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iPodfather Tony Fadell laments the discontinuation of the iPod Classic
Apple two weeks ago unceremoniously killed the iPod Classic, the last vestige of Apple's iPod glory days. While the iPod shuffle, nano, and touch all remain, the form factor that became synonymous with the digital music revolution is decidedly nothing more than a memory now. In the wake of the iPod Classic's timely demise, Fast Company was able to touch base with Tony Fadell, the man largely credited with creating the iconic MP3 player. Fadell said he was sad to see the iPod Classic go, but understands that the advent of cloud computing made it all but inevitable. "I'm sad to see it go," Fadell admits in a phone interview. "The iPod's been a huge part of my life for the last decade. The team that worked on the iPod poured literally everything into making it what it was." Eighteen months after launch, the iPod owned the portable media player category, and for the next decade, it continued to do so. "Products just don't come around like that often," laments Fadell. "The iPod was one-in-a-million." Interestingly, Fadell adds that the iPod team at Apple was well aware, even back in the early 2000s, that streaming music would ultimately spell the end for the traditional hard drive based MP3 player. "We called it the 'celestial jukebox in the sky'", Fadell said. "And we have that now: music in the cloud." Fadell initially joined Apple back in February of 2001 where he was tasked with designing the iPod and orchestrating Apple's foray into the MP3 player market. Just six months later, Steve Jobs introduced the iPod to the world and Apple would forever be changed.
Tony Fadell: I would have loved to show Steve Jobs the Nest Thermostat
Earlier this week, Adam Lashinsky of Fortune published a lengthy and interesting piece profiling former Apple executive, famed Nest CEO, and current Google employee Tony Fadell. While much is already known about Fadell's ascension to prominence -- from his days at General Magic to Phillips and then to Apple -- the story adds quite a bit of detail to Fadell's childhood and his early efforts at getting Nest up and running. One of the more interesting facts detailed in the piece is Fadell's frustration that he never got to show the Nest Thermostat to Steve Jobs. If there's one thing that gnaws at Fadell, it's that he never got to tell Jobs about Nest. The two had corresponded, with Jobs checking in to express interest in Fadell's stealthy startup, which, Fadell had told him, had an energy-conservation aspect to it. (A key selling point to the original Nest device is that it saves electricity by knowing when its owners don't need it.) By the time Fadell was ready to share more in the summer of 2011, however, Jobs had grown gravely ill, and he died several weeks later. "I would have loved to have been able to show it to him, but the timing didn't work," he says. Jobs presumably would have been proud of Fadell. While Fadell and Jobs certainly had their differences, there's no question that Fadell held Jobs in high regard and learned a whole lot from the Apple co-founder. During a CNN interview earlier this year, Fadell explained how Jobs taught him the importance of creating an exemplary user experience that begins the moment a user opens up a product for the first time. "It's starting from that very first customer touch point and looking at every single touch point and making sure that there's emotional positive momentum all the way through that experience," Fadell said this past January. The article also details the pressure cooker that existed during Fadell's tenure at Apple, in large part due to ongoing, yet ultimately productive, tension with Jobs. Legend has it that Jobs periodically fired Fadell. In fact, Fadell says, he repeatedly quit. One time, after key members of his iPod team had been raided for another Apple project, Fadell informed Jobs he was done, and the CEO asked him to stay, telling Fadell he was overreacting. "I said, 'I'm not overreacting.' I told him I was out. If you didn't stand up for yourself, no one else would." (Fadell says he recanted at least two resignations, having gotten his way each time.) Also of interest is how and why Fadell opted to get back into the tech game altogether. To that end, Lashinsky details how Fadell, during the period following his retirement from Apple, decided to build a nice vacation home for him and his wife. It was during this process that Fadell realized how rudimentary thermostats on the market truly were. And so, the gears in his head started turning, venture capital was raised, Apple employees were recruited, and Nest was born. Recently, Google made headlines when it acquired Nest for $3.2 billion. The ramifications from the blockbuster deal remain to be seen, but suffice it to say, Fadell and his team have plans to revamp a number of household products beyond thermostats and smoke detectors.
