Tony Fadell, the “Father of the iPod” and CEO of Nest Labs Inc., adds another feather on his cap as his company launches a follow-up gadget to its Nest smart thermostat.
The Nest Protect is the world’s first “smart smoke detector”, aiming to solve the usual problems associated with current home smoke detectors. For one, it gives off an early warning wherein the device lights up yellow and speaks with a human voice before letting out a loud, howling alarm. This mechanism avoid false alarms, wherein homeowners can simply wave their arm while standing underneath the Protect to stop it from talking.
Apart from sensing smoke, the Nest Protect is also a carbon monoxide detector, which is now a requirement in 39 states in the US. If you have the Nest thermostat, you can sync with it as well. When the Protect’s carbon monoxide alarm goes off, the Nest also turns off the gas furnace as a safety precaution, as it is a possible source of CO leaks.
This smart smoke detector works with the iPhone and iPad through its complementary app, which constantly monitors the Nest Protect’s battery level and sensor’s status in case you are away, as well as receive messages if the smoke or carbon monoxide alarm goes off. You can also use the app to turn on the smoke detector’s Pathlight feature, which would automatically turn on its own light whenever you walk out of bed in the middle of the night. The app even has a What To Do feature that notifies an emergency contact in case something goes wrong.
The Nest Protect even tells you it is working fine whenever you turn off the lights. The Nightly Promise feature enables the Protect to flash a quick green glow, telling the owner its batteries and sensors are working. In case there is an issue, the light ring would glow yellow instead. Simply wave at the device and it will tell you what is wrong.
Nest Protect is now available for pre-order for $129. It comes with your choice of black or white, wired (120-volt) or battery powered.
Source: ZDNet
