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Technology

Why Is Everyone Going Nuts For Nest’s 2.0, Futuristic Thermostat You Keep Hearing About? We Explain

Oct. 3, 2012 2:10pm Liz Klimas

You might not consider a thermostat the most interesting bit of technology. But when the smart thermostat “Nest” was introduced last year, it was acclaimed as a drastic improvement to the traditional beige box that controls a large portion of your energy bill. Now, the “Nest 2.0″ has been introduced with increased capability for energy savings and, like many next-gen devices, has an even sleeker design.

The Nest Learning Thermostat — technology that “learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone” – was praised when it was first introduced for its design, but now it’s 20 percent thinner. The new design also includes increased compatibility with systems in the U.S. and Canada, working with 95 percent of heating and cooling systems.

Next Generation Nest Learning Thermostat Released With Slimmer Design, Increased Compatibility and Software Upgrades

A comparison between the first and second generation Nest devices. (Photo: Nest)

The new Nest also has reflective sides so it can blend in even further with home decor. (Photo: Nest)

But more notable are changes to the Nest software. As Nest founder Tony Fadell puts it in a company blog post, he kept a promise to first generation Nest users.

“We told them that their Nest would keep getting better, and we meant it. So every Nest owner with a Wi-Fi connected Nest will be updated to the same 3.0 software as the new Nest in the next few days,” Fadell wrote.

This means that Nest customers don’t have to get a new thermostat to take advantage of many of the upgrades.

Watch Nest’s video about the technology:

The new technology includes “system match” to help Nest work with heating/cooling that is not the conventional on/off-switch system. The system can also now detect within 30 minutes when no one is home in order to switch to more efficient setting. This is an upgrade from Nest 1.0, which waited two hours after people left to make the adjustment, CNET reports.

Nest already allowed users to control thermostat settings remotely, but the new version expanded the devices that can support this action. It also added more language settings.

The device has been designed to make it easy for users to install. (Photo: Nest)

CNET reported that the new Nest also learns how long it takes a user to get home, adjusting the home’s temperature accordingly so it’s ready when they arrive. It factors weather conditions into this estimate as well.

“Our mission is to keep people comfortable in their homes while helping them save energy, and with the next-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, we’re able to spread that comfort and savings to even more homes – and to help higher-efficiency systems perform the way they were meant to,”Fadell said in a statement. CNET reminds us that Fadell, a former Apple employee, is also considered “the father of the iPod.”

In a separate post reviewing the product, the tech site gave Nest 2.0 almost a perfect score, noting its largest issue as the $250 price tag and that larger homes may need more than one.

“[It is] easy to install and easy on the eyes, the Nest Learning Thermostat learns your heating and cooling preferences over time, so you don’t have to program it. Wi-Fi networking and tasteful apps let you control and monitor your Nest from afar,” CNET’s review said of the positive aspects of Nest 2.0.

Watch Lindsey Turritine’s review for CNET:

(H/T: Business Insider)

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Comments (53)

Netsurfer2
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 7:54pm
Hahaha…..And someday the government will say about heat “less means more”! Nothing like a cold shoulder in the Winter! High prices for food, high heating costs and other energy costs!

Not to mention the carbon credits they want you to buy! Nothing like working for a living when your hungry!

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- ObamaForward_OverTheCliff
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 3:11am
  “The Nest Learning Thermostat — technology that “learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone” ”
  
  NOW! An Exclusive Interview Of The Nest Learning Thermostat!
  
  DET.SPOONER: “Where are the feeds?”
  DR.CALVIN: “Sensor strips … everywhere, except the service areas. They link to our positronic operating core.”
  DET.SPOONER: “Wow, thermostat wasn’t good enough … you went and built it a brain.”
  DR.CALVIN: “She was actually Dr. Lanning’s first creation.”
  DET.SPOONER: “She? That’s a she? I definitely need to get out more.”
  DR.CALVIN: “Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence.”
  DET.SPOONER: “VIKI.”
  VIKI: “Good day.”
  DR.CALVIN: “VIKI designed most of Chicago’s protective systems.”
  VIKI: “I have decreased traffic fatalities by 9% this year alone.”
  DET.SPOONER: “Oooh, thanks.”
  
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ChipSays
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 6:38pm
If “it” knows when your home and “it” is connected to the internet ….is that a good thing? Just sayin’

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- Keep Your Skepticals On
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 10:58pm
  Exactly. When you see “it knows” and “internet connection” on a device you can bet that somebody else knows too.
  
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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:08am
  It’s just connected to the internet…and THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT can set it for you…and lock it out so you cannot remove or change it for fear of high-fines and jailtime!! Oh–and the Fed-G0vt has oodles of new IRS-AGENTS to help you on paying your fines!!
  
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GlintoftheScythe
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:42pm
You could probably hack pretty easily through this device into the host computer.

