Fancy new thermostat

[glatt]

It is interesting. If this thermostat can save 5% off your heating/cooling bill, it will pay for itself in a few years. And it probably can do that. (YMMV and all that) It depends on what you have now, how you live now, and what you are paying for heating and cooling.

I wonder if this will come down in price the way all other portable consumer electronics come down in price. I don't see how it can be improved each year with a new model the way everything else can. It's not like you can go from 3G to 4G or fit more songs on it. It controls the temperature. Period. It's $250 now. Will it be $129 in three years?

Part of the package is that you get an account with this company so you can access it through the web. They aren't going to web host your home thermostat forever for free if this becomes a bargain basement item. That actually makes me wonder how they are going to handle the accounts. TIVO charges a small monthly fee after you buy their box. I wonder if these guys will too?