There are a wide range of devices available for consumers today that are internet and smartphone connected. It is often a struggle to decide whether to upgrade existing products with an add-on or make the investment in a new release that has these features built-in. Upgrading can be hit or miss and new products, especially appliances, can be pricey. With the impending arrival of Apple’s HomeKit, now is the time to get on the smart home train more than ever.
A new product called tado° has put air conditioning in its sights for a smart upgrade. We have seen smart AC units before, but the execution has at times left something to be desired. By adding tado° to an existing system, consumers have more options with the actual cooling unit, as long as the existing unit meets some requirements.
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The Smart AC Control system by Munich-based tado° utilizes infrared to communicate air conditioning units, that means your system must have included a remote to be compatible. So the majority of older units are not going to be eligible for a tado° upgrade. Chances are, if you have bought one recently, you’re in luck. It works with split, in-window or portable units.
If you’ve used other smart home products, tado°’s interface and setup will seem familiar. It has an LED control panel that mounts on a wall with a capacitive touch display to make changes as needed. This small white box connects to your Wi-Fi enabling communication with your devices. Of course, it has an accompanying iOS and Android app that allows for adjustments from any location. Location data dictates tado°’s temperature changes, must like the Nest, it can turn your air conditioning off when you leave and start it up when you’re close to home. It also has If This Then That support, for communicating with our devices in your home.
The unit comes with a variety of other Bluetooth, humidity and light sensors that are not all currently being used, but CEO Christian Deilmann says that won’t always be the case:
Not all of them are being used right now,” explains Christian. “The beauty of connected devices is that they will get better with every update and all existing users will benefit in the same way as new customers.
Beginning today, the Smart AC Control system from tado° is available directly from the manufacturer for $199.
[9to5-press-release]
tado° introduces Smart AC Control, launching a new era of cooling
04.06.2015
- Now available: World’s first device to make any remote-controlled air conditioner smart
- Pre-cools before you get home, saves when you’re away by using your phone’s location
- More comfort, less energy: reduces your AC’s electricity use by up to 40%
June 4, 2015 – Just in time for the upcoming summer heat, European home climate control leader tado° today announces the official market launch of its Smart AC Control in the U.S. and Europe. The new cooling solution turns air conditioners into smart devices by automatically saving energy when you’re away while ensuring a cool home when you return.
With 2014 officially the hottest year on record, coupled with rising global incomes, air conditioner use is at an all-time high and is growing rapidly. In the near future over a billion people in the developing world will be able to purchase their first AC resulting in a massive increase in energy demand. In China alone, sales of air conditioners have nearly doubled over the last five years, whereas almost 90% of US homes already have air conditioning causing 100 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.
With its Smart AC Control, tado° makes any air conditioner smart. Speaking at the official launch in New York City, Christian Deilmann, CEO & founder of tado°, announced: “Our #smartNYC mission starts today as we aim to smarten up 100,000 of the city’s AC units by June 2016”. With its high density of air conditioners, New York City is the perfect starting point for tado° to usher in a new era of cooling, both in the U.S. and globally.”
tado° works by using your smartphone’s location to automatically adapt your air conditioner to your behavior. The geo-aware app on your phone senses when you leave the house and turns off the air conditioner. As soon as you start approaching home, tado° starts pre-cooling so you always come back to a comfortable house, without having to lift a finger. With its fully automatic climate control, tado° not only makes your home more comfortable, but also helps you save up to 40% on energy costs.
“No more compromises,” says Christian Deilmann. “Until now, you had to decide whether to enjoy the full comfort of a cool home by leaving your air conditioner running all day or to switch it off when you leave to save money and energy. At tado° we believe in state-of-the-art smart technology that automatically ensures that no energy is wasted. With the new tado° Smart AC Control we’ve created a completely new way to cool our homes.”
No matter where you are – on the commute, on holiday or at work – with the tado° app on your phone you always know what the temperature is at home and you can easily change the settings. The sleek and elegant tado° device blends into the ambience of your home, while offering a matrix LED display and capacitive touch interface for quick and easy manual adjustments.
The tado° hardware is already packed with sensors, such as: temperature, humidity, light, noise, motion and BLE. “Not all of them are being used right now,” explains Christian. “The beauty of connected devices is that they will get better with every update and all existing users will benefit in the same way as new customers.”
tado° can connect to any remote-controlled in-room AC (85% worldwide). Compatible with split (wall-mounted), in-window, or portable AC units, tado° is easy to set up. It connects to the air conditioner via infrared (IR) and links to the internet using your home’s WiFi – no additional cabling needed. It can be mounted on a wall or placed on a surface.
From today, the tado° Smart AC Control is available worldwide for $199/€179 directly from www.tado.com. Online and offline retail partners will follow in the coming months. The tado° app can be downloaded for free for iOS and Android, with a Windows Phone app coming soon.
[/9to5-press-release]
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