Tony Fadell on the birth of the iPod and Steve Jobs saying no
On October 23, 2001 Steve Jobs introduced the world to the iPod, a little block of stainless steel and plastic that would revolutionize the company's future. The iPod set the stage for every iOS device we currently couldn't live without and lit the fuse that changed Apple Computers to simply Apple Inc. in 2007. Steve Jobs explained the name change at that year's expo, ""The Mac, iPod, Apple TV, and iPhone. Only one of those is a computer. So we're changing the name." The iPod really doesn't get enough credit, nor does its designer Tony Fadell. Fadell was hired by Apple in February of 2001 as a contractor tasked with designing the iPod and Apple's strategy for entering the audio player field. In the years since Fadell has become better known for co-founding Nest Labs and its Wi-Fi enabled thermostat, but his impact on Apple remains. In an interview this past January at the annual Google Ventures CEO Summit Fadell talked with Google's Kevin Rose about the development of the iPod from pitch to design and what Steve Jobs taught him about saying "no." You can watch the interview below.
Nest is now officially a part of the Google family
Prepare for a world of Google-controlled thermostats, smoke alarms and no doubt other mysterious projects we don't know about yet. Shortly after receiving the green light from the FTC, the search giant announced that its $3.2 billion acquisition of home automation company Nest is now a done deal. Google's already touting Nest as the perfect partner to "enhance its suite of products and services," and is allowing founders Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers (both ex-members of the original iPod team) to continue operating the company under its own brand. Google's involvement brings its fair share of privacy concerns, but Fadell says Nest doesn't intend to change its current privacy policy, and that any future changes will be both transparent and opt-in. While we don't fully know what Google has planned, now that it has swapped smartphones for smart homes, we guess it could make a good start simply by making Nest's existing products available in more countries, as they're barely known outside of the US.
What Tony Fadell learned from Steve Jobs
At the DLD conference this week, former Apple man and current Googler Tony Fadell sat down with Laurie Segall of CNN to talk about, you guessed it, Google's US$3.2 billion acquisition of Nest Labs. During the course of an engaging 20-minute interview, which is well worth watching in its entirety, Fadell was asked what type of knowledge he was able to glean from Steve Jobs during his time at Apple. Recall that Fadell is much more than a "Oh, he used to work at Apple" kind of guy. Fadell helped create, design, and engineer the original iPod whereupon he helped develop 18 iterations of the device. What's more, he helped work on the first three generations of the iPhone. More than an Apple employee, he was an employee who rose to the executive ranks and had an invaluable impact on Apple becoming a major player in the tech sphere once again. So when asked what he learned from Jobs, Fadell answered that it's all about the entirety of the user experience: Steve really showed me what it means to make a product experience. And an experience is not just using the product and making sure its beautiful. You know, I kind of learned that before because I worked with a Mac team pre-Apple and they taught me how to make great products. But about making great experiences, experiences are all about the very first time you ever learn about the company. Whether it was a video you just saw or the first time or maybe you saw it in a retail shop or the first time you heard it from a friend who said, "This is something you should really take a look at." It's starting from that very first customer touch point and looking at every single touch point and making sure that there's emotional positive momentum all the way through that experience. So, their first contact with it, your second contact with it, when you take it out of the box, how you might configure and install it, how it's used, how it's serviced, all of those things need to be taken into account to create an amazing experience. And so if you look at something like what they're doing with retail and all of those other things, you'll see those customer touch points throughout every single area. And making sure the brand comes to life and the product comes to life through that. In previous interviews, Fadell has also praised the Apple design process, noting that 99% of products at Apple that pass certain internal milestones are actually released to the public. Notably, there have been been a few circulating reports indicating that up to 2/3 of the Nest Labs team are former Apple employees. While we can't confirm those numbers specifically, though some have tried by scouring LinkedIn, Fadell at about 4:20 mark mentions that the team at Cupertino that "changed the entire world" basically built Nest Protect and the learning thermostat. As a final point, if any of Fadell's statements about Jobs sound even vaguely familiar, legendary Apple ad man Lee Clow relayed similar points about the Apple co-founder during a talk this past June. "Steve figured out," Clow explained, "that every way a brand touches you is a message, and it's either a positive message or it's a message that kind of contradicts what you thought about the brand."
