When it comes to smart thermostats, there’s a good chance that Alphabet-owned Nest might be a company that comes to mind. However if you are looking for an alternative, you won’t have to look much further because ecobee has recently announced the ecobee4 smart thermostat (via MacRumors) which is not only HomeKit compatible, but comes with Alexa built into it.For those unfamiliar, Alexa is Amazon’s take on AI and so far it has been pretty well-received. Amazon’s decision to open it up to third-party developers and device makers have also resulted in it finding its way into various products, such as the ecobee4. This means that whether you want to control the thermostat via the Home app on iOS or using your voice, those are options available to you.
“Alexa voice service allows customers to simply ask their ecobee4 to adjust the temperature of the home, in addition to the growing list of Alexa skills such as setting a timer, helping plan your commute, or playing the news. Through far-field voice recognition, ecobee4 will conveniently respond to voice commands from anywhere in the room.”
Alternatively you could interact with the device directly thanks to a touchscreen interface. The ecobee4 is currently available for pre-order where it is priced at $250 and is available from its website.
Filed in . Read more about Alexa, Amazon, Connected Objects, HomeKit and IoT (Internet of Things).