So Nest has finally launched in the UK (https://nest.com/uk/thermostat/why-we-made-it/) Does anyone have any thoughts on whether it does anything new? It just looks like a regular thermostat with optimum/smart start and a smartphone interface. Nothing new there, but stinking expensive at getting close to 200 quid.

On 23/04/2014 08:38, Jon Connell wrote:
So Nest has finally launched in the UK (https://nest.com/uk/thermostat/why-we-made-it/) Does anyone have any thoughts on whether it does anything new? It just looks like a regular thermostat with optimum/smart start and a smartphone interface. Nothing new there, but stinking expensive at getting close to 200 quid.


Looks pretty good - a kind of evolved version of the Heatmiser wifi
thermostat I have. The 'new' bits look to be in software - 'learning'
and some sort of live costing arrangements. Whether any of that works . . .

I'm not sure how the wifi (app control) part works, though. They refer
to 'setting up an account'. I had to subscribe to a fixed IP service to
get mine to work. It's also an odd 'worst of all worlds' connection
arrangement - it has to have wireless *and* a mains feed. And they're
really pushing the £70 installation charge. At £180 for the unit, it's
not that bad - about £50 more than the Heatmiser.

Whether what it brings is actually worthwhile is, of course, up to you.
I use it all the time. When I'm cold, that is.

--
Cheers, Rob

"Jon Connell" wrote in message
...
So Nest has finally launched in the UK
(https://nest.com/uk/thermostat/why-we-made-it/) Does anyone have any
thoughts on whether it does anything new? It just looks like a regular
thermostat with optimum/smart start and a smartphone interface. Nothing
new there, but stinking expensive at getting close to 200 quid.

But according to the newspapers it can save you 33% on your heating bills.

Frankly, if it does achieve this sort of saving you were being flipping lazy
with your choice of settings in the first pace and you could make much of
the saving by making sure that your timer is seat appropriately in the first
place.

And I don't understand how it "connects" to the outside world for remote
control. Does it rely upon connecting to your wireless BB, or something
else? I can't see anything in any of the sale blurb that having wireless BB
is a pre-requisite. It can't be assumed that everybody has this (I don't)

tim

On 23/04/14 12:11, tim..... wrote:

And I don't understand how it "connects" to the outside world for remote
control. Does it rely upon connecting to your wireless BB, or something
else? I can't see anything in any of the sale blurb that having
wireless BB is a pre-requisite. It can't be assumed that everybody has
this (I don't)

tim

AFAICS it uses WIFI

On Wednesday, April 23, 2014 12:23:42 PM UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
On 23/04/14 12:11, tim..... wrote:



And I don't understand how it "connects" to the outside world for remote

control. Does it rely upon connecting to your wireless BB, or something

else? I can't see anything in any of the sale blurb that having

wireless BB is a pre-requisite. It can't be assumed that everybody has

this (I don't)



tim



AFAICS it uses WIFI


Ay but is it female proof ?

If it get too warm throw open the windows.

If it gets too cool turn the thermostat up to max.

Attempt to make fine adjustments and leave time for revised setting to stabilise ? You must e joking

On 23/04/2014 08:38, Jon Connell wrote:
So Nest has finally launched in the UK (https://nest.com/uk/thermostat/why-we-made-it/) Does anyone have any thoughts on whether it does anything new? It just looks like a regular thermostat with optimum/smart start and a smartphone interface. Nothing new there, but stinking expensive at getting close to 200 quid.

From my (admittedly brief) look at it, I could see three problems:
First, it doesn't control the hot water, which is fine if you have a
combi boiler, but requires somethign separate if you have a stored DHW
system.
The second is the main feature, ie that it 'learns' and decides what you
need, when you'll be home, etc. After years of experience of battling
with the likes of microsoft office etc, I can't bring myself to imagine
that anything useful can be had from letting someone else's software
decide what I need.
Finally, it appears to require some interaction with their servers via
your wifi/BB. That seems to be a vulnerability as who can tell whether
they will be there in five years time to provide this link. Assuming
they are around, however, this provides the manufacturers with the
opportunity to make your unit obselete whenever they decide to 'upgrade'
the system.

Of course, aspects of this seem to apply to most of the new generation
of thermostats and may come with the territory.

On Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:38:33 -0700 (PDT), Jon Connell
wrote:

So Nest has finally launched in the UK (https://nest.com/uk/thermostat/why-we-made-it/) Does anyone have any thoughts on whether it does anything new? It just looks like a regular thermostat with optimum/smart start and a smartphone interface. Nothing new there, but stinking expensive at getting close to 200 quid.

Nest have some influential business partners. Look what happened to my
Google page since I visited your link:

https://flic.kr/p/njYZb9



--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Graham. wrote:

Look what happened to my Google page since I visited your link:
https://flic.kr/p/njYZb9

If you'll send me a pair of 500 dpi eyeballs in the post, I might be be
to read it ...

On Thursday, 24 April 2014 19:20:05 UTC+1, Graham. wrote:
Nest have some influential business partners. Look what happened to my

Google page since I visited your link:

https://flic.kr/p/njYZb9

Google bought Nest in January for an incredible 3.2 billion dollars.