If you read about smart home technology and home automation systems, you have likely heard of Nest. But what is Nest and what does it do in the realm of home automation? Nest Labs is the creator of a home automation thermostat, smoke alarm, and security camera. Its first product was the thermostat in 2011 and since then it has wriggled its way into 75% of home automation conversations. At this point, you may be wondering what is the big deal with Nest if it only creates three seemingly unrelated products. However, Nest products are unlike any other.
Let’s start with their most popular product, the Thermostat. Not only is the thermostat easy to install, but it actually learns your habits and adapts in order to provide you the best experience. After you teach it efficient temperatures for a few days, the thermostat will set them on its own within a week. When you’re away from home, the Auto-Away feature automatically turns to an energy-efficient temperature.
The Nest Cam camera offers secure 1080p HD streaming, Night Vision, activity alerts, an app that integrates with your other Nest products, and more. It’s designed to let you monitor your home from wherever you are.
The Nest Protect is a smart smoke detector and the first ever you can turn off from your phone. It can alert your phone, specifically tell you what’s wrong (smoke, burned food, or carbon monoxide, for example), and lasts up to a decade. With an actual voice, it tells you where the smoke is detected and it even tests itself regularly so you never have to worry about it not working when you need it to.
While these products may not seem similar, they all work together to enhance your home and living experience. They also work together through a Nest app. Nest is so great that other companies creating smart technology and appliances are looking to integrate with Nest. Look for the feature “Works with Nest” and you can know that your home automation system can securely interact with your other Nest devices. Think of it like a universal remote. You can control a number of devices together. Even top brands are working to integrate with Nest, including Whirlpool washer and dryers, Mercedes-Benz, Hue lights, and Big Ass Fans.
And this will only expand to include more over the years. Currently, Nest is working with Google to connect even more products. Just imagine a home where you can control your lights, laundry, fans, A/C, sprinkler system, smoke detector, and more all from a few easy-to-use devices. It may seem like the distant future, but the future is already here.
Photo by: Global Panorama
