Google Nest gets an improved device update; improves display and range

Google acquired Nest a couple of years ago for $3.2 billion. Late last year, Nest thermostats were available on the Google Play Store. Yesterday, Nest announced the third version of the thermostat.Google, or rather Alphabet, claims that Nest is used on "millions of walls in millions of homes around the world."According to a report in the TechCrunch, the third version of the Nest thermostat looks very similar to the second version. However, if compared close to each other, they do have some subtle differences. It says, "Side-by-side, though, the differences are a bit more obvious. The third-gen Nest packs a bigger display (2.08 inches versus 1.75 inches) into a body that, while ever so slightly bigger (about a tenth of an inch larger in diameter), doesn’t jut quite as far out of the wall. That larger screen also packs a higher resolution than the one before it, with a resolution of 480×480 versus the 320×320 display of v2."

In a blog update, Nest said, "We hoped from the beginning our thermostat would change things. Big things. Like the way people use energy. Because the more you know about how much you use, the more you see how to use less. The Nest Thermostat actually helps people save energy, and there’s proof. As of 2011, it’s saved over 4 billion kWh of energy in millions of homes worldwide. And independent studies showed that it saved people an average of 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. That means in two years or less, it can pay for itself. That’s what we love most."Nest added that with the new 3rd generation Nest Thermostat, it only gets better.

The blog adds, "It’s thinner, sleeker, and more beautiful than ever. The display is even bigger and sharper. And now the Nest Thermostat does something new. We call it Farsight. When you walk into the room, Farsight lights up and shows you the temperature you set or the time. You can even choose a digital or analog clock face. It’s big and bright - you can see it from across the room."Nest thermostat owners can use Google’s self-titled iOS or Android apps to control their home’s temperature, much like they do with Nest’s own app. They can also use voice commands to ask Google to change or set their temperature.