Next Home Thermostat

Nest's signature connected-home thermostat is getting a redesign that leaves the pioneering Internet of Things product with a slimmer look and higher resolution screen.

The newest Nest Learning Thermostat, the third-generation of the device which debuted in 2011 from ex-Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, seems particularly attuned to the needs of sight-challenged. Its thinner, hockey puck-sized circular face now dedicates 40% more real estate to graphics that are 25% crisper than Nest 2.0.

New features include Farsight, which allows users to set the thermostat to wake up its screen when it senses a presence across the room, as opposed to the standard three-foot distance. Nest can be programmed to display either the target temperature or the time. Another addition is Furnace Heads-Up, which alerts users to any patterns in furnace/air conditioning system overheating.

The $249 device is available Tuesday at Nest.com and Amazon.com, and is coming soon to big box stores such as Best Buy, Lowe's and The Home Depot. The second-generation Nest will drop to $199 at select retailers.

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