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MacDav

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2004
1,031
0
Nice Thermostat but...

I live in So. California. So in winter I set the temp to 70 and leave it. From March to July don't use the system at all. It naturally stays between 70 and 80. July through Sept. set it to 80 and leave it. While it would be nice to have on the wall, I don't see how it would benefit me at a price of $250.00 :rolleyes:
 

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
Great for you. But most of us live in more typical housing and thus need a thermostat of one kind or another.

We already have a programmable thermostat, but still thinking about getting the Nest. Being able to control it from afar would be great. I can think of many times we come home late from work, and the heat has kicked on at its normal time. This way we wouldn't be heating/cooling the house just for the pets if we end up getting home later than expected...

So you think pets don't deserve to also be in a nice warm or cool home? If I was like you and only cooled my place while I was in it I'd never have an indoor pet. Because the pet would be hot while I am away if it was inside because I only cared enough to cool the place while I am there.

But I am not like that. I care for animals.
 

sweetbrat

macrumors 65816
Jun 17, 2009
1,443
1
Redford, MI
So you think pets don't deserve to also be in a nice warm or cool home? If I was like you and only cooled my place while I was in it I'd never have an indoor pet. Because the pet would be hot while I am away if it was inside because I only cared enough to cool the place while I am there.

But I am not like that. I care for animals.

Whoa whoa whoa...what right do you have to say I don't care for my pets? I have three cats and a dog, and I love them all. I take them to the vet, give them love and attention, keep them safely in the house or yard so they don't get injured. And my home is never at a temperature that would cause them harm. It's not like the temperature in the house goes up to 100 degrees or down to freezing when I'm away from the house.

Do you honestly think the pets care if kept right at 72 degrees? If you keep your house heated or cooled to the temperatures you prefer because you think it matters to your pets, you're wasting some serious money on your heating and cooling bills. That's fine for you, but not for me. The house can be 50 degrees and the pets are fine. The house can be 85 degrees and they're fine. In the summer, they have a nice cool basement to go into if they're too hot. In the winter, there's a sunroom that's always warmer than the rest of the house if they're too cold. And don't forget...they have fur to keep them warm. The point in my previous statement was that the animals aren't going to be bothered by the usual fluctuations in temperature throughout the day.

In the future, you really should try to avoid making assumptions about people when you have no idea what you're talking about.
 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G3
Oct 1, 2005
9,778
2,026
Colorado Springs, CO
Then I stand corrected.

But if geofencing uses triangulation (thus, not taking advantage of the newer GPS chips), why doesn't the 3GS have this capability?
I'm not sure why the 3GS doesn't have geofencing (I thought it did) but that's the basics of it. I can say that it's pretty accurate though as it immediately goes off as soon as I get to or leave work/home (my most frequently geofenced places). It may even use wifi hotspots as well (I wouldn't be surprised) and I'm fairly certain that if none of those are available it uses GPS.
 

Howardchief

macrumors regular
Jun 9, 2008
138
0
(I have no idea.)

...But that's an interesting thought. However, that could really hurt the iPhone's battery life. GPS uses a lot of juice.

I keep location services on anyway. Hopefully new battery tech is on the horizon so we can stop using that as a reason to stop innovation :)

I'm telling you though, I would use this feature if they include in the future! :D

It would be so neat. Let's say I pass the same point on the road every day in my car on the way back to my home. (I do!) My phone recognizes where I am, sends a signal to the house to kick on the AC to give it some lead time! I don't mean to sound super lazy here (although I am) but this idea across the board would be awesome. Then I pull into my driveway, the lights turn on (I'm sure this already exists) using the same app system. *Smart House*
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
More than you realize. I actually still install the old mercury thermostats from time to time for elderly people simply because that is what they are used to. Hardest thing to do on them is set the heat anticipator, and that's not hard at all. I would say 3 out of every 10 houses I get a call on still have those thermostats.

Apparently. I'd expect any furnace system installed in the last 30 years to have a digital thermostat, if a simple one, and since furnace systems don't last much longer than 30 years that the old mechanical types would be far more scarce. I've actually got one of those on the wall in my house but it's no longer in service. Anyhow the bottom line is, installing a Nest to replace another digital thermostat should not require running another line to the furnace. Isn't that right?
 

appleaddictx

macrumors member
May 7, 2012
32
0
Ease of use?

THey say this device has more ease of use then other "smart" thermostats. Whay can't we just turn a little handle and remind ourselves to turn it off when we don't need it. To me, it just seems like you would save more electric bill money ny just using a dumb thermostat,
 

mlenger

macrumors regular
Oct 11, 2007
232
81
Southern California
International Availability

Anyone in the UK use one? We don't have AC here, and in London I only run my heating October to April.

However our 24 hour timer is hopeless at managing our routine (odd hours, school holidays, babysitters etc) so something more intelligent like a Nest might help. Only if it saves money though.

