Showing posts sorted by relevance for query nest. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query nest. Sort by date Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

IoT with Google Nest


Some of the “Works With Nest” automations which Nest is talking about: 
  • Mercedes-Benz cars can alert a Nest thermostat to when you’ll arrive home so that it can begin adjusting the temperature while you’re on your way.
  • Logitech Harmony universal remotes can be programmed to control a Nest thermostat.
  • A Nest thermostat can tell a Whirlpool washer and dryer that you’re not at home, allowing them to switch to slower, more energy-efficient cycles.
  • When your Jawbone Up24 wristband knows you’ve woken up, it can tell a Nest thermostat so that it can tweak the temperature.
  • LIFX light bulbs can flash if your Nest Protect smoke detector goes off, and fool prowlers by turning on and off randomly when your Nest thermostat tells them that you’re not around.
  • The excellent IFTTT service for DIY automation works with the Nest thermostat and Nest Protect smoke detector, letting you write your own recipes, such as one which alerts the neighbors by text message if smoke is detected at your home.
  • Starting this fall, the Google Now smartphone app will let the Nest thermostat know when you’re on the way home, and will allow you to set it through an “OK Google” spoken command.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Nest Thermostat

Interesting take on actually living with the Nest thermostat:
"When I first got my Nest I felt like I had super powers because it connected to Wi-Fi and enabled me to adjust my home’s temperature using the Nest website or tablet app. This was unheard of for a thermostat at that time. But this positive feature has been eclipsed by negative elements that commandeered control. (And control is what you really want when it comes to using a device.) 
A learning device implies that it will not only pick up on what you usually do, but it will also: 1) allow you to change, and 2) absorb those changes. My Nest learned quite well, but then stopped learning. It remembered but it didn’t look for variations or adapt. It was the equivalent of a printed textbook: Facts, correct or not, become law if written in there and thus will be taught that way until the school chooses a different textbook. 
When I turned the dial to increase the heat to 66 degrees, rather than responding by making the house warmer, or by informing me that it is now working toward this, it read, "in 1 hour and 20 minutes 66 degrees until 10:00PM.” The next day the house temperature plummeted to a punishing 50 degrees (I realize I may be spoiled) for no reason I was privy to. Here, by the way, is another usability heuristic not heeded: visibility of system status."
That article makes me happier with my Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats. They are very easy to control. It's not flashy, but they just seem to work. I've had one for a long time now and the second one for about a month. Defining a schedule is fairly straightforward, but the temporary overrides are trivial to make. It has controls at the thermostat or you can make changes via the web or the app.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Nest Thermostat

I posted back in October about the Nest Thermostat. I thought it looked to be a cool device. Given that Honeywell is suing Nest, it must be good. Nest responds and says they will fight the good fight.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Nest - Learning WiFi Thermostat

How about a smart WiFi enabled thermostat? The Nest Learning Thermostat is just that. What makes it smart? Data from several sensors - Temperature (as you would expect), Humidity, Proximity, Far-field activity, Near-field activity, and Ambient light. It knows when you are home using the activity sensors. It lights up when you get close. You supply it with your zip code, so it knows what the weather is outside. It builds a history and develops a schedule for you based on the changes you make over time. It calculates how long it will take to reach a certain temperature. (In the summer that may be calculated in hours instead of minutes when we hit 100 and I want to get in the low 70's.) It has WiFi and you can control it remotely. I like where all this is going. I manually changed my thermostats, so I'm not sure if this would ever pay for itself, but I like gadgets.





Via Uncrate

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Networked Devices at Home

I have marveled at how many devices I have on my network at the house. Beyond the usual smartphones, tablets, printers, game consoles, and even laptops; I now have my thermostat on my wireless. I can control the HVAC from anywhere via a webpage or app. It was pretty cool (no pun intended) to be on vacation and remotely change the heating/cooling schedule to save a few pennies since we were out of town. (I ended up not getting a Nest even though I still think it is neat.)

I had to get a new controller for my irrigation system - it was only as I was checking the thermostats program that I realized I should have asked about one with network connectivity. It would have saved a lot of running around the house - start zone 1, walk to check it, walk back to start zone 2, etc.

If I ever have to replace the cipher lock on my front door, maybe I need to upgrade to an August lock.

Friday, March 22, 2013

HAVA Fundraiser and Giveaway Update/Reminder

Last month, I mentioned the HAVA Fundraiser and Giveaway that Linoge is running over at Walls of the City. Time is running out to participate in the giveaway. The last day to make a donation and be eligible for a prize is March 31.

