Fancy new thermostat

[Spexxvet]

It's interesting what some people won't pay more for. I won't pay more than $20 for a bottle of wine, or $100 for a cell phone. I can see this getting thrown in for a new construction, but I wouldn't go out and buy it to replace a thermostat that is functioning.

[glatt]

It is interesting. If this thermostat can save 5% off your heating/cooling bill, it will pay for itself in a few years. And it probably can do that. (YMMV and all that) It depends on what you have now, how you live now, and what you are paying for heating and cooling.

I wonder if this will come down in price the way all other portable consumer electronics come down in price. I don't see how it can be improved each year with a new model the way everything else can. It's not like you can go from 3G to 4G or fit more songs on it. It controls the temperature. Period. It's $250 now. Will it be $129 in three years?

Part of the package is that you get an account with this company so you can access it through the web. They aren't going to web host your home thermostat forever for free if this becomes a bargain basement item. That actually makes me wonder how they are going to handle the accounts. TIVO charges a small monthly fee after you buy their box. I wonder if these guys will too?

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by glatt

I wonder if this will come down in price the way all other portable consumer electronics come down in price.
...
Will it be $129 in three years?

Yes, it will, because it will be bootlegged and made in China, unfortunatley.

Originally Posted by glatt

Part of the package is that you get an account with this company so you can access it through the web.

That is definitely a cool aspect. He should try to bundle in with the new ADT packages that allow you all kinds of off-site features.

Oops, ADT Pulse let's you do that already.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Oops, ADT Pulse let's you do that already.

I didn't spend a lot of time at that website, but on the front page they offer a coupon for $250 off, so it must cost significantly more than this thermostat.

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by glatt

It is interesting. If this thermostat can save 5% off your heating/cooling bill, it will pay for itself in a few years. And it probably can do that. (YMMV and all that) It depends on what you have now, how you live now, and what you are paying for heating and cooling.

I bought a smart thermostat for ~ $20 a while ago. It's got settings for wakeup/leave/return/sleep and those are different for weekdays and weekends. It's also got a lock mode for when someone's home on a weekday.

What's this got that will save 5% for me?