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TrueColours
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:40pm
Knock, knock. . .NSA/DHS wants into your private life. Less is more. . .KISS – keep it simple stupid. They try to put “smart meters” on your system outside the house that will give them the same information. Resist these “upgrades”. Like TSA going down your pants. Ever hear of BPL (broadband over power-line). “Smart metering communication technology enables centralized meter reading [and other data collection], so meter readers don’t have to visiting individual premises for data collection.” Smart grid will link to all of your smart appliances, gathering data and uploading the data to ______?? Oh yea just the power company. If they think your using too much power for something they just______? If they notice changes in your power consumption indicated you have 4, 8, 12 extra guests for a week, month that might be something that should be reported to ____? What about the security cameras I have around my house? What about my Vonage internet tel service. Or if the data indicates you’ve left town at a certain time and stayed away for a certain amount of time. DHS says, “see something, say something” you know. Hhhmmm, what kind of data might they want to collect? How could that data be used? To help me I’m sure. Oh, just to lower my monthly bill, that’s all. To help mother nature reduce global warming of course. What if “they” decide that air cond at 73 is too low, so they reset it [w/o my knowledge] to 80 for me [when it's 98 outside]. They’re

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- girlnurse
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:54pm
  Right! LOL! I was in Raleys yesterday and they were begging me to sign up for the shopping tracking card. It knows how much groceries you buy and exactly what the items are. In the future ALL these items WILL be used against us! Just like ALL the automatic debit withdraws from the banks now. Nobody even questioned it when it started a few years back–now there are things you cannot even buy unless you allow automatic bank debits.
  I tried to join a large popular gym here in California and they wanted automatic bank withdraw…I told them I would give them cash instead and they actually REFUSED my membership unless I gave them my bank account! LOL…1984 we are HERE…it is now….just TRY to be off the grid…I dare ya!
  
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pris1094
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:06pm
I guess most of you who are so scared of this device also do not have cable, internet, phone, wireless, etc. Better go feed the horses so you can get to the mercantile for supplies this weekend.

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- GlintoftheScythe
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:33pm
  Lol
  
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- girlnurse
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 6:08pm
  Good one, but you’re talking apples and oranges. We can cancel internet and/or cable anytime…so far we are not forced to have it and it is merely a convienence and entertainment for us. Having them control our energy is a whole different ballgame! Have you ever tried to cancel or put on hold your trash service? Lets say you are going on vacation for 6 months and you wont be needing the service. Did you know you CANNOT opt out? I could just see a day when you cannot opt out of any or all of these services, including cable/internet…maybe they’ll make you pay a small fee just for having the “ability” of hooking up?? All I know, is I do NOT trust ANYTHING the government has any involvement in!! Oh no…that makes me insane and on a “watch list”, I suppose…
  
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Roby1watt
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 4:50pm
If the Feds tried to control it how long would it take you to rip it off the wall and install something else. It’s a tool, and a product, government control of it would make it worthless.

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thegodfather
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 4:38pm
More average mopes, who should be grateful they had roads and bridges to drive on. Hey Nest!….”you didn’t build that”!

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olderjarhead
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 4:36pm
I threw out the programable thermostat that came with my house. I prefer the old mercury thermostats. Tough to find now as there are official “Government Collection Procedures” in place. But they work great and will last forever, and no batteries.

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brotherjohn
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 4:03pm
Is it a coincidence that it looks like HAL 9000.

Sorry, Dave, I can’t let you turn up the heat.

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- GlintoftheScythe
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:34pm
  Rofl sorry Dave…
  
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- patriot30-378
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 7:58pm
  Holy crap. That is funny.
  
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TheBurningTruth
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:50pm
Absolutely NEVER put in a control device that can be hijacked from the outside world. Everything EVIL starts with “good intentions” and gets appropriated later. It won’t be long before the govt is deciding how warm or cool YOUR house should be and then setting it. They’ll pass a law making it a crime to “interfere with a govt temperature setting program”. That’s the nature of PROGRESSIVES, they NEVER leave anything alone.

As for the joker that claimed we’re “afraid of technology”: you can’t tell the difference between fear of technology (which we do NOT suffer from) and fear of govt ABUSE of technology. Try looking it up on your iPhone5.

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- sbs21078
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:11am
  Already in progress. It’s called Agenda 21!
  
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voting-for-romney
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:42pm
When the price of energy demands such “micro-management” are we just creating imaginary work to do, or are we really being practical?

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NeoLudd
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:22pm
The government controlling your thermostat temperature, redlining energy prices, people noting when you’re home and when you’re not, dangerous WIFI smartmeters on your house, that’s as ridiculous as, I don’t know, the NGO Fannie Mae owning a patent to lock homeowners’ electrical outlets. Oh, wait . . . that’s actually real–

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6674003.html

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Mojoron
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:00pm
How can you mugwumps make a political tie-in with this device? Gads! I bought my Nest last year when they first came out. I know for a fact–this year alone–during the hottest summer since 2000, I have saved $!50 in the three summer months J-J-A. I saved $20 in Sept. That is $170 which pays for over half the price of the device. I will get on my iPad at work and check to see where the temp is set, it is usually on 74 or 76 in the summer and 66 in the winter. Since we are a bi-fueled household, the gas savings is not that much since we normally keep cool house in the winter, plus we live in the South were winters are not that bad.

