If smart homes are the wave of the future, Google would like their owners to be managing them with smartphones and other devices running its Android operating system, ZDNet’s Larry Dignan reports of the company’s $3.2 billion acquisition of “smart thermostat” and smoke alarm maker Nest Labs Inc. Google’s also likely to be drooling over the information that Nest collects about individual homes and energy usage.
Google has also bought itself some insight into Apple’s way of thinking — co-founder Tony Fadell led the team that created the first generations of the iPhone. Fadell says Nest will continue to be a distinct brand. Source: zdnet.com.