UPDATED 09:03 EDT / SEPTEMBER 25 2013

NEWS

Nest Wants To Make Sexy, Smart Smoke Detectors The Next Must-Have For Your Connected Home

Remember Nest, the Internet of Things startup that attracted legions of fans when it famously redefined the home thermostat? Well, it’s now said to be working on a second project to shake up the home/tech market once again – this time a “smart smoke detector” that won’t just scream the house down the instant it detects something nasty in the air. Not surprisingly, the device is also planned to be compatible with the company’s best-selling thermostat.

The story was broken by Jessica Lessin in a blog post earlier today. The device, called “Protect”, will include snazzy features such as a carbon monoxide detector and also motion sensors that allow the alarm to be turned off with a wave of your arm.

Okay, so a Smart Smoke Detector isn’t nearly as sexy-sounding as Nest’s original Smart Thermostat that has the ability to learn about your habits and help save you time and money, but it does seem like a ‘smart’ opportunity – with smoke detectors now a legal requirement for new homes in all fifty states, there’s surely going to be plenty of takers for anything that’s a cut above the rest. There’s also the argument that a smarter smoke detector will be a lot safer too – just think for a moment, how many people you know that have disabled theirs because it always causes them problems?

Probably the most interesting thing about “Protect” is that it’ll be able to interact with the company’s main thermostat, addressing concerns that its product is too isolated, as All Things D points out. In addition, it would help cement Nest’s name as one of the leading players in the “connected home” space. The company has already done incredibly well with its $249 learning thermostat. Reviews of the device were overwhelmingly positive, while Nest is reported to be shifting more than 40,000 of them each month.

Nest’s Learning Thermostat

We’ll have to wait and see if consumers will get as excited about a smart smoke detector as Nest’s original thermostat. Granted it’s not as exciting but such a device would certainly be unique, and that alone should be enough to tempt more than a few of Nest’s most ardent fans.


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