When Tony Fadell of iPod fame came up with the idea of the Nest thermostat, it made me smile. I had read an interview with him in a business magazine. He explained how he had retired from Apple with a moving van full of money and had set out to build his dream house. The problem was he couldn’t find a good-looking thermostat. That’s when I smiled.
Over the years, I’ve asked a lot of nonprofessionals what type of heating system they have and most have said, “I have a Honeywell.” For this, we can thank the ubiquitous T-87, that classic, round wall ornament. Fadell obviously liked that round shape because that’s what he chose for his Nest. Hey, who doesn’t like round? It’s a lovely shape.