nest learning thermostat

Nest 2.0: Slimmer, sleeker thermostat smarter than ever

When the "Father of the iPod" Tony Fadell unveiled Nest, the "learning thermostat" last fall, it was likely the first time anyone had ever thought of a thermostat as sexy.

Now, less than a year after the first version of the product arrived, bringing Apple style design and user interfaces to what had traditionally been one of the most staid home appliances, Fadell's Palo Alto, Calif.-based company today announced Nest 2.0, a slimmer version of the thermostat that was built to work in more homes and brings new flexibility and features to the … Read more

Nest Learning Thermostat lands on Amazon

You can now add Amazon to your list of shopping choices for Nest's thermostat/gadget.

Initially only available through home installers, the $249 climate control device has started appearing at retailers such as Lowes and Apple. It can also be purchased through Nest's online store.

CNET Editor-in-Chief/Nest reviewer Lindsey Turrentine gave it an enthusiastic five-star review, as do 30 of the 50 customer reviews on Amazon. Price seems to be the main sticking point for the less positive reviews.

(Via The Verge)

Apple now selling Nest Learning Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat has found a new home with the folks at Apple.

The company better known for iPhones and iPads is now selling the high-tech thermostat in its online store for $249.95. But the Nest is unlike conventional thermostats.

As befits the term "learning," the Nest can learn and remember your preferred temperatures to automatically keep things cool or warm. It turns itself off when your house is empty. And it taps into the power of remote control, letting you change the temperature from anywhere via your iPhone, iPad, Android device, or Mac.

This is … Read more

Friday Poll: What's the best gadget of 2011?

It's end-of-the-year roundup time, when we marshal the power of hindsight and judge all of the tech products that came out in 2011. There were some obvious groaners (hello, HP Veer), but plenty of winners, too.

This is a whopper of a poll. The choices are all culled from the hardware that made CNET's list of the top tech of the year.

There is some stiff competition here. The iPad 2 has been cooking up millions of sales, but Amazon's Kindle Fire has muscled onto the scene in a big way.

The iPhone 4S landed on both the winners and disappointments lists. Will that stop if from coming out tops in the poll? … Read more

Netflix feeling the pain

The father of the iPod creates a cool home thermostat, the Obama campaign joins Tumblr, and Netflix reports its first drop in customers in nearly two years--and it's a doozy.

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded: