In an increasingly more eco-conscious world, plenty of home gadgets are designed to help you save energy, money, and lower your carbon footprint. Although the smart thermostat world was previously dominated by the likes of Nest, Honeywell’s not letting it take all the limelight. The company is introducing its own line of Wi-Fi Smart Thermostats, packed with a chameleon-like ability to blend into your wall or act as an accent piece.
The Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat features remote control over Wi-Fi, allowing home owners to adjust room temperatures from their smartphones. The Honeywell proprietary app, available on both Android and iOS, lets you schedule desired temperatures based on how often someone is home, when the first person in the house wakes up and goes to bed. This way, the temperature is always where you want it, when you want it.
“The app allows flexibility on the fly,” Honeywell public relations manager Tammy Swanson says. “So say you planned to be home after work but have an unexpected meeting afterward – you can override your program so that you’re saving energy if your plans change.” In addition to in-home temperature, the thermostat can report current weather, humidity level, and the week’s forecast based on your zip code. You can also store multiple thermostats and their settings in the app.
With its Smart Response mode, the device also “learns” the temperature cycles so it knows how to calculate the time it takes to heat or cool each room. These are all features its sole competitor has as well, just without the color customization mode. While the Nest boasts a universally appealing design, Honeywell’s approach focuses on the individual. Say you’re moving into a home and decide to paint one wall a certain color; The Honeywell Smart Thermostat can be adjusted to match or accent that wall color, and change if you decide to repaint. The thermostat can accommodate nearly every shade available on the color wheel, and users can select desired font color that best fit their readability.
In addition to remote control and color customization functionalities, the Smart Thermostat can also send alerts for unusual temperature changes or reminders to change filters. These notifications can also be redirected to friends, family members, house sitters, or neighbors in case you go away for an extended period of time. But no worries – not just anyone can change your home thermostat. You have the option of screen locking the device so the kids can’t mess up the setting on this candy-colored machine.
The Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat is the company’s top of the line device, but for those with larger homes, Honeywell also offers lower end models that feature the same Wi-Fi and ‘Smart’ functionalities so you can outfit different zones of your home with the right thermostat. “We wanted to give our consumes options that fit their budget,” Swanson says. You may want the higher end model in a place where it’s most visible, but for the attic, perhaps the colorful version is not necessary.
The Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat will be available at Home Depot in the upcoming weeks for $250, with lower end models starting at $150.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.