Thermostats are dull aren't they? But they do control half of the money that you fork out every year on energy, so it pays to have a good one. And by good one we, of course, mean one that looks like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Unlike HAL though, the Nest learning thermostat isn't out to kill you and keep your home for itself; but to learn your living habits so it can save you a few quid on your heating bill.

The Nest is a clever thermostat you see; over the course of a week it learns roughly when you like to have the heating on, how long for and at what temperature. As time goes on it becomes even more intuitive, such as picking up patterns like everyone leaving the house between 7.15 and 8.35 on a Wednesday, people having a lie-in on a Saturday morning and no-one being at home every other Friday.

Basically, like HAL, it studies you from afar, noting every little detail of your life and your daily habits. Unlike HAL, it does this for your own good though... we think.

It's connected up to Wi-Fi, so knows what the weather is like outside (using online forecasts) and has a 150-degree sensor so it knows if anyone is home. You can also set it from afar using a web-based portal or mobile apps.

It's also designed to be eco friendly too, awarding you a green leaf should you make a change that will benefit Mother Earth. A 1-degree difference can reduce energy use up to 5 per cent, so precision is important.

The Nest chaps at CES told us that it is as easy to fit as a light-fitting and it costs $249 Stateside. That may sound a lot for a thermostat, but we're told it will save you $173 per year, so you'll be breaking even after around 18 months. Over 3 years you'll have saved about $520.

That's if HAL, sorry Nest, hasn't plotted your downfall by then.

It's US only for now, we'll let you know if it hits this side of the pond anytime soon.

Tags: Home And Kitchen Eco Nest CES2012

Nest learning thermostat pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:08:00 +0000

With the influx of electric cars, the Toyota and Lexus environmentally-friendly image halo - built up thanks to its leadership in hybrid cars - is under threat. So it’s no surprise to see this "NS4" concept appear in Detroit, and be badged with some suspiciously Prius-like livery proclaiming "Plug-In hybrid". Is this a preview of the next generation Prius? Well it’s certainly not a bad place to start if you’re looking for clues.

The number four in the name refers to the fact that it has four doors, but our favourite fact was one discovered by a colleague, who was told by the car’s project leader that the "NS" in the name stands for "New Splendid" – making this the "New Splendid 4-door Toyota" (hat tip to Guy).

It’s much longer than the existing Prius, and obviously adopts a more conventional four-door saloon form compared to the past two generations, which employed what’s known as a "kamm-tail" hatchback, which helps it to be very aerodynamic. So it’s quite a departure from Toyota’s current hybrid.

Inside, there are some very contoured seats with an interesting gloss inner pattern cut out, and a very new dashboard, which employs a large, tablet-like touchscreen in the centre. There’s also a huge new full colour display at the base of the windscreen, which shows the hybrid drivetrain powerflow, just as in the current Prius, but also the images projected from the side cameras, which replace the mirrors for better aerodynamics.

Our favourite part of all of the interior tech is the small, conical display behind the wheel, which shows a speed-readout in hologram form, and then uses a T-OLED display overlay in front, to provide the driver with further information when needed.

We reckon this is the most "concept-y" of all the cars we’ve covered in Detroit, but we’d still bet that some of what you see here - our money would be on that large display at the base of the windscreen - seems likely to make it into Toyota’s next generation of hybrid and electric car.

Tags: Car And GPS Toyota Eco Eco cars Cars

Toyota NS4 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:13:00 +0000

As Liam Gallagher once claimed; You can wait for a lifetime to spend your days in the sunshine. But by the time you that, your Kindle would've run out of juice. Luckily for you,?SolarFocus Technology has unleashed the SolarKindle over in Vegas at CES -?the world’s first solar powered e-reader cover.

You're probably wondering just why the heck you'd need a charging case for a device that has a ridiculously long battery life anyway but the SolarKindle kind of makes mains?charging?irrelevant. Provided that you live in a sunny location that is.

Because, once you've given the SolarKindle a USB charge up, it will increase your Kindle's lifespan to around three months. And for every day it gets to soak up the sun's rays, should they be shining, you'll get three day's reading time. In theory then, you could take the SolarKindle on a long trip abroad and never have to plug it in to charge.

The case, which is made of premium leather, also packs a mini LED light for night-time reading; a light that is powered by the?integrated?reserve battery and?doesn't?use any of your Kindle's power, for up to 50 hours of use.

"For the past six years, SolarFocus has been dedicated to developing the most technologically advanced portable solar powered solutions for consumers," said Dick Lu, EVP at SolarFocus. "We will continuously improve the price / performance ratio of our solar powered solutions on even more consumer electronic products to reduce carbon emissions."

Talking of price, the SolarKindle will hit US shops on 15 January, priced at $79.99. No word on a UK release as of yet and also no word on?whether?Amazon has okayed the use of the word Kindle in the name....

Tags: eBook readers Kindle CES2012 SolarKindle Solar power Eco

SolarKindle e-reader cover shines on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:36:26 +0000