First HomeKit-ready thermostat now available at Apple Stores

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ecobee 3
The Ecobee 3 smart thermostat.
Photo: ecobee

If you’re starting to figure out how you can use HomeKit to make your house less dumb, you can now get started by heading to the Apple Store and picking up the ecobee3, the first thermostat that works with Apple’s smart-appliance platform.

The device retails for $249, and it’s available in North America Apple Stores today.

HomeKit is Apple’s contribution to the Internet of Things concept, in which appliances, outlets, and climate control are all networked together and accessible from a centralized app on a mobile device. Apple has also incorporated its digital assistant Siri into the mix to make your home voice-controlled. And that’s a cool idea, but we’ve had some issues with the company’s examples of this functionality.

The ecobee3 adjusts climate in multiple locations throughout the home to provide energy savings.

“We’re excited for Apple customers to get their hands on the first smart thermostat that supports HomeKit,” ecobee’s president and CEO of ecobee Stuart Lombard said in a press release. “The new ecobee3 plays an integral role in the connected and energy-efficient home by allowing users to remotely control temperature in the rooms that matter most with simple commands using Siri.”

The company claims that its thermostat will start saving you money as soon as you install it and cites a 23 percent saving in heating and cooling costs.

And that’s all great, but I’m still waiting for the smart teapot that knows when I’m having trouble paying attention at work.

Source: BusinessWire

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