Nest Learning Thermostat Update Makes It Learn Faster
Part of the appeal of smart appliances lies in them being "smart". Let's face it. As fancy as a smart TV, smart bulb, or smart thermostat may sound, we really do not need another "smartphone" fixed on our walls or ceilings to complicate our lives. That's why Nest Labs is continually trying to improve the "learning" part of its smart appliances, starting with the latest 4.3 software update for its Learning Thermostat. Now users will no longer have to worry when lifestyles or seasons change, as the thermostat changes with them quickly as well.
In particular, Nest says that its Enhanced Auto-Schedule feature gives even more saving benefits, up to 6 percent in heating and cooling bills. How? Just by learning from your own use of the device. The thermostat already learns from usage patterns, predicting your temperature preferences over time. Now, however, it will be able to do so faster with newer and better algorithms. So it can quickly adapt when the season changes, like the end of summer vacation, perhaps sometimes even faster than its human owners can.
Of course, that isn't the only new thing with the new firmware. There's a new Quick View mode that lets you immediately see the conditions outside without having to scroll through menus and views. Simply push the ring once and you will be presented with the weather, outside temperature and humidity in one go. Turning the ring gives you more detail, including energy usage from the other day. There is also a new System Test that will go through all the basic functionality so you can check if everything is in working order.
The new 4.3 software update will be rolling out to users starting today, but don't be surprised if you haven't received it yet. It might take up to the end of the week for it to completely roll out to all supported markets. Users will know that they've received the update when they can use the Quick View feature or see the new Energy History view on their Learning Thermostats.
SOURCE: Nest Labs