Nest is Google’s biggest acquisition ever

Google has never paid as much for a startup as it’s planning to pay for Nest.

When Google said it would be plunking down $3.2 billion for Nest, a maker of computerized and networked thermostats and smoke detectors, it took many people by surprise — not least because Google hasn’t made such a large purchase since its acquisition of DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in 2007.

In fact, Nest is Google’s largest acquisition ever, according to a report by CB Insights. Here are the search giant’s top 10 acquisitions, along with the year in which they happened, as collated by CB Insights:

1. Nest Labs – $3.2 billion, 2014
2. DoubleClick – $3.1 billion, 2007
3. YouTube – $1.7 billion, 2006
4. Waze – $966 million, 2013
5. AdMob – $750 million, 2009
6. ITA Software – $700 million, 2011
7. Postini – $625 million, 2007
8. Wildfire – $450 million, 2012
9. Admeld – $400 million, 2011
10. Slide – $228 million, 2010

Now, those are absolute figures, not inflation-adjusted, so DoubleClick cofounder Kevin O’Connor can still retain braggi