Amazon takes on Nest with a $59.99 smart thermostat

Amazon Smart Thermostat

Amazon Smart Thermostat | Image: Amazon

Amazon revealed its excitement over the “promise of ambient computing” by opening its fall hardware event with a new smart thermostat. Like others we’ve seen from companies like Nest, it will automatically adjust your indoor environment when it detects that you’re home and based on other learned preferences. Amazon has built up Alexa’s ability to act on “Hunches” over the last few years, and it appears the thermostat relies on a deep connection with the AI assistant’s smarts to understand what it should do and when.

Integrating smart features like Alexa routines and presence detection at its price means that it’s not only poised to undercut more expensive products like the $130 Nest or Ecobee’s $250 option. It’s even cheaper than...