thermostat
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Alexa can control your dumb AC unit using Ambi's smart hub
Some of you may recall that back in October 2014, Hong Kong startup Ambi Labs unveiled its Ambi Climate as a gateway between your smartphone and your dumb air conditioner at home. But it isn't just about replacing your infrared remote control; what makes Ambi Climate unique is its machine learning capability, so that over time it learns your comfort preferences by way of various sensors, while also saving up to 20-percent energy according to user feedback. Now, almost 2.5 years later, the company is back with the Ambi Climate 2, which is essentially a prettier version of its $179 predecessor and with a lower retail price of $129; and you can grab one for as low as around $80 on Kickstarter, with shipments expected to begin in June this year.
Ecobee's Alexa thermostat is essentially a wall-mounted Echo
If you're Ecobee and you have to compete against an Alphabet-backed heavyweight like Nest in the smart home space, what do you do? Simple: add built-in voice control that Nest can't currently match. The new Ecobee4 thermostat incorporates Amazon's Alexa. That gives you hands-off control over your home's climate, of course (such as saying when you're away), but it also turns your thermostat into a sort of wall-mounted Echo -- you can use just about any Alexa skill that makes sense. If you want to set a reminder or fetch a recipe, you might not need a separate device.
Google conquers more of your smart home with Logitech and Wink
A number of connected home devices already work with Google's smart speaker and today a few more are being added to the fold. Logitech's Harmony line and Wink's lighting gear and thermostats can now be controlled with voice commands from Google Home. "Ok Google, ask Harmony to..." can control your connected speakers, fire up a specific app on Roku, skip forward/backward on content and more for devices that work with Logitech's smart home platform.
Nest said to be working on home security and a low-cost thermostat
Notice how Nest hasn't had any truly new products lately? If you believe insider accounts, it's no coincidence -- management troubles, and the struggle to develop a home security system, left it with little to show. However, it now looks like it's back on track... and then some. A Bloomberg source claims that Nest has multiple new products in the works, headlined by a reborn security system. The "end-to-end" design would include a central hub with a keypad, alarm sensors and a quick control fob. That doesn't sound too unusual, but it'd pair with a mobile app that lets you greenlight access for specific people, such as a friend checking in on your pets. The security setup is reportedly due to ship this year.
Nest adds two-factor authentication to protect your data
Nest has finally launched two-factor authentication to prevent hackers from accessing your camera feeds or any other personal info. You can activate the feature under Account Security in the Nest app. If you do, you'll start getting a verification code through text every time you log into your account. Just take note that you'll get booted out and will need to sign in again right after you switch the feature on.
The Ecobee3 Lite is a decent smart thermostat that costs less than most
Most thermostat makers now have at least a single entry in the smart-home category, with some already on their second- and even third-gen products. All are vying to provide consumers with smarter, simpler controls for home heating and cooling. The new Ecobee3 Lite isn't the company's first such device, but it does mark the brand's attempt to hit a much lower price point. With a $169 MSRP, it costs $80 less than the original Ecobee3 as well as the Nest, and is $30 less than the Honeywell Lyric. But in order for the company to hit that price and still keep the flagship model relevant, some features had to go.
Nest's smart thermostat now comes in a range of colors (updated)
Nest's third-generation Learning Thermostat wasn't exactly a design revolution -- surprise, it's another metal puck with a display -- but the company is doing something to jazz things up. It's introducing versions of the smart temperature controller that come in black, white and an especially attention-grabbing copper. If you've ever thought that the regular steel thermostat was too gauche (or not gauche enough), you now have the option of a model that better matches your decor.
Netatmo's radiator valves take cues from its smart thermostat
It seems like it was only yesterday that most smart thermostat makers were content with their simple solutions, leaving the more complicated heating zone control systems to those with prior experience. Actually... that was only yesterday. Just a few short hours after Tado announced the addition of smart radiator valves to its product range, Netatmo has revealed it's doing exactly the same thing. You probably know the score by now: Replacing existing, dumb radiator valves with internet-connected ones allows you to remotely control the temperature of individual rooms.
Tado's new thermostat listens to Siri and Alexa
Tado is no doubt celebrating today after its thermostat was selected above all others for O2's new subscription-based smart home offering. That's by no means the only Tado news from this year's IFA, though, as the company today announced its third-generation smart thermostat. Pretty much nothing has changed from a hardware standpoint, with the main improvements being support for both Apple's HomeKit and Amazon's Echo platforms, allowing you to control your heating by talking to Siri or Alexa, respectively. IFTTT integration remains part of the feature set, and the new generation is also said to have improved energy efficiency algorithms.
O2 wants to help you spread the cost of building a smart home
Although there are plenty of smart home solutions, deciding which platform to back can be hard. Do you invest in a product from a major brand like Google's Nest or choose a startup that cares more about its products and services than parting you from more of your money? It's a problem that UK companies like British Gas' Hive have tried to solve with its mix of smart appliances, but mobile carrier O2 thinks it might have the solution. The operator today launched O2 Home, a new smart home subscription service that lets customers spread the cost of devices but also the support they may require.
