Nest Enrages Users By Removing Option to Disable Camera Status LEDs

Nest is the most high-profile player in smart home and connected security, and its status as a Google subsidiary has subjected it to special scrutiny. Google talked about its “customer privacy commitment” at I/O 2019 when it unveiled the new Google Nest branding. The company just made good on one of the promises it made at I/O — it’s removing the option to disable camera status LEDs. Nest customers have responded with almost universal anger to the change.
Nest says that the Nest Cam and Nest Hello video doorbell will get a silent OTA update soon that removes the status light feature. The small green LED will be on at all times while the camera is active, and it will flash when someone is watching the stream live. Instead of disabling the light, Nest will only support dimming it slightly.

This does make sure you and everyone around you are aware of what the camera is doing. However, that’s not a feature everyone wants. Many Nest camera owners prefer the devices to draw as little attention as possible. For example, the doorbell camera flashing could tell an unwanted visitor that you’re looking at them and not answering the door. Pretty awkward. It could also make the cameras easier to spot for an observant thief, who could then avoid or damage the cameras.
The status light is indeed a valuable tool if you’re worried about someone hacking your cameras or you just don’t trust Google. Although, putting a Google camera in your house seems like a bad idea if you’re that person. For everyone else, the status light at best unimportant and at worst a nuisance. Forcing it on everyone could be missing the point. The outrage on Google’s community forums is rampant, but there’s no indication the company will reverse its decision.
Continue reading

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Is Leaking into Space
NASA reports the probe grabbed so much regolith from the asteroid that it's leaking out of the collector. The team is now working to determine how best to keep the precious cargo from escaping.

AMD’s New Radeon RX 6000 Series Is Optimized to Battle Ampere
AMD unveiled its RX 6000 series today. For the first time since it bought ATI in 2006, there will be some specific advantages to running AMD GPUs in AMD platforms.

NASA Created a Collection of Spooky Space Sounds for Halloween
NASA's latest data release turns signals from beyond Earth into spooky sounds that are sure to send a chill up your spine.

NASA Discovers Vital Organic Molecule on Titan
In the latest analysis, researchers from NASA have identified an important, highly reactive organic molecule in Titan's atmosphere. Its presence suggests the moon could support chemical processes that we usually associate with life.