Google’s new thermostat officially launches in first European market

A custom Nest thermostat version has finally launched in the U.K., The Verge reports, as the Google-owned company has modified the U.S. model to suit the requirements of the local market. Nest has added a new Heat Link component that connects the thermostat to a boiler via a wired or wireless connection. Apparently this particular component delayed the official launch of Nest in the region, although the thermostat has been unofficially available in as many as 120 countries on top of the U.S. and Canada, the only countries where it was released so far.

In addition to hardware changes, the Nest’s software has also been updated, the publication reports. In the U.K., Nest will know it has “to switch off heating before the desired temperature is reached, accounting for the effects of the residual heat in the boiler.”

After the U.K. launch, Nest plans to “aggressively expand throughout Europe,” although it’s not clear in what markets the device will be launched next. In the U.K. the thermostat costs £179 or £249 depending on what kind of installation the customer chooses. The device also comes with a unique accessory in the region, a £29 stand that appears to be exclusive for the U.K., and which is not compatible with the U.S. Nest version.

Source:

bgr.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 6:37 AM in 120 countries, aggressively, Canada, European market, Google’s, software, thermostat officially, U.K., unofficially, Verge reports

Schmidt Says He’s Pretty Sure That Google’s Data Is Protected

In the midst of all the privacy concerns involved with social media, bigger companies like Google and Facebook, and all our personal data that goes through services like Gmail, one can never be to sure that their data is as safe as it should be. That is unless if you’re Google’s Eric Schmidt. In this case, Eric Schmidt says that he and Google are Pretty Sure that their data is now protected from any types of spying that could go on from any government. I don’t know about you but Pretty Sure doesn’t sound very reassuring, however Schmidt and Google would be making a huge mistake to claim that they and their data are 100% secure from anything. Eric Schmidt made this statement today at the SXSW event(South by Southwest) among many other things that were talked about between himself and Jared Cohen who is Google’s director of Ideas.

The exact statement made by Schmidt read something like this: -Pretty sure that information within Google is now safe from any government’s prying eyes.- Well then, now we can all forget about the whole thing right? According to Google and Schmidt, the company has taken great measure to ensure that things like this don’t happen again in the future. Not only has Google stepped up its encryption game for all their data, but there are other improvements that Google has made to it’s security in the past recent months. We would tell you what those were, but their undisclosed so basically we just have to take Google at its word. Spies within government agencies will attempt to do what they have to in order to get their hands on any data they feel is necessary, and taking advantage of flaws and weak points in the system is not above them.

Schmidt also made statements at the event in regards to the expansion and improvement of encryption technology over the next ten years, stating that it could help to better the situation of the internet in other, more controlled countries like Iran, who is said to be working on developing it’s own closed and controlled version of the Internet. The internet is largely a place where people can engage in free speech, and with better, and stronger encryption security tactics in place, it will be harder to try and control such a free and widely open environment.

News Source: www.androidheadlines.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 10:50 PM in 100%, Eric Schmidt, Facebook, Gmail, Google’s, government, Pretty, security, SXSW, technology