Google Purchases Nest!
So, I was reading this week that Google purchased Nest for $3.2 billion! Nest is a developer and manufacturer for home automation devices, such as smartphone controlled thermostats, and other innovative home automation.
Nests products do look very cool, and actually bring to mind the design style of Apple. These devices appeal to high-end homeowners that want a “cool factor” in their household automation devices. In fact, these devices can be controlled by a user’s iPad, or Android tablet, which again, is a pretty good idea!
Some pundits are asking the question, “Do we really want Google to have access to data from our homes through these devices?” I’m not sure what Google would do with information on what temperature I keep my home, are how often I turn my lights on and off, but then, I’m not Google! I’m sure they could come up with a way to monetize it, if they put their mind to it!
And, I’m sure my buddy at work, that I call “Jim Bob Not-his-real-name” would remind me that Google is “the devil” and, that one should never let Google monitor anything… much less your house! So I’m sure he would find their purchase of Nest very troubling.
This could begin Google’s entry into what some pundits are calling “the Internet of things.” The idea being that having your toaster, or your microwave, or your refrigerator, connected to the Internet can be useful. So, I understand that having your refrigerator report via e-mail that you need to buy some milk on the way home from work could be handy. But, maybe a little creepy! Welcome to the future!
Having an Internet connected house would provide a lot of neat information to the homeowner, but, I would be concerned about how that information could potentially be hacked and used! We seem to be losing more and more privacy every day as these Internet connected conveniences make it possible to have information from our homes, and our devices; and as we saw all in an earlier post, even from our bodies!
If hackers can get to this information, they would have even more information about us! For instance, if they can find out by your home automation system that you’re not at home, then it would make your house an easier target for people that want to break in and steal all your cool gadgets. Something to think about!