Why Apple didn't buy Nest
With Google announcing yesterday that it acquired the Tony Fadell-led Nest Labs for a cool US$3.2 billion, an emerging narrative is that Google caught Apple asleep at the wheel. For many who keep a close eye on tech, an Apple/Nest Labs acquisition seemed like a match made in heaven. I myself was quick to hop on this bandwagon, writing yesterday: [There's a] commonly held view that Nest Labs was an Apple acquisition just waiting to happen. Nest's Thermostat was largely viewed as an Apple-esque product insofar that it simplified what was otherwise a cumbersome and confusing activity. It may sound absurd, but the Nest Thermostat really worked to make home temperature automation seem cool, and more importantly, approachable. Given that Fadell has deep roots at Apple and that home automation via mobile devices is becoming more prevalent, many assumed, or perhaps hoped, that if any company were to acquire Nest it'd be Apple. But the more I thought about it, the more it became clear to me that Apple purchasing Nest, especially for billions of dollars, just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Because Google and Apple are such fierce competitors, and because Apple is waging an all-out proxy war against Google via its ongoing legal battles with Samsung, it's only natural to assume that a notable Google acquisition is a de-facto Apple loss. The reality is much more nuanced. Nest products won't help drive more iOS sales Apple has tens of billions of dollars in the bank, a handsome sum primarily derived from good, old-fashioned hardware sales. Even software titles that used to generate cash flow for Apple are now given away for free to the masses, with OS X Mavericks being the most obvious example. To that end, it's hardly novel to state that Apple's software business exists to drive hardware sales. As a result, Apple is exceedingly concerned with ensuring that its software remains intuitive, powerful and a step above the competition. Consequently, Apple isn't interested in getting into the thermostat or smoke detector business. What really lights Apple's fire is making sure that iOS is so big, so prevalent and so important that hardware and peripheral manufacturers from all over the map view iOS integration as a necessity. There's no denying that Nest Labs is doing some really cool work and has already put out two really great and forward-thinking products in just three years time. And again, there's no denying that Nest's products have a distinctive Apple-y vibe to them, a fact which shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that the company was co-founded by two highly regarded Apple alums. That notwithstanding, assume for a second that Apple was the company that purchased Nest Labs. Now what? Now Apple all of a sudden finds itself selling thermostats and smoke detectors. And it paid $3.2 billion for that privilege? Where's the win there? Put simply, would a Nest Labs acquisition ultimately have helped Apple sell more iOS devices than before? I don't see it. In stark contrast, Apple's cheap-by-comparison $356 million acquisition of Authentec directly led to Touch ID, the flagship feature on the iPhone 5s. Hardware sales-wise, Nest Labs would be a micro hobby to Apple Fadell has said that the Nest Thermostat is in nearly 1 percent of US homes. Not too shabby. But Apple in its most recent quarter sold 33.8 million iPhones. That figure is equivalent to 10.6 percent of the entire US population (33.8 million iPhones per 317 million people). Apple is a huge company, so much so that it still considers the venerable Apple TV a hobby, even though it has cumulatively sold more than 13 million units, with the majority of those sales having occurred since 2013. So while Nest has some great products, its product line would be nothing more than a micro hobby for a company as big and profitable as Apple. Apple already has and will likely continue to have the benefits of Nest/iOS product integration Home automation and internet-connected devices are becoming more of a reality with each passing month. Consequently, Apple's doesn't need Nest's products under its umbrella when they already interface with iOS. Of course, it's only natural for cynics to ask, "Well sure, how long is that going to last?" Addressing that very question, Fadell, the iPodfather himself, explained in an interview with The Verge that we have nothing to worry about: Well look, at the end of the day, customer choice is essential. And we don't make products that compete with Apple, nor make products that compete with Google. Our customers come in both iOS and Android flavors, and I hope