(Image Source: Nest)

BY YUTAKA HAYASHI

ANCHOR ZACH TOOMBS

Former Apple executive and iPod creator Tony Fadell revealed an unusual product for a Silicon Valley company: a thermostat.

Fadell demonstrates his invention to TechCrunch:

“It's a very simple wheel. We actually call it a "ring" and the reason why we made it this way is because 99.9% of the time, what do you do? You just turn the temperature up or down. So, what's the easiest way to do that -- it's through a dial. And we have one other input, which is -- you can press a button. So, anywhere on a screen press the button and you can get into the menuing system.”

So yeah - it works like an iPod - that’s cool.  But what else can it do? Nest Labs -- the company behind the thermostat reveals some of its innovative features...

“Nest will remember your temperature adjustments and use an array of sensors, sophisticated algorithms, and the processing power of a computer to help it learn. We call it Nest Sense. After a few days you'll be adjusting Nest less. Within a week it will put all its learned into a schedule for your home. Nest will begin noticing when you are gone and will turn on Auto Away to avoid heating or cooling an empty house.”

If you don’t want to get up - you can use your iPhone An Android App is also in development.  But an analyst tells the LA Times -- this data could raise some problems...

“Collecting homeowners' energy consumption data could raise privacy concerns. Fadell said Nest would not share homeowners' data with third parties and would use it only to help homeowners save energy.”

So how did the godfather of the iPod become interested in temperature monitoring?  Fadell says he noticed the thermostat market was lagging and decided to do something about it.  He tells Wired...

“They were ugly.  They were confusing.  They were incredibly expensive.  They didn’t have half the features you would expect for a modern thing.”

Fadell says Nest will save 30 percent of your energy bill, but TechNewsWorld expects more if Nest were to solve our energy problems.

"What makes it important is that it's a start to making energy concerns hip, accessible, and technically cool to solve. Imagine a smart thermostat combined with other technologies, such as automatic appliances, home solar and better construction. The real power lies in combining solutions."

The device is currently available for pre-order at Best Buy and Nest.com for $249 and will go on sale in mid-November.