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Google's too-smart-for-own-good Nest Protect alarm is back on sale

Go ahead, wave hello ... it won't switch off this time

Google's Nest smart smoke alarm is back on sale at a lower price after being withdrawn from store shelves for nearly a month because of a safety issue.

"We're very pleased that Nest Protect is once again available to customers," Nest marketing chief Doug Sweeny said in a blog post. "And now, the price is $99 to make it accessible to as many people as possible."

Previously the internet-connected gadget, which combines a smoke detector with a carbon monoxide monitor, retailed for $129.

Google's Internet of Things division was forced to issue a patch to all current Nest Protect owners in May after it was discovered that making random hand gestures could sometimes switch the alarms off without their owners knowing it.

The patch was applied as an over-the-air update and customers didn't need to do anything to get it, but Nest also halted sales of new alarms while it applied the software fix to its existing stock.

Nest, which Google acquired in January for $3.2bn, faces mounting competition in the market for so-called smart home devices, with Apple also wanting in on the home automation business with its new HomeKit APIs.

In addition to Nest Protect, the company also markets Nest Thermostat, an energy-saving appliance that learns your temperature preferences and which you can control with your smartphone. Both products are available from Nest's online store or from Google Play. ®

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