Nest is acquiring Dropcam

Post by shiven » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 5:45 AM UTC

derefr wrote: post #86

shiven wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In other words, you're getting the short end of the stick. People do not value perks rationally. If they did, they would deny every last one of them. How many people value anything rationally? Ever? As humans we are programmed to be pain averse. I hate foraging for and/or cooking my food. I consider it an utter waste of my time and breath. Yes, I care about my health, but don't have the money to pay an arm and a leg…

A personal chef isn't rational either--there are economies of scale here. But you could pool your and your coworkers' budgets to get an office chef, for an amount from your paycheque much less than the value of the time you're funging against by deciding to work overtime. Fully realized, you could have all the benefits offered (selfishly) by your employing corporation instead provided by an employee's union co-op. Ev…

Post by fotoblur » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 6:30 AM UTC

shiven wrote: post #57

jmduke wrote: post #18

Some interesting quotes from Dropcam's CEO last year: “Our business model is very straightforward. I think if your business model is not straightforward, it veers into potentially being unethical, if you look at things that are quote-unquote ‘free.’ None of the people who work here want to work on something that works like that. They look at it as tricking the user, when [a company is] turning around and using some p…

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…

Post by millstone » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 6:56 AM UTC

matt-attack wrote: post #71

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).

Wouldn't a for-profit utility company want customers to turn their usage up ?

Post by tlrobinson » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 7:12 AM UTC

thesausageking wrote: post #62

prezjordan wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

No, the utility pays Nest. The customers get nothing.

Post by tlrobinson » Sat, Jun 21, 2014, 7:32 AM UTC

higherpurpose wrote: post #89

You mean Google is. Remember when Schneier said no too long ago that "Google is in the surveillance business"? Even I didn't take it so literally back then, but it turns out he was just slightly ahead of time with that characterization.