Honeywell's Lyric thermostat has the looks and smarts to take on Nest
Honeywell has been in the connected thermostat game for a long time now. So when Nest came along and stole its thunder, you had to know the company would go back to the drawing board and return with its A-game. So here it is, the Lyric -- a decidedly Nest-like thermostat with a simple round body and a sizable display. The ability to show the current temperature or weather forecast is nice, but the proximity sensor shouldn't be overlooked. The screen automatically turns on as you approach, and stays off the rest of the time, so it doesn't constantly bathe your living room in orange light. You can physically turn the body to change temperatures obviously, but the selling point here is clearly the connectivity. The Lyric app (for iOS or Android) lets you adjust your furnace on the go and can be programmed to automatically boost or drop the temperature based on your GPS location. But, more than that, it can alert you to when you need to change the filter or have your furnace serviced. It will even direct you to a trusted Honeywell professional. The Lyric is available now through licensed professional contractors. But if you're you're the do-it-yourself type, you can pick one up for $279 at the beginning of August.