Hive's smart thermostat gets IFTTT's recipe-based automation
If you own one of Hive's smart thermostats and are looking to get more from the connected appliance, today is your lucky day. The British Gas-owned company today announced that it's teamed up with IFTTT to provide recipe-based automation for the thermostat, allowing you to connect it to 300 other products and services.
Control Nest thermostats with your Apple Watch
The whole idea behind Nest's smart thermostats is ease of use. And now in case you'd rather not fish your iPhone out of your pocket (or go on a hunt through the couch cushions for it), the smart home gadgets are controllable with an Apple Watch. The update seems pretty straightforward, right? That's because it is. Assuming your Watch hasn't run out of battery or your Nest gizmo works at all, of course.
Nest seems to be working on a 'smart crib' loaded with sensors
The hyper-connected home of the future will come with an equally connected nursery. Nest, the company widely known for its WiFi enabled energy-saving thermostat and smart smoke alarm system, has filed a patent for a baby crib that could be "embedded with smart sensors". According to the patent application, Nest's potential crib would do away with some of the paraphernalia that comes with a baby's bed. So instead of buying separate monitors, the crib would be loaded with cameras, microphones, a communication device and sensors to track the baby's movements and even detect "a deviation from the pattern of behavior."
Nest can slash people's energy use during peak prices
In California, energy companies have to switch all customers to Time of Use (TOU) rate plans by 2019. Under TOU, energy prices change throughout the day -- it won't be easy to monitor rates and adjust cooling and heating manually every hour or so. To help users stick to their budget, Nest is introducing a new feature called "Time of Savings." The service shares customers' TOU rate info with Nest, which then auto-adjusts itself to reduce energy consumption during the most expensive periods. Nest will only change the temperature by a degree or two, though, and users will have to tweak it themselves if they want to save more money.
Nest's thermostat now talks to WeMo smart home switches
Want Nest's smart thermostat to do a lot more than change the temperature when you're out? Belkin is about to make your day. The gadget maker has introduced Works with Nest support to its WeMo switches and the WeMo Maker, giving you an easy way to toggle devices when you're home or away. You can switch on the lights when you get home, for example, or turn on a fan to cool down your home while you're out. The WeMo app has control over the Nest thermostat's target temperature, too, in case you'd rather not switch apps. All the integration support will be live the moment the latest WeMo app update arrives (no later than 3PM today, the 17th), so you don't have to wait long to automate more of your household.
Engadget giveaway: Win a trio of Nest products courtesy of Bitdefender!
With more internet-facing smart devices in homes than ever before, it's wise to consider securing that digital portal. The Bitdefender Box connects to your home router, providing an easy-to-setup shield for all the data flowing through it. It scans for malware and adds a layer of protection to help keep your data and IoT devices safe from prying eyes. That security can also extend to your Mac, PC and mobile devices (iOS and Android) when you're away from home by using Bitdefender's Private Line feature. For a limited time, Box is available for just $99, which is half off its regular price and includes one year of the company's subscription service. To help promote this deal, the company is providing one lucky reader with a Bitdefender Box and Nest's lineup of IoT products including the Protect, Thermostat and Cam. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this smart and secure home combo! Winner: Congratulations to Charlie P. of Boise, ID!
Amazon's Alexa controls Nest thermostats
Beginning today Amazon's digital assistant Alexa can control Nest thermostats. If you're home is too warm or too cold, just shout at the voice-activated helper and it'll adjust the temperature. It's going to be incredibly helpful on those summer days when it's too hot to move.
Nest devices get better at knowing when you're home
If you're a Nest owner, you've probably experienced the company's thermostat flipping itself to Away mode while you were still home. Most likely, that's because someone didn't walk past the motion sensor on the tech in a timely fashion. Thankfully, Nest announced two new features that will improve the the gadgets' ability to tell when someone's home. First, there's a new Home/Away Assist that uses your phone's location in addition to the motion sensors and software algorithms inside the household gear.
Hive feels the heat after smart thermostat glitch
The Internet of Things can be a wondrous thing -- it allows you to operate your lights using an app, remotely monitor your house and, when it works, intelligently warm it. This last weekend, some owners of the Hive smart thermostat experienced what it's like when the Internet of Things goes bad when an app glitch resulted in their homes being heated to as high as 32℃.
Amazon Echo starts talking to your thermostat
Amazon's voice-guided Echo speaker can serve as everything from an exercise coach to a game machine, but its latest addition could be particularly helpful if you're shivering as you read this. The Echo now offers voice control over thermostats, starting with the Ecobee3 -- you can ask it to set a specific temperature, or give it vague directions to warm things up or cool them down. This won't do much if you have a rival smart thermostat (more support is coming, Amazon says) or are willing to use your phone. Look at it this way, though: if you dread getting out of bed on a cold day, this will let you warm things up without lifting a finger.