our customers can still buy the products they want to purchase wherever they want to purchase them. And sure, you can question Fadell's sincerity of Larry Page's intentions if you want, but Google would be a fool if, at some point down the line, it made Nest products that didn't play nicely with iOS. If anything, history suggests that Google wants to be part of the iOS ecosystem while Apple is the company overly concerned and paranoid about sleeping with the enemy. Perhaps Google Voice rings a bell? Ponder this question: What type of person would buy a thermostat or smoke detector first and then base a subsequent smartphone purchasing decision on compatibility issues? The short of it is that as long as Apple continues to sell iPhones faster than they can make them, Nest on iOS isn't going anywhere anytime soon. $3.2 billion for a lone company? That's not something Apple does Another reason why an Apple/Nest acquisition doesn't add up is because, quite frankly, it just doesn't add up. Google is paying $3.2 billion for Nest Labs, an astronomical amount for a company as stingy as Apple. For some context, Apple's most expensive acquisition to date was the $404 million it paid to acquire NeXT (and Steve Jobs). Now if we take a look at Apple's 10 most expensive acquisitions with a publicized purchase price, here's what we come up with. NeXT - $404 million Power Computing - $100 million P.A. Semi - $278 million Quattro Wireless - $275 million Intrinsity - $121 million C3 Technologies - $267 million Anobit - $390 million AuthenTec - $356 million PrimeSense - $345 million Topsy - $200 million Taken together, that comes out to $2.7 billion. And for you currency sticklers out there, note that eight of the above 10 acquisitions were made after 2010. Point being, even if we look at Apple's older acquisitions in today's dollars, Google's $3.2 billion purchase price is still astronomical by Apple's standards. Let's hail Google, not rag on Apple With an acquisition as big as this, and one involving quite a number of former Apple employees no less, it's only natural to reflexively ask, "Should Apple have acquired Nest?" For the reasons listed above, I don't think such an acquisition would have made much sense. Indeed, re/code reported last night that "Google was the only serious bidder and Apple was not in the mix." That said, I think you have to give props to Google for plunking down $3.2 billion for an inventive company with a creative and talented executive team. Whatever Google has in mind, one can only surmise that it has to be big given the large purchase price. For those keeping score at home, the Nest acquisition is Google's second most expensive to date, only trailing its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility back in 2011. I think it's important, and undeniably interesting, to have a company like Google so focused on cool technology that it has no shame in releasing products first, no matter how shaky, random or unprofitable, and asking questions later. Google Glass, anyone? I mean, Google this past December acquired Boston Dynamics, a company renowned for building pretty jaw-dropping futuristic robots. And now Google has spent a boatload of cash to acquire Nest Labs. Who the heck knows what Google's product roadmap looks like these days, but you can safely bet that they have some interesting ideas in the works. Apple undoubtedly does too, but $3.2 billion for a company that sells sleek thermostats and smoke detectors just doesn't coalesce with Apple's DNA. It does with Google's. Interesting hypothetical -- What if Microsoft bought Nest? Imagine for a second that Microsoft, and not Google, acquired Nest Labs for $3.2 billion. Would the discourse be any different? I think it's reasonable to assume that if the leader-less folks up in Redmond spent $3.2 billion on Nest, they'd be lampooned for overpaying.
Apple reportedly built wearable visor prototypes, 'didn't have time' to bring them to market
Considering that Apple's patented nearly every tech concept under the sun, the revelation that it dabbled with a wearable display of some sort is hardly earth-shattering. According to Tony Fadell, Nest CEO and former Senior VP at Apple, Cupertino built a bunch of wearable tech prototypes but "didn't have time" to further develop them. Fadell describes Apple's approach as "visors, so it's like you're sitting in a theater," which sounds decidedly more like a VR headset or head-mounted display than something like Google Glass. Still, Apple dismissing one of Google's the year's most hyped concepts in favor of focusing on its streamlined device lineup? That's quite a burn to Mountain View.
