Recalled 'Nest Protect' Smoke Detectors Returning to Store Shelves Soon

[flatfoot99]

Seriously? Sounds like they must be getting paid to tell you that

Im not even kidding, they wanted to get back to me to look up where the settings were at. I of course knew, and had to walk them through.....

----------

lol, right. iOS is actually the easier OS to program for. That is one reason why iOS apps tend to be released by companies first versus their Android counterparts.

I know. I was annoyed after the google take over, but that phone call turned me off completely of Nest products.

 

[GoCubsGo]

You had one job, Smoke Detector...!

The more you complicate a simple thing, the easier it is to screw it up.

This is how I feel. I love the Nest thermostat and had I not been pushed to spend $150 on a Honeywell I would replace mine. Smoke detectors though, I need to know they'll work as intended.

 

[GeneralChang]

The problem is that anything automatic is usually not very helpful. Eg automatic car transmissions make driving less enjoyable but more convenient.

I know this wasn’t really your point, but I would like to say that the Ford Fiesta ST is really quite enjoyable even if you have the select-shift automatic gearbox. Personally, the manual transmission didn’t add anything to the experience in that car. Just a thought.

 

[C DM]

I'm calling home automation a FAD! Building regs require smoke detectors are already built in so this and many other home automation products are redundant.

The problem is that anything automatic is usually not very helpful. Eg automatic car transmissions make driving less enjoyable but more convenient.

I fail to see anything not related to TV and media that should or could be automated or linked in that would be helpful to have.

Sure build in wifi to things as the tech gets cheaper, printers, weighing scales etc. but the whole idea of an automated home is a fad. Most people don't even have their radiators set right to give balanced heat around the home let alone allow it to be controlled by you coming home etc. most people will buy this stuff and never connect or use it anyway.

Seems like something like convenience is much more related to being helpful than something like enjoyment.

Just because most people don't know how to use something right or at all doesn't make something a fad.

 

[John.B]

Update: A Google spokesman provided a statement regarding the SEC filing:
“We are in contact with the SEC to clarify the language in this 2013 filing, which does not reflect Google’s product roadmap. Nest, which we acquired after this filing was made, does not have an ads-based model and has never had any such plans.”

We can, of course, always assume they might change their minds later.

And yet, the SEC filing specifically called out thermostats as one case where "mobile" advertising revenue opportunities exist:

In a December letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was disclosed Tuesday, the search giant said that it could be serving ads and other content on “refrigerators, car dashboards, thermostats, glasses, and watches, to name just a few possibilities.”

The Nest buyout didn't just happen overnight, that deal was obviously in the works when that letter to the SEC was written. "Clarification" is just PR-speak for "we didn't expect the details of that letter to the SEC to become public".

And, really, isn't this just blowing smoke up the SEC's arse because Google doesn't want to have to report mobile ad revenues separately, for all the world to see? I guarandamntee that their accounting and finance team has this info, Google is just going through whatever contortions they can dream up to not publish it. If I was a betting man, I'd say the SEC is going to get the information they asked for, in the format they requested, in the time frame they dictated.

And, yes, I do expect Google to change their minds at a later date and put ads on as many "Internet of things" devices as they can. Including the Nest thermostats and smoke detectors. There's no way to justify that $3.2 billion purchase price otherwise.

 

[kdarling]

And, yes, I do expect Google to change their minds at a later date and put ads on as many "Internet of things" devices as they can. Including the Nest thermostats and smoke detectors. There's no way to justify that $3.2 billion purchase price otherwise.

If Google would pay my ridiculously high home heating bills, then I would gladly let them install a thermostat that had a tiny screen with (silent) ads.

In other words, I think that companies like Apple and Google should give us -- the users who make them money -- kickbacks.

• With Google, I should get a per-ad display fee kickback.
  
• With Apple, I should get a kickback on all the songs/apps my kids buy in iTunes.

It's only fair

 

[bacaramac]

I plan to buy a couple of these to start once the new house is built. However, would be nice to know if there were any hardware changes or simple software updates. If there were hardware changes I'll ensure I buy it from Nest so I have the latest version.

