Therein lies the 'product' ... I'm working on several projects so I wasn't shy to put the general idea of this one out there... It's one of many things I feel passionately are going to be changed by disruptive paradigm shifts ahead.
That being said, you come up w/ the 'solution' and you'll have your 'product'... I already have a general architecture/approach outlined for myself. Create one and, from the looks of the interest here, you'll have an audience to buy it.
Also, with the scale and depth of hacks occurring around the world, you'll soon have an even broader audience.
If you get funded, look me up ;). I'll be looking for work in the coming months =P.
It isn't just specific to home automation. The same paranoia should apply to all data and will once people understand the gaping holes in existing cloud centric/data funneling architectures. In the meantime, a new approach to the problem is worth looking into. As the speed of technological innovation increases more and more, so will the disruptive paradigm shifts.. and this cloud model is long overdue for one.
I'm glad that people found this to be a point of significance. I've worked in the commercial networking hardware industry for some years and shelved several consumer ideas due to a lack of interest in security/privacy.
I have watched over many years as this 'cloud' software bonanza has eclipsed the tech industry. It went away from its original intent a long time ago and now is used as the holy-grail method of :
> ensuring (rent) is always paid for service(s) people should OWN
> vacuuming up and selling people's data.
I have several projects on my plate. However, I have a solid one for securing people's data when it comes to the IoT movement (in hardware)... It revolves around the same hardware/technology that the industry uses to scrape and funnel your data except the home user will now have it at their disposal as well.
Users should have 100% control of their data. If someone wants to 'monetize' it or use it to 'improve' their platform, the user should be rightfully paid for the opportunity to do so.
Disruption? Yeah, I think it's time. The foolishness has gotten far too long in the tooth.
.. And the backwards thing about it is: there are simple and straight forward ways to secure data (in hardware). It's only because everyone in the industry wants to ship your data all over the place and data-mine the snot out of it that things are as insecure as they are.
The very (loop-hole) or (door) that is used to funnel/mine/monetize/cloudify data is the very one used as an attack vector. Complicating the crap out of things at that point defeats the whole purpose.... Get rid of the door all together and the home is the least of all places where you should be exposing yourself.
My biggest issue with this is that Google wants to inject a piece of hardware into my home that acts as the gateway to my data. A device through which all :
> Incoming data runs through
> Internal data runs through
> Outgoing data runs through
And then wants to be vague about what data they will be pumping to their back-end for analytics/data mining.
I have had a long standing proposal for home automation and I'm curious to know, in this era of insecurity and people vacuuming up all your data, how many of the tech minded people here would be interested in a device which ensures your 'home automation' data stays in your home. This can be quite clearly achieved in hardware and by having an out-of-band oversight controller that literally will not allow certain data to exit the physical domain of your home...
Cloud nonsense? It's called an application and a home automation application doesn't need to run in someone's cloud...
Whose interested? I think it's about time this cloud foolishness for the sake of monetizing someone else's data in an insecure manner come to an end. Everyone loves to rant about 'disruption'... I feel its about time this data monetization cloud bananza be disrupted.
"As a side note, I'm surprised this isn't marketed alongside the Nest branch. It really has the look and feel of Nest products with the LEDs and the speaker aesthetic. Also surprised this isn't an "Alphabet" product."
It pretty much is... it's their way of sneaking the 'home automation' core/aggregation box into people's homes masked as a wireless router (for now).
I'm sure the capability you mention will come heading into the future. The only question will be : execution/security and will a competitor come up w/ a more secure/well executed product which won't serve as a data vacuum hose to google.
This kind of product launch on the heels of their massive alphabet re-org with no understanding where it came from (division wise) or what its goal is leads me to question whether the re-org is really going to move google beyond its former execution flaws ...
Why is that every such time a system is extorted/exploited to the point of disaster, the same individuals who pushed it to that point then want to say 'We need to deal with the problem'.. The problem they very well and knowingly created.. And they never speak up before this point.. It's only after they've sucked every last drop out of the system.. And Oh' b.t.w:
> lets not solve it by fixing the exploits that created the problem in the first place
> lets not go after the individuals who exploited it the most and their gains
Lets solve it by :
> extorting/exploiting the income of everybody
> Putting a band-aid on the problem
> And Oh', btw, lets put the people who created the disaster in charge of administering the program
Is this supposed to be a joke? And why does society fall for it every-time?
