product (and selling you is a better business for them long-term).

Post by rdl » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 3:14 AM UTC

samstave wrote: post #35

Swizec wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "He thinks the lavish perks at many technology companies, especially the free on-campus meals, are a disguised form of mind control, designed to get employees to work 12- or 14-hour days." Is there actually honestly anyone out there who doesn't think so? I mean, is it really disguised even? We give you stuff, you make your life revolve around the company. It's a very straightforward exchange in my opinion. Hell, pe…

I've often thought about this problem: On the one hand, you want to provide perks that offset personal cost to your employees AND reduce the amount of time it takes for them to do something like lunch with the result in increased productivity (ostensibly simply due to removing factors such as travel-time-to-lunch-place). The company store comes to mid, as well. There are many great benefits that companies do provide:…

Post by samstave » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 3:30 AM UTC

rdl wrote: post #73

samstave wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've often thought about this problem: On the one hand, you want to provide perks that offset personal cost to your employees AND reduce the amount of time it takes for them to do something like lunch with the result in increased productivity (ostensibly simply due to removing factors such as travel-time-to-lunch-place). The company store comes to mid, as well. There are many great benefits that companies do provide:…

There's a lot of value to Google in having everyone on a Google bus being a Googler. You can have sensitive conversations on the bus (also, your employees are less likely to jump ship due to meeting more interesting people...) Google doesn't actually run the bus themselves; it's Bauer. (I hate the SV culture of having sensitive meetings in public cafes and restaurants, especially ones frequented by all your most like…

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 3:58 AM UTC

rdl wrote: post #72

shiven wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He thinks the lavish perks at many technology companies, especially the free on-campus meals, are a disguised form of mind control, designed to get employees to work 12- or 14-hour days. WTF is wrong with people!?! I'd work my butt off at a place that provides thrice-a-day healthy, delicious, diverse, vegetarian (for me) meals, on-site gym and sleeping pods!! Hell, I'd have surely done that when I was a decade younge…

You probably generate a 5-10x multiple over your salary at most tech companies (if you're a dev or one of the other people those perks are "intended for"). At an early stage startup, it can be way more than that (because success or failure is kind of binary).

Post by opendais » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 4:03 AM UTC

prezjordan wrote: post #54

thesausageking wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While technically accurate that statement is really misleading. Nest makes a significant amount of revenue from utility companies who pay up to $50 per thermostat per year for Nest agreeing to turn down their usage during peak times. This is a very different model than paying someone for a product. While you buy Nest's product, you are still the product (and selling you is a better business for them long-term).

So the utility company pays their customers, who in turn lower their bills by using less energy? Why?