A little about HAVA:
"As the number of injured men and women returning from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan grew, members of the firearms industry initiated a non-profit partnership called HAVA to aid disabled soldiers as they transition to their lives back in the United States. The ultimate goal is to increase their confidence and hope for the future by reconnecting with their love of the outdoors and the American traditions of hunting and firearms."
CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

Click here to view the rules.

And, with apologies to Linoge for the total copy/paste job, here are the prizes in case helping out a veteran isn't enough incentive.
4x HAVA Duffel Packages
IMG_6497-001
IMG_6504-0011x HAVA-branded duffel bag (17” x 9” x 11”) courtesy of HAVA
1x HAVA-branded LaRue Dillo Tactical Beverage Entry Tool courtesy of HAVA
1x Leupold LensPen courtesy of HAVA
1x Smith & Wesson 25NRR Ear Muffs courtesy of HAVA
1x HAVA-branded ballcap courtesy of HAVA
1x Mossberg ballcap courtesy of HAVA
1x Surefire EP3 or EP4 (random selection) courtesy of HAVA
1x Surefire G2Z-OD or G2-OD (random selection) courtesy of HAVA
So, to recap, there are four packages that each contain:  (1) duffel bag, one (1) Dillo tool, one (1) lens pen, one (1) set of earmuffs, two (2) ballcaps, one (1) set of earplugs, and one (1) flashlight.  How awesome is that
“Bacon” Package
IMG_6432fist-full-of-fuck-yeah-4001x Custom-Engraved Ka-Bar Baconmaker courtesy of HAVA
1x “Fist Full of F*ck Yeah” T-Shirt (XL) courtesy of Zombie Tools
1x “Fist Full of F*ck Yeah” Can Koozie courtesy of Zombie Tools
No, it is not the knife that Crocodile Dundee carried in his iconic movie, but something tells me he would not mind having one of his own.  >7” length, recurved blade for easy bacon-making (literally), nylon belt sheath for storage, and a set of grip panels that will never allow this blade to slip out of your hands.  Plus, the knife has been engraved with HAVA’s logo, which only compounds the awesomeness. 
“Ultimate New Shooter” Package
otiselitebrownellsproseries1x Otis Elite Cleaning Kit courtesy of Brownells 
1x Brownells Pro Series Hearing Protection courtesy of Brownells
1x MagHolder courtesy of MagHolder.com
1x Nature Wars courtesy of Random House
I do not think there is a firearm made that kit cannot clean, and, with a noise reduction rating of 26 and active microphones and speakers, those muffs will protect your hearing but still let you hear range commands. You can read my review of Nature Wars here, but it is definitely worth your time.
“Organized New Shooter” Package
2 gun handgun rack1x Otis Elite Cleaning Kit courtesy of Brownells
1x 2 Handgun Storage Rack, courtesy of Armory Racks
1x Nature Wars courtesy of Random House
You can read my review of the 2 Handgun Storage Rack here, but the long and the short of it is that it greatly simplifies storing handguns wherever it is you keep them… as its name probably suggests. 
“Citizen Marksman” Package
paulreveresrideboomershoot1x Boomershoot Entry, including Friday and Saturday High Intensity events, Saturday dinner, and Sunday Long Range Event courtesy of Joe Huffman
1x Paul Revere’s Ride courtesy of Chris from AK
Boomershoot hardly needs an introduction in my crowd, but if you are unfamiliar with it, here is the shortest description I can muster: you shoot explosive targets at long range.  Yes, it is that awesome.  I have not read David Hackett Fischer’s book yet, but it appears to document the reasons and motivations behind one of the major events that sparked the American Revolution, and, as such, it is worth a read by any patriot. 
“Preparedness” Package
darkangelmedical1x D.A.R.K. Complete Kit courtesy of Dark Angel Medical
1x Paul Revere’s Ride courtesy of Chris from AK
When it comes to matters of life and death, trusting a company whose staff has in excess of 20 years combined medical experience between them seems like a mighty good start, especially when all of the materials that go into their kits are hand-chosen by them, based on that experience. 
“EDC” Package
naturewarsmagholder1x MagHolder courtesy of MagHolder.com
1x Magholder.com-branded folding knife courtesy of MagHolder.com
1x Nature Wars courtesy of Random House 
These unique, injection-molded plastic magazine holders are designed to hold your magazines sideways, which greatly improves their comfort and wearability.  You can read Skas’ review of them here
“Carrying in Style” Package
diablomunchkin1x Diablo Outside the Waistband Holster courtesy of Dragon Leatherworks
1x Munchkin courtesy of Skas
1x ENDO Apparel $25 Certificate courtesy of ENDO
I do not have a single-action revolver myself any more, but if you do have a Ruger Blackhawk or something else like it, how else would you want to carry it?  And it only makes sense to include the awesome game I helped get him hooked on – if you have not played it, you should, and if you have, you know what I am talking about. 
“Gunny Gamer” Package
endoapparelfraggold1x MagHolder courtesy of MagHolder.com
1x Frag Gold Edition courtesy of Skas
1x ENDO Apparel $25 Certificate courtesy of ENDO
I cannot say as though I am overly familiar with “Frag”, but it’s official description speaks volumes:  “a "first-person shooter" on a tabletop. Move your fighter and frag your foes. Draw cards for weapons, armor, and gadgets. Move through the blood spatters to restore your own health! If you die, you respawn and come back shooting!” 
“Zombie Apocalypse Preparation” Package
rangerupmunchkinzombies1x 2 Handgun Storage Rack courtesy of Armory Racks
1x Munchkin Zombies courtesy of Skas
1x Zombie Che Guevera Hoodie (XL) courtesy of Zombie Tools
1x Ranger Up T-Shirt Certificate courtesy of Ranger Up
1x Can koozie courtesy of Eagles Nest Outfitters
I did not know what sizes my winners would be, nor what designs people will prefer (I rather likethis one, myself), so you get your choice of one t-shirt from Ranger Up’s all-too-awesome lineup. 
“Normal Apocalypse Preparation” Package
munchkinapocalypse1x Munchkin Apocalypse, courtesy of Skas
1x Ranger Up T-Shirt Certificate courtesy of Ranger Up
1x I Don’t Hate Zombies T-Shirt (S, L, or 3XL) courtesy of Zombie Tools
1x Monderno PVC Morale Patch courtesy of Monderno
1x Can koozie courtesy of Eagles Nest Outfitters
Apocalypse is the newest, and, from what I hear, best installation of the Munchkin franchise… should be good training!  Regarding the Russian Origami t-shirts, hopefully you are a Large, X-Large, or XX-Large, because that is all I have left! 
“Motte” Package
wallsofthecitysticker1x Russian Origami T-Shirt
1x “walls of the city” Sticker 
1x “walls of the city” patch
This package and the next one might be a bit delayed, depending on the production schedule for the patches, but I will send it out as soon as I can. 
“Bailey” Package

