Firm sparks interest in danger detectors
SAN FRANCISCO — Smoke detectors frequently produce more headaches than useful warnings. The devices have an irritating habit of shrieking when there’s no cause for alarm, and always seem to wait until the middle of the night to chirp when their batteries run low.
Tony Fadell, a gadget guru who helped design the iPod and original iPhone while working at Apple, is counting on his latest innovation to prove that a smoke detector can be sleek, smart and appreciated. The device, called Nest Protect, is the second product hatched from Nest Labs Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif., startup founded by Fadell in 2010 in an attempt to infuse homes with more of the high-tech wizardry that people take for granted in smartphones.
Nest Protect’s price will probably turn off many consumers. It will go on sale next month for $129 in more than 5,000 stores in Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Other less-sophisticated devices that detect both smoke and carbon monoxide typically sell for $50 to $80 each.
Fadell, who ended an eight-year stint at Apple Inc. in 2009, is aiming for an audience that appreciates sleekly designed products that provide peace of mind and simplicity.
“We want to take the unloved products in your own home and bring them to life in a way that makes them beautiful,” Fadell said while showing off the Nest Protect.
The Nest Protect is equipped with a variety of sensors for detecting heat, smoke, carbon monoxide, light and motion. It also is programmed to deliver early warnings in spoken words instead of a shrill alarm to give a home’s occupants a chance to check on whether there’s just too much smoke coming from the oven, steam from the shower or a real fire hazard.
If it’s determined that there is nothing to worry about, all it takes is a wave of the arm to tell Nest Protect to be quiet. Multiple devices in the same home can also communicate with each other through wireless connections. They can be programmed to send warnings to smartphones and tablet computers about possible hazards and low batteries.