After twisting its way into the cooling and heating of nerd homes, the Nest has slimmed down, metaled up and received an upgraded brain.
On Tuesday, Nest Labs introduced the second-generation Nest home thermostat. The new gadget is 20 percent slimmer and sports a shiny, single-piece stainless-steel ring that reflects the colors of whatever room its in, which means Nest sort of automatically matches your decor.
The put-it-anywhere hockey puck of comfort is now compatible with 95 percent of 24-volt low-voltage heating and cooling systems, according to Nest Labs. The expanded compatibility is made possible by an additional Y2 connection and a sort of wildcard connection. The Y2 adds second-stage cooling, while the Nest "star" wildcard connection works with items like emergency heat for heat pumps, humidifiers, 3rd-stage heating, and dehumidifiers.
There's also a software update that Nest Labs says will make the thermostat even more efficient. The update, which will work with both new and existing Nest devices, will expand support for energy-efficient systems. It also boasts an updated auto-away feature that can tell in as little as 30 minutes that a family has left the home, at which point the Nest will set the temperature to a more energy-efficient level. Current Nest owners can expect the software update Tuesday night.
The second-generation Nest will be available in mid-October and cost $250. The original Nest will remain on shelves and will sell for $230.