Tony Fadell details his journey from Apple to Nest
Tony Fadell may not have the same level of name recognition as, say, Jony Ive, but Fadell was unquestionably an important cog in Apple's climb to greatness in the early 2000s. Sometimes referred to as the "father of the iPod", Fadell helped churn out 18 different generations of iPod models before leaving Apple in 2008 and subsequently re-emerging on the tech scene with the Nest Learning Thermostat. In a recent article written for the New York Times, Fadell himself details his journey from a young kid growing up in Michigan to an important member of Apple's executive team, and everything in between. Fadell notes that his fascination with computing began in grade school after taking a summer programming class. From there on end, he was hooked. Always looking to create, he started his first company in high school, a little outfit that resold Apple II hardware and wrote software. Fadell began studying computer engineering at the University of Michigan in 1987. Interestingly, Fadell notes that his dream, upon graduation, was to go to California and work for General Magic, a famed company with strong Apple roots founded by Bill Atkinson, Andy Hertzfeld and Marc Porat. I knocked on their door until they hired me later that year. I spent four years there, developing hardware and software to create personal hand-held communications devices, including Sony's MagicLink. Following that, Fadell proceeded to work for Phillips before leaving to start Fuse Systems. Fadell joined Apple in 2001 as a consultant and the rest, as they say, is history. Fadell played an instrumental role in the development of the iPod and stayed at Apple until 2008, playing a direct role in the development of many iPod models and the first few iterations of the iPhone. Eight weeks later, I approached Steve Jobs with the initial iPod concept and was put in charge of building and leading the development team. One iPod led to another, eventually becoming 18 generations of iPods - and then three generations of the iPhone. My wife also worked at Apple. Eventually I wanted to spend more time with our two children, and I also wanted a break. So in 2008, I stepped away as senior vice president of Apple's iPod division and became a strategic adviser to Mr. Jobs. He was an incredible influence on how I think about bringing products to market. Upon leaving Apple, Fadell took some time off but reemerged with a new venture, Nest Labs. Having spent many years at Apple and a number of other tech companies, Fadell has an interesting perspective as to what ingredients are necessary for a consumer electronics company to thrive. In January of this year, while speaking at the Bloomberg Design Conference, Fadell articulated that one of the reasons Apple is as successful as it is is because the company ships 99% of its products that reach internal milestones. Fadell contrasted this "develop to launch" ideology with the culture he experienced at Phillips. "Nine times out of ten, or 99 times out of 100, they would kill the project, either at the beginning, the middle or right before the product was supposed to be shipped," Fadell explained. "When you're in a culture that has a point of view, and drives to launch everything it does, you know you're on the hook and you better bring your best game every time."
Tony Fadell discusses inspiring designers
Tony Fadell, the CEO of Nest and former designer on Apple's iPod team, has revealed his list of secrets that inspire designers to make amazing products. Speaking at the Bloomberg Design conference this week, Fadell said it was important for companies to try to create a culture where everyone is striving to tell the same story. Fadell was asked about the differences between Apple and Philips. He said at financially driven companies like Philips, a majority of the products a designer works on will never be shipped -- and the designer knows that. It's customary for new project managers to come in, not understand a product, and scrap it entirely. Fadell says this type of corporate culture doesn't spur designers to do their best work since nine times out of 10 a product would be killed no matter how far along it was. Apple, on the other hand, virtually always ships nine out of 10 products that get to a certain point, according to Fadell. And because those workers were trying to tell the same story with a product -- no matter if they were in design, or programming, or marketing -- a product isn't totally derailed if a new manager comes in. "When you're in a culture that has a point of view, and drives to launch everything it does, you know you're on the hook and you better bring your best game every time," Fadell said. [via GigaOM]
Nest home monitoring device pops up at the FCC with ZigBee, greater ambitions
Thermostat makers aren't exactly known for their rapid update cycles, so we've been wondering just when a company as unusual as Nest would try its encore. If a new FCC filing is any indication, Tony Fadell and company aren't resting on their temperature-controlled laurels. While we don't know if it's a thermostat as such, the "home monitoring device" at the US agency sports Nest's familiar circular shape while tossing in some previously unseen ZigBee wireless -- a clue that there's home automation harmony afoot, either with other Nest units or with third-party devices. It's also apparent that Nest is keeping WiFi and won't venture far from its internet-friendly roots. All of the firm's secrets will be revealed in March, although we'll side with Zatz Not Funny and leave the possibility of an earlier announcement that helps us lower our heating bills.