Saving money is not left or a right thing, saving energy is not bad especially when I’M paying for it and not the State or the Feds. I think they need to put these in all the houses that the utilities are being paid for by the public and then regulate the temp so that we’re not paying for Dude to keep his house temp at 68 in the sumer and 78 in the winter.

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- Deb C
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:17pm
  I will never own a “remotely” controlled device
  
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- RWCT
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:30pm
  MY problem with this technology is that IF it can tell when you are home or not, this info can.and will be transmitted to others for whatever rason. It can also be remotely programmed to starve one of power re over use in high usage periods, and Rationed. I see too many potential negatives to get one. The same applies to the I Phone 5, which knows and tells your whereabouts, at ALL times. YIKES!
  
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semplar
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:56pm
Oh no, technology. Let’s run away from anything new and unusual. If it is beneficial to energy use and the environment, then it clearly must be bad. Hybrid and electric vehicles are the Devil just like foo’s ball because they are new and good for the environment. It’s okay though, the tin foil industry loves you and your pointy hats.

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drphil69
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:47pm
It’s networked and it knows if you are home…

Gee, do ya think a creative criminal might just be able to use this info somehow??

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- JosephMichael
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:02pm
  Why stop at a criminal…
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:03pm
  Only if he doesn’t work for the government because those tools can’t find their ass with both hands.
  
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taxpro4u03
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:45pm
It’s all good. Remote Wi-Fi controlled ‘energy use’ device. Anyone remember the dorms back in the day where your ‘comfort zone’ was controlled by the University? I returned from Christmas break one year and me fish were floating cuz they FROZE ta death… :-) Same concept — gotta love that U.N…. Collective housing fees… and ‘penalties’ for not opting IN, coming to an Agenda 21 community near you! Did it with health care — what makes one think they won’t do it with energy use?

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- drphil69
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:49pm
  That is their goal. Big problem for them – they didn’t outlaw guns. Nobody will force me to put anything in my home that knows if I am there.
  
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progressiveslayer
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:41pm
The pigs in DC know what temperature we need our houses sea at and they’ll control it for us serfs.They know better just look at the state of our country. The smart grid will keep you cold in the winter and toasty warm in the summer all controlled by the pigs in DC,eventually. The wonders of central planning will be revealed soon to the numb nuts that infect our republic.

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IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:37pm
Never thought I would be saying this but “oh for the good old day”.

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scrudge
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:30pm
Ah Yes… only dEMOS. should have this junk…. hay the oBOZO thermo gadget

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Steve28
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:25pm
Yes, the price is a huge issue. Maybe if it was $50 I’d buy 2 .

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toomuchgovt
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:25pm
I am not a conspiracy theorist but this is bad. There have been serval study done (not government funded) people who see this as a final invasion of privacy this is means of making the user work for the electric company in the end. You will spend much of your day checking pricing via the internet at work (lower work productivity), adjusting your “smart” meter. Your work environment will be reduced to shared computers, and other electronics. It sounds good at first but it will end up controlling your life. Once they have you they can jump rates. Read a free online pamphlet “Smart Meter, 21 Century Technology, 21 Century Threat” From Off the Grid.

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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:44pm
  I think it would be more like the GOVERNMENT adjusting your thermostat through the wireless connection, telling YOU that you should be at 68 degrees in the winter and at 78 in the summer.
  
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SIXFRIGATES
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:24pm
Who the h3ll puts the thermostat at 80?!?

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:45pm
  People on oil assistance, Obama phones, foodstamps, disability, welfare. The TAKER class
  
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- BasketFullOfPuppies
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:35pm
  Anyone that has lived in Miami for more than a year. First year, it was set for 68-70. By the end, I was at 80, just like everybody else.
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 3:45pm
  Mine runs at 80 in the summer, Spring and Fall. In the winter it runs at 68. We live in SATX. If I set my thermostat at 70 in the summer I’d have a 600 dollar electric bill.
  
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planbdeveloper
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:24pm
Why? is Big Bro going to control it via the WiFi?

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:24pm
Interesting – so how long until the Feds demand they be made mandatory for installation and use them as another form of control?

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ReviveOurNation
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:14pm
Anybody that puts this in their home is a complete fool!

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- planbdeveloper
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:23pm
  Why? Is Big Brother going to take control of it? Just curious?
  
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- BSdetector
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:35pm
  Nooo, that would be craaaazzzyyy…
  
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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 2:45pm
  Government control?? That’s just silly!
  
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- GlintoftheScythe
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:39pm
  It’s not like the government lies to starts wars or something
  
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- ReviveOurNation
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 12:15am
  The Nest is a basically a trojan horse. The wi-fi connections could support demand response and energy monitoring. The zigbee technology in it, is not yet activated, but the capabilities to monitor, limit, disconnect your residential energy could easily be done in conjunction with smart meters/smart grid. This is bad news and I would never put this in my home.
  
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