Apple refugee re-imagines the programmable thermostat

A former Apple executive is readying a high-tech makeover for the lowly programmable thermostat in your home.

The Nest Learning Thermostat is the brainchild of Tony Fadell, who had a role in the design of the iPod and iPhone, according to  The Los Angeles Times.The Nest is a device that learns your living patterns and figures out when to bump the temperature up or down a few degrees to save you money while you're out -- without you having to tell it to do anything.

Like all Apple products, the Nest looks like a piece of art and makes technology very easy to use. Its most prominent feature is a dial that's similar to the one on an iPod. It can also be controlled remotely via smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Programmable thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs in your home by 25% or 30%. The unknown is whether the Nest will be a big seller because it's priced at around $250. Visit Nest.com for more details or see the video embedded below.

I am obsessed with reducing energy consumption and have done whole house solar at my residence. I'm also a huge CFL freak. While I have tried traditional programmable thermostats before, I have not necessarily been happy with the results.

I'm going to buy the Nest and try it out at home. Look for an update in several weeks.

Editor's note: This segment originally aired Oct. 27, 2011.