Amazon becomes the latest retailer to sell the trendy Nest Learning Thermostat
Frankly, we all knew it was only a matter of time before the renowned online retailer, Amazon, would start offering the trendiest thermostat known to man. Joining the likes of Apple, Lowe's and, naturally, Nest's official site, Amazon is the latest shop to welcome the famed Learning Thermostat onto its shelves, with availability expected as soon as tomorrow (June 8th). As for pricing, that won't be changing much, which means you'll still have to shell out $249 -- though, you could see it hit your doorstep sooner without paying extra if you have one of those fancy Prime accounts. In any case, folks looking to grab one of these notorious Nest thermos can do so from either of the source links below.
Online Apple store now selling Nest thermostat
Apple's online storefront went down for maintenance last night, and when it came back up the Nest thermostat from iPod "godfather" Tony Fadell had been added to the store's inventory. The thermostat retails for $250 and lets you control your house's heating and cooling systems from your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Thanks to everyone who sent this in. [Via Engadget and The Verge]
Apple Store now selling Nest Thermostat: automated toastiness to cost $250
Apple liked it so much, it's decided to let the Nest Thermostat share shelf-space in its bricks-and-mortar stores and online. Following rumors that Tony Fadell's latest project would appear at his former employer's store, it's now been confirmed with an online listing. Following some brief downtime on the Cupertino corp's retail site, the unit is set to retail for $250. Aside from sharing some design DNA, the thermostat unit can also be controlled from iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macs -- we presume that Android functionality is still there. Those that like their summers extra comfortable can hit the store link below.
Apple Stores rumored to be carrying Nest thermostats, we play it cool (to exactly 71F)
Tony Fadell might have left Apple to make the Nest Learning Thermostat, but it may be the case that Apple hasn't completely left him. If we go by a pair of rumors, Nest's Internet-savvy climate control could soon be in Apple Stores, presumably across the US, for the same $249 as it costs to splurge for one through Nest itself. We're definitely skeptical -- home appliances and automation aren't really Apple's strong suits, and Nest has already declined to comment -- but 9to5 Mac has heard that the thermostats are already in Apple's inventory system. If the reports are at all true, there won't be long to wait before you can buy a smart energy system while you're shopping for a new iPhone case.
Tony Fadell: First iPhone almost had a clickwheel
Tony Fadell recently appeared on The Verge's On The Verge talk show/web series, and he shared a tidbit about early versions of the iPhone, which he worked on as Senior VP of the iPod division at Apple back in 2006. The Verge says that Apple "seriously considered" a hardware keyboard for the original iPhone, according to Fadell, but if you watch the clip itself, you can see that Fadell confirms Apple never made a keyboard for it. The issue was "definitely discussed," he says, but nothing was ever made into a prototype. Fadell also says there were three different "gestations" of the iPhone during development -- first an iPod plus phone, then an actual "i-Phone," and then "there was the next generation iPhone, and that's the one that shipped," he says. Fadell says they did work with the iPod's original clickwheel on iPhone hardware, which reminds me of those old fake mockups that designers put together before the iPhone was announced. At any rate, says Fadell, Apple was open to anything. "Sometimes you have to try things in order to throw it away," he says. Given Apple's history since the introduction of the iPhone, we'd say it was all worth it.