And I like how socialism is being promoted as a solution while the very same jokers who decimated American culture/free market capitalism are pumping in illegals by the boatloads. It's as if they're already prepping to tank/exploit the next system that gets paraded as a solution. Yeah, so there's not enough jobs and the jobs there are don't pay enough because we allow corporations and individuals to extort the crap out of everything a person needs. So, lets ignore all of that and have :
> Guaranteed income
> Free healthcare
And since there isn't enough to go around in way of jobs, lets have :
> Open borders so people can overload the system
> Tons more legal immigrants
> Tons more illegal immigrants
And lets not focus at all on education so people can actually be productive... In fact, lets make it harder for the educated individuals by importing tons of competition from outside the country...Yeah, that'll work out great
Who pays for all of this? Certainly not those who create/created this disaster. But yeah, socialism will fix things. After-all, it works in Europe where they have all of the things we don't have :
> Far more strict immigration
> Far more Homogeneous culture and population
> Far less exploitative economic system
> Far more educated and involved populous
> Far less corrupt government
*Facepalm .. Here we go again .. For anyone who doesn't see that this country is in sharp decline, I wonder.
Every time, America puts the foxes in charge of the hen house and then people wonder why it ends in disaster...
When you fix a bug, do you target the root or do you try to find the most inefficient and indirect way of fixing the code issue? If you have an unreliable code base (economic equality), do you initiate an unbridled code blitz among your worst software engineers (Unbounded illegal immigration)?
I feel like I'm in the twilight zone sometimes in this country... But then, I stop and look around and I decide to see it for what it is and then things don't see that strange after-all.
It's simple ... Everyone got 'hip to the game' of extorting other people's productivity vs. being productive themselves (aka rent at elevated prices)
> The housing bubble that blew up was re-inflated to keep tax revenue alive and keep the economy afloat (High entry cost warranting high rents)
> Fed rates have been kept low attracting speculation
> Tons of investment firms got into property management/real-estate
> Money seeks easiest method of return.. My father once said "People will always need a roof over their head"
> The U.S is pumping immigrants in hand over fist to offset lowered U.S birth rates (to keep the hamster wheel turning)
> Housing is a need and, as such, there is a ton of room to exploit people... (Markets they call it)
The funny thing about people highlighting wealth inequality is that those in the middle exploiting the crap out of each other for their own gain don't get the huge role they are playing in the over-all outcome. Meanwhile, it's those at the top who are making the lion's share of the profit while the dummies below eat each other. Of course, this eventually ends in tears but myopia causes one to ignore that and get what you can while the good is still gettin'. Bay area landlord "I heard your salary went up.. Your rent has just went up too"
A true zoo.. and to think what American society would be like if we were trying to elevate each other as opposed to coming up with creative ways to exploit and keep others down. Instead of focusing on academic or economic interpretations, the biggest thing manifesting is : greed/selfishness/lack of comprehension of a greater whole
I've asked this question many times to people deeply educated and versed in economics and never got a a good answer...
In a world of currency pairing (ratios)
A:B:C:D:E
Assuming parity among A:B:C:D, if each country prints 1 Trillion in their respective currency, what is the net effect aside from inflation 'potential'?
100:100, 1000:1000 .. It's still 1:1.
Assuming there are deflationary forces countering the inflationary force of printing, nothing changes beyond maintenance of status quo.
The more and more I look at this picture, the more it appears to be global maintenance of status quo to, in the face of destabilizing systemic forces, keep things stable via countering forces (printing)
The only thing I can see suffering here are the variables outside of the clown show :
> Natural resources
> Environment
^ (Economic system becomes disentangled with underlying condition of resources/environment)
I guess this is where the eventual selling of 'global control' of these variable comes....
My data is on the analysis of U.S cities. Please use Google. That's what were talking about right?
Dense European cities are not designed like U.S cities namely in way of transportation systems... That's the number one point you're missing. Europe != US. Europe has tons of suburbs btw. You should travel outside city cores the next time you're there. Europe's transportation network doesn't revolve around highways and individual vehicle transport. Thus, they don't have the problem the U.S has in way of how people get into city cores.
Not to mention, you're missing a huge difference w.r.t to how jobs are scattered throughout the U.S vs europe and the affordability of housing therein.