 

[whooleytoo]

With ads?

Ads in a thermostat... ok. Ads in a smoke alarm?

"FIRE..........sale at Best Buy tomorrow, get down here for the best prices.."

 

[logicalways]

Google takes over and then made a "Recall" so they could....

SO they could make it more "Google" and get their chips into the new products. Google has something programmed into the new nests that are shipping and with the recall, it gave them a good excuse or "Story" to get the majority of the old stock back, and then sending back the new "Google'ized" product to shelves for people to purchase. Google is tapping all electronics and this was way to obvious.

 

[John.B]

Fire! Visit tivo.com for great deals on roamio! Fire! Exit quickly!

Ads in a thermostat... ok. Ads in a smoke alarm?

"FIRE..........sale at Best Buy tomorrow, get down here for the best prices.."

I was thinking more along the lines of this:

But I'm sure the ad buy will go to the high bidder.

 

[AtomicEdge]

I have two Nest Protects and a Nest Thermostat. Love 'em!

I'd happily have paid less and have ads on the thermostat. Same as the "Kindle with Offers" model.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I wonder what Tony thinks of that…..

I'm still surprised how Nest's acquisition by Google happened so quickly and unexpectedly. You'd think with home automation being such a promising new area for explosive future growth, that Apple might have been seriously interested.

Did Google outbid Apple, or could it have 'slipped under Apple's radar'? Both of these scenarios seem unlikely.

According to rumors I read at the time, Apple was totally not interested in Nest. They were approached by Nest after Google wanted to purchase them, and Apple said 'Pass'...

Bad blood? Who knows. My thought is that Nest is too niche market for Apple. Nest would likely be striped of their name and any identity in the Apple product line. At least with Google, they have a chance...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Reminds me of them pushing fixes to my Nest thermostat and causing problems during the polar vortex. Many experienced the same challenge.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/06/nest-4-0-firmware-battery-problems/

Interesting article. I've had problems getting the Nest I bought to work with both of my HVAC systems. My current 'solution' is to disconnect the currently used system and connect the one needed. I went round and round with their support, well past the return date (coincidence?), and finally had one agent tell me that it will probably never work right due to the types of systems we have. Both are 24-volt, but apparently some quirk makes it impossible to work them on the same thermostat. Our heating contractor says he's had nothing but problems getting them to work. Nothing short of rewiring the two systems will give us a hope of getting the Nest to work properly, and might not work even after that.

I thought that perhaps Nest should come out with a heating only, and a cooling only model to sell to people who either need separate stats, or who only have one system.

 

[unplugme71]

NEST is not what Apple wanted. They aren't interested in controlling the home. Just your digital entertainment life (ie iTunes/iCloud).

I don't want $100+ smoke detector. I want something that is as simple as it can be so it just works. The ones wired into the house with battery backup are the best. All the smoke detectors are on a single circuit with two surge protections in its path.

 

[C DM]

NEST is not what Apple wanted. They aren't interested in controlling the home. Just your digital entertainment life (ie iTunes/iCloud).

I don't want $100+ smoke detector. I want something that is as simple as it can be so it just works. The ones wired into the house with battery backup are the best. All the smoke detectors are on a single circuit with two surge protections in its path.

That's what the Nest thermostat is--simple and just works.

 

[unplugme71]

That's what the Nest thermostat is--simple and just works.

that's why it was recalled?

 

[C DM]

that's why it was recalled?

Yeah..because it was the thermostat that was recalled.

 

[unplugme71]

Yeah..because it was the thermostat that was recalled.

sorry i'm on 2 hours of sleep.. this thread is about nest protect anyway

 

[class77]

the Protect gives you nice peace of mind when used in a remote location for a second house. It will send you an text if it detects a problem and allows you battery indicators so that a blaring alarm doesn't wake you up in the middle of the night for a low battery

 

[rdlink]

Feel I want a refund on the ones I have, could have just purchased a £15 one instead and done the same job.

Actually, I believe they offered to buy them back when they recalled them.

