[Infowarrior] - rights to continued operation in a digital world

[Richard Forno]

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: dan at geer.org
> Subject: referral: rights to continued operation in a digital world
> Date: April 4, 2016 at 9:28:40 PM EDT
> To: rforno at infowarrior.org
> Cc: dan at geer.org
> 
> [uproar amongst home automation folks, but a good example of
> what dependence on connected devices means]
> 
> http://www.businessinsider.com/googles-nest-closing-smart-home-company-revolv-bricking-devices-2016-4?op=1
> 
> Nest, a smart-home company owned by Google's holding company Alphabet,
> is dropping support for a line of products -- and will make customers'
> existing devices completely useless.
> 
> It's a move that has infuriated some customers, and raises worrying
> questions about the rights of consumers in the ever-more connected
> future.
> 
> In October 2014, Nest acquired Revolv, a smart-home device maker,
> nine months after it was itself bought by Google. The terms of the
> Revolv deal were not disclosed, and as Re/code reported at the time,
> the deal was an acqui-hire -- buying a company for its talent rather
> than its products or users.
> 
> Nest cofounder Matt Rogers praised Revolv as "the best team out
> there," and Revolv immediately stopped selling its $300 home hub,
> which could be used to control lights, doors, alarms, and so on.
> 
> Revolv's team was to work on "Work with Nest," Nest's API program,
> but customers' existing Revolv products continued to be supported
> -- until recently.
> 
> Just over a month ago, Revolv updated its website to announce that
> it is closing down completely, pulling the plug on its existing
> products in May. "We're pouring all our energy into Works with Nest
> and are incredibly excited about what we're making," wrote Revolv
> founders Tim Enwall and Mike Soucie. "Unfortunately, that means we
> can't allocate resources to Revolv anymore and we have to shut down
> the service."
> 
>