Since the U.S's transportation system is not like Europe's nor are the city centers, the U.S's cities are most definitely not more efficient when you consider the total cost (the huge pollution cost, the time cost, and inefficiency of people who can't afford/fit in the city commuting in)
I really wish people would do more research before down voting people's comments and rebutting commentary with unsound rebuttals .. Downvotting is not for voting down comments you don't favor. You express that in comments and allow for responses to clear the air... which I have
> Suburbs are not an anomaly. They even exist in Europe in good numbers if you get outside city centers. The biggest reason why this is not so apparent to tourist is that they never go outside city centers. Many people commute and Europe has a good transportation network as the U.S will soon have to? Then what .... then city centers become less attractive as you can more easily get to where the action is without living a stone's throw from it.
Suburbs are not characterized by sprawl. There can be some suburbs that have sprawl. Others that don't. You're saying that the majority of the bay area is an anomaly? San Francisco is not the center of life. It used to be an average neighborhood with lots of poverty..(Cycle) ..
Most of the good restaurants are outside of it.. This clamoring to live in the city core is a new thing sparked by a generation in search of an advertised lifestyle of activity... The bay area's layout flies in the face of your sentiment.
> I live in the bay area too. I spend lots of time in the city. There are pros and cons. I have lived in both dense urban areas and suburbs. As such, I am not disillusioned about either.
> It's the stuff of million dollar research studies. There are macro social trends that function beyond your or my specific experiences. I am speaking about those and I am speaking about the general drivers that compel a whole generation to seek out things beyond a previous generation. It is a generational trend... One that will be cut short by the insane costs, the true economic correction, and technology that better improves transportation and telecommuting. And again, i have lived in dense cities and have been in every corner in SF.. I hear you. It's just not that serious. Take a look around you.. The majority of tech companies aren't in San Francisco. You think that's an anomaly? It's not. Start thinking beyond your own experience. Just because a bunch of social app companies are in the city and some scattered tech companies doesn't make for a big macro trend. The majority are outside of cities in suburbs.
> Your lack of understanding of what I'm talking about speaks to either your lack of experience outside of a city core (urban) area, lack of experience due to age, or bad experiences in Podunk suburbs. The majority of the bay area is a suburb. Get out of SF and talk to the people who live in it...
The majority of the bay area is a suburb. Get out of the city sometimes. It is most definitely not marked by shitty beers and chipotle. Some of my worst eating experiences have been in the city .. Some of the best restaurants are outside of it.
The bay area isn't some podunk suburb or rural area.. That's the big difference.. If you came from middle of nowhere suburbs to the bay area (straight to San Francisco), I'd question your 'experience' a little more and suggest you ask others for details about things you don't understand.
> Suburbs are not an anomaly and exist all over the world. The world outside city cores are not marked by chipotle and shitty beer. If you've traveled places and gone outside tourist areas or even explored the bay area beyond San Francisco, you'd know this.
The night-life in the city is unbeatable. That gets old as you age and desire more engaging experiences. Most things in the city can be enjoyed without having to live there. Insane costs push out culture anyway... A lot of the attractive/cool things in SF went to Oakland in search of a more affordable foundation... The upcoming generation isn't doing too hot in way of wealth.. As a result, interesting things are popping up in lower-cost areas.
Look up the demographic change that has happened in San Francisco in the last decade. The writing is all around you regarding cycles... Whether or not you're seeing it or not is another thing and you can live a long and enjoyable life not seeing any of it. To each their own w.r.t to personal happiness. Beyond that, you're going to have to dig a little deeper and draw from more varied experiences if you feel you want to chime in on such matters.
100% agreed. That being said, there are larger trends beyond an individual. Dominant ideology exists beyond my experience and your experience. When I was younger, I had a blast in SF. I wanted to be seen. I wanted to be discovered. I wanted to discover. Then you find out the truth and grow beyond it.
Some generations grow up believing they need to be in the city .. Some generations grow up believing the city offers nothing but noise. A more external generation loves the idea of a dense city. A more internal generation sees it as a chaotic detraction. This sets the tone beyond our anecdotes. Right now the tone is : external (city). This larger trend will change. It already has been demonstrated by the huge suburban dwellings that built en masse and the multiple generations who grew up in them w/ no desire for the city. I developed lasting relationships .. What did I do as a kid in the suburbs? LOL, I got an education and enjoyed an innocent and beautiful childhood. College/20's .. I enjoyed the city but never frothed over it (I was part of the suburban generation). There's a new wave that feels that no life exists beyond the city ... It's a cycle.. A trend ..