I own one and love it. Got it late last year just when they came out. My folks live in Switzerland ( I am in Southern California) and I wanted to give them a Nest for x-mas. So I called Nest to ask about international use. They have no plans for that as it seems a voltage and certification issue. Here in the US the thermostats run on 24 V DC. I would imagine it would not be a big deal to run a Nest of a separate 24 V Powersupply and have it turn on the heater or compressor if you have a AC. I know it can control a heat pump. My take is it should be relatively simple to run it in different countries, but you need to look at the control requirements closely. Wiki the specs for a heating system controller and match it up with yours.
As pointed out by other posters, the Nest is " Insanley great"
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,537
1,646
Redondo Beach, California
Neat idea but it does not do anything new. Nothing one can't do with a manual thermostat and a pencil.

What I'd like to see are a set of cheap temperature sensors that you can stick all over the house is as many rooms as you like. Then there is one on/off switch that can be remotely controlled that controls the heater and AC.

Then the software in the iPhone of computer reads the set of sensors. At night it reads seniors from the bedrooms and in the day some other subset of the sensors. then controls the temperature in the rooms that matter.

One could go farther and have IR sensors that detect people and help the software know which sensors are important. Control room lights too.

in short that thing does not take advantage of what could be done when you have a central computer and it is not part of a larger system. It is just a remote control.
 

sweetbrat

macrumors 65816
Jun 17, 2009
1,443
1
Redford, MI
Neat idea but it does not do anything new. Nothing one can't do with a manual thermostat and a pencil.

What I'd like to see are a set of cheap temperature sensors that you can stick all over the house is as many rooms as you like. Then there is one on/off switch that can be remotely controlled that controls the heater and AC.

Then the software in the iPhone of computer reads the set of sensors. At night it reads seniors from the bedrooms and in the day some other subset of the sensors. then controls the temperature in the rooms that matter.

One could go farther and have IR sensors that detect people and help the software know which sensors are important. Control room lights too.

in short that thing does not take advantage of what could be done when you have a central computer and it is not part of a larger system. It is just a remote control.

A manual thermostat and piece of paper don't let you control the temperature when you're away from home (working late, etc.) The Nest is much more than that. Also, for the setup you want I think you'd have to have a zoned heating system. You're never going to be able to get the temperature you want in several different rooms when they're all attached to the same thermostat. There would have to be a physical way to turn off the airflow in certain rooms, which means changes would have to be made to ductwork and vents. It's not as simple as just having sensors and a thermostat.
 

chairguru22

macrumors 6502a
May 31, 2006
661
154
PA
I just got a house so this is something cool to add to the list. I've got A LOT of other things to get first though so this may be in a year or two.
 

Daremo

macrumors 68020
Jul 3, 2007
2,176
307
Chicago
I own one, and absolutely love it. If I move, it will go with me. We have someone who lives in an upstairs apartment, and the entire house is controlled by the one thermostat. The ability to adjust the temperature when we're away by using the iOS app is amazing. Not, the tenant sends a text, and I can adjust instantly. The design and build quality is top notch. Even when you unbox the Nest, you see the Apple influence in the packaging. Sure, you can buy a cheap programmable thermostat for $40 to $50, but this is better on the savings in the long run. And to be honest, being a fan of beautiful industrial design, and Apple products, I couldn't resist checking it out. I never thought I'd be this happy with something as forgettable as a thermostat, but it's fantastic.

The motion sensors that detect if you're home, and the fact it lights up with you get close to it, or walk past it is great. I was constantly turning on the dining room light, to read the temperature on the old one, this requires just a glance now. They are on display to try at Lowes if you can get to one.
 

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diamond.g

macrumors G4
Mar 20, 2007
11,041
2,395
OBX
I am liking the energy reports (daily, haven't gotten the monthly yet) it is nice to see how long the A/C is running for total. It also allows you to see when the A/C ran and for how long.
 

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
In the future, you really should try to avoid making assumptions about people when you have no idea what you're talking about.
And in the future you should take more care in what you say so people know exactly what you mean. If what you say is not what you mean, that's not our fault.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
This is what my fancy building (constructed in 2003) has for a thermostat. It looks like it is from the 1970s!

I can't see any way that I can use a smart thermostat in my place, and I've been eyeing Nest and others for a while. Le sigh...
 

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sweetbrat

macrumors 65816
Jun 17, 2009
1,443
1
Redford, MI
And in the future you should take more care in what you say so people know exactly what you mean. If what you say is not what you mean, that's not our fault.

Are you serious? What I said is what I meant. I don't heat or cool the house specifically for my pets. If I'm away from the house, I set the thermostat much differently than when I'm there. You're the only one that seems to have jumped to the ridiculous conclusion that I must not care for my pets.

