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A comment on Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. Its looking like a bust. Parent comment

Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by sp332 on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:10PM (#11448391)
This would have happened a long time ago if Honeywell didn't have all the patents on good thermostat design. They have three lawsuits currently going on and have settled with Intellectual Ventures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nest_Labs#Litigation That's crazy expensive and it would put almost any other company out of business very quickly.
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Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by JoeAltmaier on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:12PM (#11448411)
Wow - what Honeywell sells is "good thermostat design"? All those horrible buttons and opaque modes? There's lots of room for improvement.
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Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by CapitalistCartr on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:25PM (#11448522)
That's the problem with modern patents. What you're seeing is their implementation of their patents. Another company might make a massively better design, but tread on their overly broad patent that is vaguely written for just that reason.
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Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by protomyth on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:31PM (#11448561)
Well, to be fair, Honeywell at least has the virtue of working and being solid about it[1]. They do seemed to have learned something with the Lyric.

1) I guess the possibility of being sued by a large number of contractors and building owners tends to focus the mind.

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Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by sp332 on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:24PM (#11448509)
No, my point is that with all the patents they hold, no one can enter the market to compete with them.
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Re:Nest was supposed to lead the next computing revolution. ... by zardo on Thursday April 07, 2016 @12:42PM (#11448666)
Yeah, but if they've got a patent on using a knob on a thermostat, and changing it remotely, and getting power from the wall. It's pretty hard to produce a competing product that doesn't infringe.
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