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Internet of Things: Febreze Home

Control the scent (fan) from your phone, integrate Febreze Home with your Nest Thermostat, and use it as a smart night light. For real.


Monday, January 20, 2014

Google's Next Acquisition

Google's Next Acquisition: Skydrop - the Nest of irrigation systems. Time for someone to create an open-source controller!

Via Uncrate

Friday, January 10, 2014

Internet of Things and Security

I've seen several articles about the Internet of Things (IoT) being big in 2014. I am, in general a fan of the advantages of connected devices and the cloud, but I'm not unaware of the problems.

Bruce talks about the security issues of the IoT and routers:
"And the Internet of Things will only make this problem worse, as the Internet -- as well as our homes and bodies -- becomes flooded with new embedded devices that will be equally poorly maintained and unpatchable. But routers and modems pose a particular problem, because they're: (1) between users and the Internet, so turning them off is increasingly not an option; (2) more powerful and more general in function than other embedded devices; (3) the one 24/7 computing device in the house, and are a natural place for lots of new features."
Hans pointed out an example of a security issue on my post about the WRT54G router.

Part of my hope is that companies will take this issues more seriously. Security should be planned just as any other requirement for the application or tool. The market should severely punish companies like SnapChat that approach security issues with arrogance. And Nest had a painful, confusing experience when some of their smart/connected thermostat users were left without heat. I'm sure it will get worse before it gets better, but like given time I expect these devices will mature... or we will quit using them. At least the ones we have a choice in.

And maybe I don't want my toothbrush connected after all.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Darwin

I've been working from home and I have a new friend... a robin that insists on attacking our kitchen windows. He/she may be building a nest somewhere around the house, but he spends a lot of time flying into the windows. I've named him Darwin.