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Here's a blurb from the blog-post announcement: "It senses carbon monoxide and connects to your Nest Thermostat through your Nest Account. So it can automatica

by rsync 13y ago

Here's a blurb from the blog-post announcement: "It senses carbon monoxide and connects to your Nest Thermostat through your Nest Account. So it can automatically shut down the furnace, a possible source of CO poisoning, when the carbon monoxide alarm goes off." so ... what if your Internet connection is down ? Further, even if it isn't, why[1] would you ever want your thermostats and/or fire alarms talking to some third-party, for-profit company and existing on public IP space ? Do I misunderstand how this works ? I hate typical smoke alarms with a passion, but I'm not replacing them with something that can be DoS'd or requires Internet to function properly... [1] Other than blind, stupid pursuit of new and shiny

ebtalley 13y ago
I'm unsure that it requires the internet, just a router and AP to direct connect the two devices together. Furthermore, if the the furnace is the root of the CO emission it would be a boon to have the nest thermometer ask for forgiveness vs ask for permission to save you from death.
harpastum 13y ago
I don't see why it would require Internet access to function as a normal smoke alarm. I'm sure it still goes off just like a normal alarm if there is no Internet connection — you just lose the convenience of multi-room notices and the furnace changes.
ZoFreX 13y ago
It doesn't require internet to function properly - it still works as a smoke and CO alarm without internet. It can't shut down your boiler for you without internet - like most other CO detectors.
- rsync 13y ago
  There is no reason that (insert device X here) cannot shut down your (insert other device Y here) while disconnected from the Internet. They lost me at "... with your nest login ..."
jtokoph 13y ago
How about home alarm systems? Home alarms used to just be a buzzer you attached to your door that had a switch to turn it off. Along came the company that added a pin code and connected the system to a phone line to monitor it for you. If the alarm tripped they could call the police on your behalf. Sure, the phone line could get cut, but you're still no worse off than you were before.

by rsync 13y ago

ebtalley 13y ago

I'm unsure that it requires the internet, just a router and AP to direct connect the two devices together. Furthermore, if the the furnace is the root of the CO emission it would be a boon to have the nest thermometer ask for forgiveness vs ask for permission to save you from death.

harpastum 13y ago

I don't see why it would require Internet access to function as a normal smoke alarm. I'm sure it still goes off just like a normal alarm if there is no Internet connection — you just lose the convenience of multi-room notices and the furnace changes.

ZoFreX 13y ago

It doesn't require internet to function properly - it still works as a smoke and CO alarm without internet. It can't shut down your boiler for you without internet - like most other CO detectors.

rsync 13y ago
There is no reason that (insert device X here) cannot shut down your (insert other device Y here) while disconnected from the Internet. They lost me at "... with your nest login ..."

jtokoph 13y ago

How about home alarm systems? Home alarms used to just be a buzzer you attached to your door that had a switch to turn it off. Along came the company that added a pin code and connected the system to a phone line to monitor it for you. If the alarm tripped they could call the police on your behalf. Sure, the phone line could get cut, but you're still no worse off than you were before.