 

[groovyd]

that smoke detector is absolutely ugly. why would anyone want that on their wall? i imagine there is a market for smoke detectors that install into normal electrical outlet boxes for example in place of a light switch or power outlet, well concealed and of course keeping its internal battery constantly topped off. at least it would look nice and be at a place you can just tap it to turn it off in case you burnt your pizza. should be sensitive enough that it doesn't need to be on the ceiling anymore.

They could even signal each other to turn on or off via a data over power protocol so they don't need to be so ridiculously loud.

 

[C DM]

that smoke detector is absolutely ugly. why would anyone want that on their wall? i imagine there is a market for smoke detectors that install into normal electrical outlet boxes for example in place of a light switch or power outlet, well concealed and of course keeping its internal battery constantly topped off. at least it would look nice and be at a place you can just tap it to turn it off in case you burnt your pizza. should be sensitive enough that it doesn't need to be on the ceiling anymore.

They could even signal each other to turn on or off via a data over power protocol so they don't need to be so ridiculously loud.

Generally it's the ceiling that's involved. Smoke and heat rises and since fires can often start in locations that are higher than where outlets are typically affected. There also the possibility of someone internationally or accidentally getting one out of a typical outlet and the possibility of the outlet getting disabled as well from a switch or something else, unlike being connected to direct power in the house. All probably reasons for the typical placement and connectivity of these devices.

 

[groovyd]

Generally it's the ceiling that's involved. Smoke and heat rises and since fires can often start in locations that are higher than where outlets are typically affected. There also the possibility of someone internationally or accidentally getting one out of a typical outlet and the possibility of the outlet getting disabled as well from a switch or something else, unlike being connected to direct power in the house. All probably reasons for the typical placement and connectivity of these devices.

Pretty sure if you installed it into a switched outlet it at least chirp when the power gets cut to tell you that you did something wrong. What I am saying about placement is it should be sensitive enough to detect smoke without being on the ceiling as it being much easier to de-activate in an accidental activation could be set this way. As well you could have one unit mounted in a breakout box on the ceiling as well. Since they all signal each other you just tap the one on the wall to disable it.

 

[peterdevries]

Pretty sure if you installed it into a switched outlet it at least chirp when the power gets cut to tell you that you did something wrong. What I am saying about placement is it should be sensitive enough to detect smoke without being on the ceiling as it being much easier to de-activate in an accidental activation could be set this way. As well you could have one unit mounted in a breakout box on the ceiling as well. Since they all signal each other you just tap the one on the wall to disable it.

The reason why smoke detectors are placed on the ceiling, is because warm air and smoke accumulate there first. It serves to warn you at the earliest possible moment. Putting a detector on the wall will decrease your warning time AND will cost lives. Simple really.

And regarding sensitivity. Putting it in a different place and expecting it to detect from a distance or have additional sensors, increases complexity and failure probabilities and will also cost lives.

In short: these things need to be as simple, effective and fail-safe as possible. Hence the NEED to put it on the ceiling.

 

[groovyd]

The reason why smoke detectors are placed on the ceiling, is because warm air and smoke accumulate there first. It serves to warn you at the earliest possible moment. Putting a detector on the wall will decrease your warning time AND will cost lives. Simple really.

And regarding sensitivity. Putting it in a different place and expecting it to detect from a distance or have additional sensors, increases complexity and failure probabilities and will also cost lives.

In short: these things need to be as simple, effective and fail-safe as possible. Hence the NEED to put it on the ceiling.

I disagree... smoke detection sensors are now much more sensitive then they used to be. Wall mounted devices could be set to simply respond with a lower threshold then any of the existing ceiling mounted sensors and beat them to the punch. Since they would be easier to disable in the event of a false positive they could be set even more sensitively.

None of this negates the fact that you could still install one in the ceiling as well so in the end ceiling vs wall is a straw man argument. Electricians routinely install breakout boxes in the ceiling to later support light fixtures as well so this would be a very easy 'upgrade' and most likely only worth while putting in the kitchen.