Advertising coming to your Thermostat!

[red-beard]

You knew it was coming. When Google bought NEST, it had to have a reason. In their SEC filings, they are stating this is a possible revenue source.

What are they going to do? Change the setting? Then you go to the thermostat and have to sit through a 30 second commercial before you can change the temperature?

They also want to put ads in cars. Again, you want to start your car or turn on the navigation system, but you have to wait through a 30 second commercial.



http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/google-plans-to-deliver-ads-through-your-thermostat-and-car/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1&

[stomachmonkey]

The most logical start is maintenance based.

Time to change your AC filters. Hit Buy Now for 25% off at Lowes.

Time for an oil change, there's a Jiffy Lube 2.6 miles up the road.

[Rusty914s]

Maybe pics of wives.

[HardDrive]

As long as there is an opt out, I'm ok with it.

I like organic, washington grown apples. So if I walk up to my fridge, and it has an advert that tells me about a special on org/WA apples, and provides a map to the store in question, is that such a bad thing?

We get TONS of printed junk catalogs, coupon books, sales flyers, etc....its junk. 100% waste. I would much prefer targeted ads based on my actual consumption.

[jyl]

No, Google is saying it will not put advertising on Nest, the SEC filing pre-dated its acquisition of Nest.

“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.”

I would not tolerate advertising on my thermostat, refrigerator, bathroom mirror, shower head, toilet seat, etc. Enough people make, or will make, smart appliances. If one make starts to irritate me, easy to switch.

If a service or product is free, I view advertising as the expected "price". Nest is hardly free, it is a pretty expensive thermostat.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by jyl

...If a service or product is free, I view advertising as the expected "price". Nest is hardly free, it is a pretty expensive thermostat...

This.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

The most logical start is maintenance based.

Time to change your AC filters. Hit Buy Now for 25% off at Lowes.

Time for an oil change, there's a Jiffy Lube 2.6 miles up the road.

There is a refrigerator egg tray for sale on Quirky that sends a message to your smartphone to let you know how many eggs you have left. People are paying $70 for it. Wanna bet it will soon be telling you where to buy your eggs?

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

As long as there is an opt out, I'm ok with it.

I like organic, washington grown apples. So if I walk up to my fridge, and it has an advert that tells me about a special on org/WA apples, and provides a map to the store in question, is that such a bad thing?

We get TONS of printed junk catalogs, coupon books, sales flyers, etc....its junk. 100% waste. I would much prefer targeted ads based on my actual consumption.

At least the printed junk can be set aside and ignored in about one second. I would not tolerate having to wait through a commercial to change a thermostat or start a car.

I have never yet watched any youtube video that requires a commercial first. Not gonna do it.

[VINMAN]

I'll stick with my basic reliable Honeywell programmable T-stat, thank you.

.

[asphaltgambler]

good God......................and I thought I am already whored out by the 10 sec commercials on gas pump screens that appear before the final pay prompt.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

I have never yet watched any youtube video that requires a commercial first. Not gonna do it.

Then you are randomly missing video's on youtube. The video maker's have no say at all whether you watch a commercial or not before their video, youtube decides when and which commercial you will watch. Sometimes (often) there is a commercial, and sometimes not, which video you are watching makes no difference other than youtubes uses the info to help decide which commercial they might show you.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I'll stick with my basic reliable Honeywell programmable T-stat, thank you.

.

Programmable? Oooh, mister fancy-pants! I have to turn mine on and off manually!

FWIW, I doubt I will ever own a Nest thermostat. but it's fun to read about true first world problems!

[masraum]

I've got a wifi, programmable thermostat (not the Nest). I don't need to change my temp from my phone or remotely, so I don't have my firewall set to allow my therm to phone home. II don't trust the security of most of the products that you can adjust from your phone because they all rely on the vendor to set up security. I don't trust most smaller companies to have good security.

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

As long as there is an opt out, I'm ok with it.
So if I walk up to my fridge, and it has an advert that tells me about a special on org/WA apples, and provides a map to the store in question, is that such a bad thing?

Yes, it is a bad thing. What's next...your toilet telling you about a sale on asswipe while you're backing out a big one? We are being pummeled with more advertising than ever these days...and this kind of thing is raising the bar to a whole new level. We are currently being exposed to more advertising in one year than our parents were in their entire lifetime! Everywhere we turn, we are being told to buy stuff that we didn't even know we needed. Ever notice how many ads are interrupting your favorite network TV shows these days? Or how whenever you flip to another channel to avoid a commercial, 90% of the time you wind up on yet another commercial?
Marketing companies are loving this new wave of 'helpful' technology. Just imagine their joy in anticipating a future where everyone's wearing Googleglass, so ads can be pitched to them in real time...all the time! Internet connectivity in cars is another wonderful idea...for advertisers, that is. Imagine a constant stream of ads coming across your car's video screen for lunch specials at nearby restaurants, or reminding you about a free car wash w/fill-up at the gas station up ahead. Yes, the devices can be turned off, but will people do it? I doubt it. What would happen if they should miss a text commenting on someone's new shoes, or miss the latest tweet from the Kardasihans?

[stealthn]

Nest: oh I see you like it hot, check out these ladies on plenty of fish...

[Rtrorkt]

at that point, I go either old school or some other "smart" device that does not want to talk back.