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Nest Protect smart smoke alarm talks to phones, saves lives

The new Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide alarm is a smart alarm that ends frantic flapping with a tea towel.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm
2 min read

Mmmm, making some toast. I love me some toast, I do -- holy heck what's that godawful shrieking! Where's the tea towel findtheteatowelohgodthenoise! It's just that kind of kerfuffle the new Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide alarm is designed to end, protecting your home and family with high technology.

The Nest Protect is a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm that packs in heat, CO, and smoke sensors and warns you when things are going pear-shaped, but without the horrible false alarms that could drive you to rip the batteries out and leave yourself and your loved ones unprotected.

Rather than ringing out a piercing alarm, the Nest Protect starts with a spoken warning -- and if it is a false alarm you can silence it with a wave of your hand.

The smoke alarm also talks to your smart phone or tablet over Wi-Fi, for emergency alarms or an alert if the battery is running low. The iOS and Android app work in English, Spanish and French and can also remind you what to do when the worst happens, as well as giving you one-button access to an emergency phone number.

The built-in motion sensor also allows the Nest Protect to work as a night light that lights up when you stumble sleepily past in the dark of night.

Nest makes other smart gadgets that connect with your mobile devices as well as souping-up your home, like the Nest Thermostat.

Does your smoke alarm work? In one of every eight house-fires the smoke alarm didn't alert anyone due to flat batteries -- or worse, batteries taken out to quiet the chirping alarm. Check with your local fire brigade for a free smoke alarm.

The Nest Protect costs £110. It comes in white or black and feeds off either mains power or batteries.

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