Nest Thermostat and Works with nest programme

Hi All,

I was looking to buy Nest 3rd generation this week but found information about Works with nest programme has came to end.
Reading this article it says that this will affect link between Nest and Amazon Echo and others.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.digitaltrends.com/home/google-is-ending-its-works-with-nest-system/%3Famp

Could I ask Nest users to verify this information, don’t really want to invest in Nest if that’s true.
All our voice assistants at home are Amazon Echo products.

Google has said the “Works with Nest” program will end and the functionality (minus the open API) will move to the Google solution. They have plans to open that API up to a limited number of selected partners. We do not expect any open source solution to be chosen.

There is a big thread here.

Thanks @Bruce_Osborne for link. Just been reading it, definitely no go for Nest thermostat for me now, was even planning to get nest protect but will still to my standard heat/smoke detectors.

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@andy31 my nest is linked with echo using the nest skill. FYI. I connected it two weeks ago. Not openHAB related but if you only care about echo connection this link may keep working for a long time.

I have the nest because my power provider bought it for me. So currently no other choice.

I think the Nest Protect is a worthwhile investment even though the integration is lacking (which was the case even before Google closed Works with Nest). It’s recognized as one of the best devices on the market when it comes to the primary functions of detecting fire and carbon-monoxide, and that’s what I care about most.

Hopefully it’ll never be an issue, but If I have an emergency I don’t want to regret my choice of detector.

If the Nest Protect is receiving that good feedback I may look into it, shame can’t integrate it with OH anymore.

You’ll find it at or near the top of most ranking/review lists, but I should note that it’s difficult for reviewers to evaluate a broad range of detectors since there are so many at various price levels. The Nest Protect and a couple of others get the most coverage due to brand recognition, but they also hold up to expectations when reviewed.

There are a lot of sensors built in, and it’s admittedly annoying that I can’t access them for other purposes. The split-spectrum sensor to detect different types of smoke is where I think the Nest sets itself apart (though other products may have caught up by now).

I’d love to see Google release a Nest Protect that’s also a mesh AP and a Google Assistant.

You misspelled free devices for review :wink:

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The question isn’t whether or not a reviewer gets a free device, but whether or not they acknowledge potential bias due to receiving special treatment. I was a part-time auto journalist for 10+ years, so I’ve given this a lot of thought.

I’m fine with any reviewer who informs readers that they may have a bias and then gives their opinions. I believe most professional journalists understand this need for integrity, but I know that some don’t. There was a story a few years ago about a real-estate columnist writing about a great condo for sale…which turned out to be her condo. Sigh.

Then there are the Amazon reviewers who write “I received a free sample in exchange for an unbiased review”. You’re biased as soon as you have a personal risk, and in this case the risk is that you’ll stop receiving free samples.

Even though I was returning the cars I borrowed, the reality is that if I was really negative in my review, the automaker would cut off my access and I wouldn’t be able to do my job. That’s why you sometimes see reviewers criticizing the same things in products…it’s relatively safe to call out a flaw that others are also highlighting.

Fun fact: I contributed to a positive review of the 2008 Tesla Roadster and my editor got an email from them pointing out the mistakes. So it doesn’t surprise me when Elon gets annoyed about bad reviews nowadays, because 12 years ago he got annoyed about a good one.

There are lots of websites nowadays that write about their requests for sample products, because that’s also a reflection on how confident companies are in their products. So it says a lot to me if Google, First Alert, and others provide their best products and the Nest Protect still comes out on top.

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Sometimes free things are unexpected.
I have received a few devices from Zooz to get them into OH, They did nit think the cost if returning was worth the added expense. I have helped them with OH customer support somewhat too.

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Oh, totally. It can be good business for companies to hand out free samples, and often the total cost to the company for return of a sample device really does outweigh the unit cost.

When it comes to reviews, it’s really just about transparency and an understanding that bias is inescapable.

I think some of the devices I got were returned products but they functioned fine.

I know they have a liberal replacement policy even if it just appears the device is defective. I had one purchased device that appeared to be bad & the replacement worked the same. I figured out the instructions in the documentation for waking the device were incorrect.