alt Hacker News> Google is at least the devil we know, here.
Google has left these devices essentially completely unusable. You're not trading up Google because Google already abandoned these devices by shutting off the lights. Even if you don't agree with how robust their service is, they're offering you the ability to turn what's effectively e-waste into an operable device.
Why do you say it's unusable? Our Nest thermostat seems to be working fine as a normal (offline) thermostat. I don't see a reason to replace it.
I'm not even sure when I would want a network-enabled thermostat. We inherited it from the previous owners.