[caption id="attachment_82467" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Google's Nest Labs Halts Production Of Smoke Alarm Over Safety Fears[/caption]Google Disables Jedi-like Feature of Smoke Alarms

Technology leviathan Google, parent company of Nest Labs, recently pulled the plug on sales of its smart and elegant smoke and fire alarms after concerns about the detection devices not being so smart after all.

The home automation research and manufacturing firm Nest Labs has been one of Google's most talked-about strategic acquisitions. A lot of the hoopla surrounding the company is the fact that it was started by two former engineers at Apple, a fact that is immediately made evident by the elegant and intelligent functionality of their iPhone-like devices. To this end, some tech and business analysts believe that Apple dropped the ball in letting Nest Labs be acquired by Google, which has turned into a staunch competitor of the company co-founded by the late Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Google recently announced that it had suspended sales of the Nest Protector smoke and fire alarm less than six months after its launch in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The specific issue is related to the Nest Wave, which is a special feature that homeowners can use to deactivate the alarm with just a hand gesture. This feature, which is worthy of a Jedi Knight from the Star Wars universe, was one of the strong selling points of the Nest Protector; alas, Google believes it could backfire, so to speak.

At this time, Google has not commented on any reports from Nest customers who may have experience an unwanted deactivation, and this is something that they would certainly be aware of since the devices can be remotely monitored via a smartphone or tablet.

Google has explained that customers whose Nest Protect devices are connected to a Nest Account will see that the hand gesture feature will be remotely discontinued for their safety. For the time being, no Nest Protectors will be sold until the issue has been thoroughly addressed.