January 28, 2013 | by Rachel Cericola
Apps Aplenty
One of the absolute best features of the Nest is that is has app-based controls, which are both free and easy. The Nest has free apps for both iOS and Android devices (including the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7), so users can tap into that temperature from the office, the car or even the couch. Yes, there were more than a few times where I adjusted the temperature from my couch—because I could! There were also times when I was exercising and needed to chill things down a bit, but didn’t want to lose my mojo. Coming home from a family event, I could tap into the Nest and heat up the house for our arrival. Hooray for app control!

Of course, the Nest isn’t the only thermostat that offers app control. Just last week, we listed some of the coolest and hottest smart thermostats currently out there, many of which have app control. However, the Nest app doesn’t require a contract or monthly fees and it doesn’t need to tie into other home control systems or equipment. It’s also insanely easy to operate.

Once connected, all of the setup is done right on the Nest device.

Also, the Nest app could not be simpler. It’s very similar to the web interface, in that it shows a little picture of your house, with the current temperature setting. As reference, it also shows the current outside temperature. To adjust the temperature on the iPhone 4, it’s as easy as touching the on-screen dial and pushing the up and down buttons.

Turning the iPhone sideways reveals more options, such as the Away feature, general settings, Nest Sense settings for Auto Away, and a peek at the past 10 days of your schedule. There’s also an Energy History tab that shows when you are (and aren’t!) saving energy—and more importantly, why. This is sort of cool, as I noticed that there were days that we turned up the heat for the heck of it and others where weather was a factor.

The Nest app is free to access and easy to use.