Disruputing Smoke Detectors: Nest vs. Roost

By Brian Rhodes, Published Jul 08, 2015, 12:00am EDT (Info+)

A startup has an idea that will make any smoke detector 'smart' - a WiFi connected battery. Instead of replacing existing units with a Nest Detector costing a hundred dollars or more, Roost sells a replacement battery for 65% less that claims to bring 'dumb' smoke detectors into the cloud.

However, Roost does not offer the full range of features that Nest does. Are those shortcomings that will chance prospective customers away? We take a deeper look at Roost smoke detector batteries inside.

Gunning *** ****

***** ****** ** ***** **** ** what **** ******* ****, *** *** existing ***** ********* *** *** * fraction ** *** *****. ******* ** marketing ** ******** *** ******, *** concept ** ***** **** *** *********** battery.  

*** ******* ** ******** **** **'* $35 ********* **** ** **** ********* than *** **** ********'* $** *****, allowing ********** ** ******* ***** ******** smoke ********* *** *** **** ** one **** ****.

*** ** ** **** ********* *** looking ***? ***** *** ********* **** appears *****, ** *** *** ** a ********** *******.  **** ****, ***** launched * *********** **** ****** *** concept **** ***** $**** ******* **** about **** ******* - ****** * blockbuster ******** **** ******** *** ****** by ***** ********** *** *********** ****** locks.  ***** *** ******** *****, *** company *** **** ********** ****** *** production, *** ******* ** ***** ******** product ** ** ****.  ********* *** be ********** *** $** **** **** *** *******'* ******* ** **** Amazon.

*** *******

*** **** ********* ** ***** ***** is **** ** ******** ************* **** the ******** *** ***** **** ** users *** ********** ***.  ******* ** is * ******** '*** *******' ***** or * ***** ***** ********* *****, Roost ******* *** ****** *** *****.

***** ** * ******** ******* ********** with *** ***** ** ****** ******** detector **** **** ** *********.  **** the industry *********** ************* ** **** ******* size, * *********** ******** ** ********* units *** *** *****.

*** ***** ***** ******** ** ******** of *** *******:

***** **** ****** ***** *************, *** service *** ** ****** **** ***** app *****.  ** ** *** **** of * **** *********, **** *** configure ****** ** **** ** * nearby ******** ** ****** ******.

Product ******

*** **** ****** **** ******* ******** drops ***** **% *** **** ****** the ******** **** **** *** *** battery.  **** *** ** ****** ***** - *** *** ****** * ****** to * ******** ****, *********** ********* response *** ******** **** ** * specific **** ****** **** ******* ****** for *** ******. ***** ****** *******:

  • **** *********:***** ***** *** ********** *** *** through * *********** **** ****** ****** installation. **********, **** *** ******** **** a ******** **** **** *** ***** 9V *******, *** **** ****** ****** the **** ******** **** ** ****.
  • * **** ****:*** ******* ****** **'* ******* ***** will **** ****** **** * *****. Given **** **** ***** ********* ****** be ******** ***** ** *****, **** users ****** ****** ** **** ********* at ***** **** ** ****** ***.
  • *** ************: *** ******* ****** ** *** rechargeable. *******, *** ******* ****** *** lithium ***** **** ** ***** ********* with *********** ***** ******* ***** $**. Over *** ******* **** ** * single ***** ********, ***** **** ***** about $** *** ******** *** ********* and *****.
  • ********* **: **** *********** *****/** ********* ** not *** *** ** ******* *** primary *****, ******* *** ********* **** mains ******* *** **** *** *** 9V *** ******. ***** **** **** is ** *******, *** ***** ****** will ******* ** *** **** *** as **** ** *** **** **** uses ** *********.

Next ******* ** *****

*** *** ******** ********* ** **** are supported ** *****.  ***** **** ********* claim ** ***** *** ******** ****** on '***** ********' *** '*** ******* alerts', **** ******* ******** ********** *****, temperature, *** ****** ******* **** ***** does ***. ***** ********** ******* ******* input *********** **** ***** ******, ********* the ******* ** ****** ***** ****** with *********** ********* ** **** *** '1st **********' ******* **** ******* **** a **** ** *** ****.

***** **** *** ******* *********** **** other ******* **** *** **** **** claims ******. ***** ******* ** ********** with **** ******* *** *********** ** a ******* ******, ***** ** * closed ****** ****** ** ****** ** other *******. *** ******* ****** ** IFTTT *********** ** ** *** *****, but **** ** **** ******* ****.

**********

***** ***** ** ***** **% *** cost ** ****, ***** *** ******* strategic ********** **** ***** ***** ********** failure:

  • ************: **** ****** *** ********* ***** a * **** **** ****, *** user's **** ***** ** ****** ** change ****** **** ****. ***** ******* over *** ********* **** ** *** phones ********* *******, ** ** *** likely ***** **** ******** **** ***** routinely *** *** ********* ******* ** with ****** **** *** ******* ***** off.  ** ** ********* ** ***** to ******** ******** *********** *** ****** support. ****** ****, ***** **** **** to ******** ****** ******** **** *** the ***** ***** ** ** **** than ********* **** ******** ******.
  • ******** ********: ****** ******* ****, *** **** sensor ****** *** * ********. **** codes ******** *** '******* ******' ** a *********** ***** ******** ** ** years ** **** [**** ** ****** available] (NFPA **-****/**** **.*.*), ** ***** ***** may **** **** **** ** ******* the ****** ****** *** ********* ********* a ****** ****. ****** ****, ***** does *** ******* *** ******* ** detect ********* **** ** * ********* sensor.

**********

Comments (2)

Avatar

Ross Vander Klok

IPVMU Certified | 07/09/15 12:21pm

I backed this and have found the more "features" Roost adds or plans to add the less interested I am. I simply want to know if my smoke detector is going off. That is it. They have plans to add about a bazillion different “features” (that I find to be an overreach) which could kill the Roost before it even gets off the ground. Stick to the one simple feature and add as you go. I have received multiple surveys about what I would like to see added and while none of the additional features come to my mind at the moment, none of them seemed necessary or even feasible.

I don’t trust the Nest detector right now, but if it is still around five or so years from now when I need to swap my detectors I may go with it. Until Nest has a much longer track record I won’t go for it.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Jason Spielfogel

In reply to Ross Vander Klok | 07/13/15 10:06pm

I'm in full agreement Ross. I only want to know 3 things from an alert:

1) That the smoke detector went off

2) Which detector went off

3) When the battery is low

If I could get all of that for $25-$35 AND a 5-year guaranteed battery life, I'd absolutely buy this product.

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts reporting, tutorials and software funded by subscriber's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.
Loading Related Reports