Google + Nest = Nest+?

You may have heard that yesterday, Google acquired Nest, the company most known for its smarter, simpler thermostat design. Reactions to the sale have been largely negative, at least according to fans of Nest on Facebook. What would this mean for your privacy? For device support (especially non-Google devices such as iPhone)? ARE WE ALL GOING TO BE WATCHED IN OUR HOMES?

I’ve been intrigued by Nest’s thermostat design since it was developed by Nest Labs in 2011, and still believe that it has set a standard for innovation and what it means to have a “connected home” — a term that has proven to be highly sought after in the past few years. I mean, you can leave the over-the-top “smart” tech products at CES (except for the WeMo-enabled Belkin Crock-Pot … I think I’d love that guy), but Nest makes a lot of sense for the average home.

Recently, Nest Labs introduced a smarter smoke and carbon monoxide detector, taking on another mundane household staple that they determined significant improvement (for the annoyance factor alone). That brings the total number of products to two. Two. For which Google paid 3.2 billion! Obviously, they were viewed as game-changers.

So, what do you think Google plans to do with Nest? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

More on the acquisition here.
More on the Facebook backlash here.