Nest Announces Internet-Connected Nest Protect Smoke and CO Detector

Nest, the company founded by iPod creator Tony Fadell and famous for its Internet-connected thermostat, unveiled on Tuesday the “Nest Protect,” a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. The Nest Protect follows design and functionality aspects of its thermostat sibling, offering users a simple installation, easy configuration, and Internet-connected monitoring and control.

These products should keep us safe, not annoy us. Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide does much more than just sound a shrill alarm when there’s danger in your home. It speaks to you, telling you where the danger is and what the problem is. And before it sounds a piercing alarm, Nest Protect gives you a friendly Heads-Up warning that you can silence with a wave of your hand – no more swinging towels or brooms to try to quiet a false alarm. It integrates with your mobile devices and even messages you if the batteries run low, avoiding that all-too-familiar midnight low-battery chirp.

Using the company’s iOS app, a Nest Protect unit can automatically integrate with other Nest Protects and Nest Thermostats to provide simple whole-house protection. It detects dangers via six sensors: photoelectric, carbon monoxide, heat, light, ultrasonic, and motion. Instead of beeps and alarms, the device uses plain language to inform occupants of specific dangers: “There’s smoke in the living room,” “Carbon monoxide detected in the basement,” and so on. The Nest Protect also features a “Pathlight” function, which utilizes the device’s motion and light sensors to automatically activate a built-in nightlight.

The Nest Protect is available for pre-order today for a planned launch in November. Each unit will cost $129, and be available in either black or white, along with options for battery or direct wire power.