If the air conditioning didn't run at all during the day, I really wouldn't be worried about the pets. There's tons of people in this world that don't have air conditioning but do have pets. And they're fine. There's lots of cats that live outdoors year round, and they're fine. If you choose to heat and cool your home according to what you think your pets want, go for it. My pets really have no influence on how I set the temperature of the house. That doesn't mean I don't care for them, and I find it offensive that you would make that assumption.
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
I am a HVAC service technician, and personally I believe selling these thermostats or any thermostat to the general public is a bad idea. I couldn't tell you the amount of calls I have ran where someone has purchased a new thermostat, attempted to install it themselves, and fried other components in their system during the process. I've installed a few of these, and they are nice. My advice to anyone who is getting one is to make absolutely sure it is compatible with your current system first. Second, if your not 100% sure how to install one without any problems, call a qualified technician. Those letters that the thermostat wire hooks up to (R,Y,G,O,B,C,W...) don't represent colors. Although the voltage in those wires is only 24v, that is what your entire systems control voltage is, and the cost of repairs to a improperly installed thermostat can be extremely expensive.
Not all technicians are great, either. I was left with products that didn't actually work together and guys that wouldn't return calls. I finally had to do mine myself to get it running properly. Learned a lot about HVAC that week. Been perfect for over 10 years, now. Which reminds me...
Yup. The device's warranty is five years, thus $50 per year. That means it really needs to save you $4.17 a month in the first year. If it can do that, it's worth it, simply because energy costs rise continuously.
If a thermostat you like doesn't last in measures of decades, not years, you did something wrong.
 

Zaqfalcon

macrumors 6502
Mar 22, 2010
361
138
Really? Who cares about the timing of the heating in their home enough to buy this?

Sure it might be handy the once in a blue moon I forget to turn off the heating when I've already left the house to go on holiday, but $250 worth?

$30 maybe and even then I'd only consider buying it because I'm already sailing down the motorway with the cases in the boot and a dim and distant memory is sparked in my mind upon the realisation that my TV will have a warm and comfy fortnight.

In fact I'm surprised I care enough to write this post. Someone please enlighten me why I should pay any regard to this product.
 

jbzoom

macrumors newbie
Sep 30, 2010
18
0
Mumbai, India
Apple helping Nest fight Honeywell?

Presumably Apple is aiming to help Nest resist Honeywell's dubious anti-competitive lawsuit.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/12/2942861/nest-answers-patent-lawsuit-honeywell-troll

Here's the full list of Honeywell's patents Nest thinks are invalid or irrelevant, and why:

#7,584,899, which covers a rotating ring around a central display. Nest says this was "implemented years earlier by engineers at Volkswagen," who filed for a European patent.
#6,975,958, which covers controlling a thermostat through the internet. Nest says this was already covered by now-expired patent #4,657,179, which Honeywell first filed for in 1984 — a patent it did not disclose to the Patent Office.
#7,476,988, which covers "power-stealing" to charge the thermostat's battery from the control wires. Nest says Honeywell already patented the idea ten years prior in patent #5,736,795 — and once again didn't tell the Patent Office.
#7,159,790, which covers a rotating selector with an offset rotation axis. You guessed it: Nest says Honeywell filed for exactly the same thing nearly 20 years prior, resulting in patent #4,405,080, a patent Honeywell didn't disclose to the Patent Office.
#7,634,504, which is Honeywell's wild patent for using natural language prompts to program a thermostat. Nest says this is a retread of patent #5,065,813, which was filed 15 years earlier and not shown to the PTO by Honeywell.
#7,142,948, which covers displaying the time it'll take to reach a certain temperature. Nest says that was already covered by patent #6,286,764 and #5,767,488 — patents that were again not disclosed to the PTO.
#7,159,789, which covers a thermostat with a rotatable selector dial partially hidden behind a non-moving cover. At this point you should be ready for this: Nest claims this was already covered by patent #5,224,649, which Honeywell did not disclose to the PTO.
 

dacreativeguy

macrumors 68020
Jan 27, 2007
2,032
223
Is it just me, or is this actually kind of a big deal? Selling a third party product that has an Apple design ethic that stretches out of consumer electronics into home lifestyle seems to be a step into another area that Apple hasn't been in before.

Lots of changes at apple since Steve died. Tim cook seems to be more of a businessman and doesn't run things by emotion and ego.
 

earthwormjim

macrumors newbie
May 26, 2012
5
0
This is what my fancy building (constructed in 2003) has for a thermostat. It looks like it is from the 1970s!

I can't see any way that I can use a smart thermostat in my place, and I've been eyeing Nest and others for a while. Le sigh...
What makes you think you can't use a smart thermostat? Your actual thermostat wires are on the back side, Do you see the letters B,G,R,Y,W, & O? That is where you are connected to. Judging by just your thermostat, I'm going to say you have a single stage heat pump, most likely using R-22. If thats the case, I can make any smart thermostat work with your system.
 

Ca$hflow

macrumors 6502
Jan 7, 2010
447
67
London, ON
As cool as the product sounds, I don't think it would work for me and my situation. I live alone in a two story townhouse. I can be upstairs for hours and never pass by the thermostat downstairs. Am I wrong in this?

You can turn auto away feature off. Auto away is only turned on if your thermostat is in a high traffic area like a hallway or living room. It will still learn without the auto away feature.
 
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