Or, when a generation who flocked to it, realizes it wasn't all that instrumental to their formation .. Just served as years of noise and chaos. So, they'll flee the city in droves , set up in the suburbs and then suburbs will be all the rage for young people hoping to have a more peaceful (involved) experience beyond the hustle and bustle of the city...
You say that will never happen? It already has and will again. It's the reason why there are seas of built up suburbs and a generation of kids and their kids who grew up in them.
There are cycles that exist beyond you... And sure, when you age and have had all your 'experiences', you get to reflect on which ones were of most value and you try to provide those for your kids. Of all my years of partying/being in the city and living it to its fullest, my biggest take-a-way was : I'm glad I experienced it enough to know I have no grand desire for what a city has to offer.
Actually it isn't (several studies have highlighted this).
The reason why a lot of cities aren't better for the environment is that the insane cost force many people out to the cities edge who then have to commute in... negating a good deal of the concentration benefits.
Further, cities can wreak havoc on health due to the concentration of pollution, noise, etc ... Increase mental health issues due to stress/etc.
Human beings weren't meant to be crammed into concrete jungles in shoe boxes filled with noise and chaos.
Taking the bay area as an example, living further towards south bay allows me to shoot out to the outdoors much quicker than being in the city. Office park? When I'm at work, I want to be focused on my work .. Not distracted by the noise of a city.
As for the city, when I want to go there and enjoy something in particular, that's what I do. You can list off every music venue, club, restaurant, cultural event, park event in the city .. I've probably been to the majority of them. It's called getting off your bum, and going to where you want to be. I can jump on 280 and can get to many places in the city (40-45 min) a lot faster than my friends who live in it.
Weekend in the city? Jump on BART and go explore. Bike around the city? Jump on BART and bike around the city. Uber/public transportation are there for me just like it is for people in the city.
The thing is : When i want peace and quiet I can get it. When I want to focus in my own space, I can have it....
The noise/chaos is attractive when you're young and have not found your own sound. When you have, the city becomes a lot less attractive. More interestingly, the city doesn't necessarily help you find yourself any faster.
All of this works in cycles.
There once was a time when people were flocking to the suburbs. Now, it is fashionable to live in the city. This too will pass when people (a generation maybe) comes to understand the little value obtained from all the chaos and activity.
What are people chasing? Technology has made it easier to be in touch and socialize w/ people beyond physical geography. Transportation is getting better. Yet, people are centered on cramming into cities. The concrete jungle... Living among all the action but having no time to enjoy it because you're too busy busting your ass to pay for the insane cost of the 'privilege'.
I used to live in Mountain View, CA and knew more about San Francisco and the cool things than most of my friends who lived in the city. Many times, I could get to places in the city faster than friends living in it.
What's the allure? When I think of California, I think of the beautiful outdoors and geography... Not cramming into a concrete jungle.
Hey look, I live in the city. I don't have a car. I pay a company to clean my place. I pay a company to do my laundry. There is no parking available for friends visiting me. I can't host anything at my place because its so small. I have to do all of my get together events 'out'.
The city generally provides the illusion that you are part of something that's bigger than you really are. Young people haven't formed a clear definition of this. So, they flock to the city which provides it in 'instant' form. This changes when a generation after realizes the cons of one thing and seeks out the pros in another. Or, when you get older and wiser.
As the saying goes, a smart investor is selling when everyone is buying and buying when everyone is selling. With all of the distractions of technology around me, I desire peace and quiet when i am at home. When I want noise and chaos, I go to the city. The big thing is, I have a choice in the matter and live by the beat of my own drum.
When you are young, you have no sense of this 'beat'. The city provides a steady one. Will the youth be able to maintain affordability of the city? How long will this cycle last?
Engage in commentary then instead of anonymously pulling out your whiteknight sword because I'm not towing the comfort line you're accustomed to. You feel something was wrong in my commentary, hash it out with me. I'll respond and hopefully a higher truth is arrived at. My main thread went from 11 upvotes to -3 in a matter of seconds because I 'kept it real'. Only with one person having the decency to engage me. That's not white knighting? Back up the votes go
That being said, you come up w/ the 'solution' and you'll have your 'product'... I already have a general architecture/approach outlined for myself. Create one and, from the looks of the interest here, you'll have an audience to buy it.
Also, with the scale and depth of hacks occurring around the world, you'll soon have an even broader audience.
If you get funded, look me up ;). I'll be looking for work in the coming months =P.