Google is on its way to creating the “Smart Home,”
revolutionizing the way we live in the home and bringing advanced technology to
everyday appliances and devices. In the beginning of January, Google bought Nest Labs for 3.2
billion dollars. For those of you that do not know, Nest is the founder of the Learning
Thermostat, which adapts to your daily routine, saves energy in the home,
and can be controlled from your phone. Millions of Americans have outdated and
complicated thermostats that are left at the same temperature all day, which,
in turn, waste energy and increase heating bills. The Nest Learning Thermostat
brings efficiency to home heating and is the hottest home appliance on the
market. More and more homeowners are attracted to the idea that the home will
now “adjust
to us” and our schedules.
There are already talks of Google creating more tools and
appliances that are connected to the internet. This “Internet
of Things” began with the smartphone but is expanding to include vacuums,
toasters, thermostats, refrigerators, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide
detectors, and many other mundane but essential household items. Some are
afraid that the Google-run Smart Home will invade homeowners’ privacy by
gathering and analyzing their personal information in order to improve the
Internet of Things and user-based advertisements. However, Tony Fadell, CEO of Nest, has recently announced
that there will be no change in the current privacy policy for Nest. This technology should considered as
something that is exciting and revolutionary and will only make our lives
easier.
Tony Fadell is also the co-creator of the iPod and iPhone. Instead of selling the company
to Apple, he has decided that Google is the company that can best support Nest’s growth and development. Google understands
Nest and is eager to take people’s interests to a whole new level.
