Search engines and home security go together about as well as microwave ovens and television programming, but now that Facebook is a utility, Google might as well be GE. The Information reports that Google's Nest division wants to expand beyond smart-thermostats by acquiring Dropcam, the company famous for "[taking] the nanny cam out of the fake teddy bear."

The Information is not sure how far along negotiations have progressed, but Google is definitely exploring a domesticated version its Street View cameras as part of the brave new Internet of Things:

Nest's exploration of home security in addition to thermostats and smoke detectors comes as the war among tech companies to turn run-of-the mill household appliances into Internet-connected devices is heating up.

Apple next week is planning to take the wraps off a "smart home" software platform that would allow lighting controllers, security systems and other hardware to be controlled by iPhones, according to the Financial Times. The company is hoping to get gadget makers like Nest and Dropcam to communicate with its technology

News of a potential acquisition comes less than a week after Nest recalled 440,000 fire alarms because of a defect that caused users to turn it off unintentionally. Google purchased Nest for $3.2 billion in cash earlier this year. Nest founder Tony Fadell may still be tinkering with the basic functionality of his devices, but monetization is humming along nicely! This slippery slope into home surveillance means Fadell also needs to upgrade his spiel on privacy.

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