Google’s Acquisition of Nest Labs

Google’s Acquisition of Nest Labs

Recently Google acquired the digital thermostat company Nest for an estimated price of 3.2 billion dollars. Financial analysts see the move as perhaps premature, due to the fact an internet startup created a competing product days after the acquisition. Yet despite such rising competition, Google and Nest shouldn’t worry.

This deal represents a larger strategy employed by Google to increase their hold on smart devices, real time data, and info to enhance their search engine technology. The average consumer must look beyond the simple news headlines and stories reporting this major deal.

It’s not about the hardware

According to news sources, the Silicon Valley giant will refrain from interfering with the 200 plus employee company operation and existing customer privacy guidelines. This statement draws other far reaching yet viable conclusions for the search engine king’s intentions.

In the past year and into 2014, Apple and Google still rage on to produce the best hardware, mobile devices, operating systems, and other tech related products to dominate the technology market. Unlike Apple who focuses on creating and augmenting unique smart products such as the iPhone, Google’s focus still remains creating a smart and shareable internet to educate online users through mobility.

As you recall the past developments last year, each represented a way to create a smarter world for the average person. For example, Google teamed with automobile industry makers Hyundai and GM to start figuring out a way to install Android into vehicles. Car’s become smart devices that sync with smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, watches, and adhere to personal preferences.

Even the release of Android’s new operating system, KitKat, pointed to subtle changes that augmented voice commands and search engine updates. One of the most outstanding developments with the OS involved creating a more fluent search experience. When conducting a search, the users say “Ok Google”, they state their inquiries, and Google’s search redirects them to search results, relevant apps on the phones with answers, or to Google Calendars with stored personal information and events.

This focus on mobility and smart devices encourages businesses of all sizes to adapt with mobile websites and applications. They must consider such companies as the mobile application development company Blue Rocket to create easy-to-use and practical applications related to their products/services.

They’re integrating search engine fluency throughout every device in a person’s life. They’re attempting to break down barriers to true and relevant information.

The information rich smart thermostat

At CES 2012, the Nest digital thermostat presented a new take on an energy efficient home. Home owners can access the thermostat and control it wirelessly through their smartphones or a web browser, but those are minor advantages of the hardware. This digital device takes smart to a new level.

After a short period of time, perhaps a week, the device learns your habits and adapts accordingly. By learning your habits, detecting ambient light, motion, humidity, and other relevant info, the device creates a program tailored to your energy needs.

You can even purchase and use multiple nest devices throughout the different parts of a larger home. Surprisingly, these devices work together through Wi-Fi to adjust the temperature when a room or home is unoccupied.

Does this super smart device know too much about you and your home? Probably, but the energy efficiency and utility of this hardware inspires awe. As you might conclude, the information gathered and the way it acquires information could substantially enrich how Google’s search engine brings real time data to users.

[su_box title=”Author”]Author Ted Levin is a writer and editor for the website www.theteachingbox.com, where he covers education and technology. You can connect with Ted on Twitter.[/su_box]

Posted by | Posted at January 27, 2014 22:25 | Tags: ,
Contributor to TheTechStorm Blog.

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