CE-Oh no he didn't!: Tony Fadell calls Honeywell out on patent claims
Smart thermostats might not be the cut-throat world of litigation like, say, mobile phones, but that doesn't mean the odd feather doesn't get ruffled from time to time. Nest CEO, Tony Fadell, is understandably protective of his company's product, so when competitor Honeywell laid a stack of patent infringement claims at his door, unsurprisingly he was none too pleased. How displeased? Well, enough for him to drop this clanger: "Honeywell is worse than a patent troll." Then going on to quantify with "They're trying to strangle us, and we're not going to allow that to happen." We think that makes his feelings on the matter pretty clear. Well, when you've been SVP of Apple's iPod division, it's easy to see how patience with such things might wear thin.
iPod designer Tony Fadell takes on thermostats with Nest Labs
Tony Fadell, Apple's former Senior Vice President of the iPod Division, oversaw iPod and iPhone development between 2001 and 2009. Ten years after his most iconic project first saw the light of day, the "father of the iPod" has a new product: Nest, a home thermostat that's smarter than the average bear. Nest is a new breed of home thermostat that Fadell has developed with partner Matt Rogers, who led an engineering team at Apple's iPod division in 2009. Mike Matas, formerly of Delicious Monster and Apple, contributed to the design. "It's a thermostat for the iPhone generation," says Fadell. Aside from its striking looks and color-coded, digital display, the Nest thermostat boasts impressive features. For example, a motion sensor notices if there are people in a room and adjusts its temperature accordingly. It also learns your habits and preferences, so there's no programming to be done. Even fine-tuned adjustments of just a few degrees can make a big difference for consumers and the environment. The New York Times notes that each degree cooler (in winter) or warmer (in summer) a house is kept translates into a 5 percent energy savings, according to experts. John E. Bowers, director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency at the University of California, Santa Barbara, likes the idea of using an smart device to monitor those adjustments. "There is a huge amount that can be gained in homes, and an intelligent thermostat could be a great opportunity," he told the Times. The Nest will ship sometime in November at US$250, via the company's site and Best Buy's website. It certainly looks cool, but what would you expect from "the father of the iPod?"
iPod fathers unveil their next project, the Nest Learning Thermostat (hands-on)
Over the summer, we got word that a couple of unnamed ex-Apple engineers were getting ready to unveil an unnamed product, under the guise of an unnamed startup. As it turns out, that startup was Nest Labs, and those Apple alums were none other than Tony Fadell, longtime SVP of Apple's iPod division, and lead engineer Matt Rogers. And yes, the product they had to share makes fine use of a click wheel. But if you thought they'd be cooking up a next-gen music player, you'd be wrong. Instead, the pair have been designing a thermostat, of all things, dubbed the Nest. In addition to being the most stylish model ever to grace a dining room wall, it promises the kind of intelligence we've come to expect in other household appliances -- just not thermostats, per se. It'll go on sale next month for $249 in places like Best Buy, but we managed to snag an early sneak peek. Find some photos below and when you're done, join us past the break where we'll explain how it works. %Gallery-137451% %Gallery-137452%
"Godfather" of iPod leaves Apple for greener pastures
Tony Fadell first envisioned a hard drive-based digital music player in the 1990s. He took his idea to Real Networks only to leave six weeks later after reports of in-fighting between himself and Real's CEO. After several years, Fadell took his idea to Steve Jobs and in 2001, Apple and Tony's idea made tech history. Fadell was put in charge of the iPod/iPhone division in 2006 when he replaced Jon Rubinstein who left Apple to build the Pre with Palm. In 2008, Fadell officially stepped down from his role as division manager, but would remain at Apple to stay on as a special adviser to Steve Jobs. That advisory roll ended yesterday. Fadell announced to the New York Times that he was leaving Apple to advise other companies with a focus on green technology. "My primary focus will be helping the environment by working with consumer green-tech companies," Fadell said. "I'm determined to tell my kids and grandkids amazing stories beyond my iPod and iPhone ones." Tony, we wish you all the luck in the world. To think how different things could have been had you never pursued your idea for a hard drive-based music player. Here's to anticipating your next vision!
