British Gas Hive lets you control heating via app for £199

British Gas has a new system that puts control of your home's heating in the palm of your hand -- or specifically on your phone. Hive is a word that makes my head itch new app-controlled thermostat that means you never need fiddle about with your boiler ever again.

The company reckons it can save you up to £150 per year, just by turning off your heating when you're out at work, asleep or on holiday. Never again will you be halfway to the airport and curse your feeble brain for forgetting to change the timer -- you can just boot up the Hive app and schedule it on the go.

It's convenient too. Chilly in the morning and don't want to get out of bed? Turn the radiators on from under the duvet and stay roasty-toasty. It also automatically protects your pipes when it's freezing outside, turning on to keep the temperature of your house above 7C.

Hive costs £199 for the smart thermostat, including a nice person coming round to install it for you. It replaces your existing thermostat, and connects wirelessly to a little box you plug into your router, and a receiver that's installed near your boiler.

You can control Hive via text and its website as well as the app, if you don't have an Apple or Android smart phone.

Hive launches next month, and you can sign up to pre-register your interest at the website.

Does the idea of home automation warm your cockles? Or does the whole thing leave you cold? Let me know in the cosy comments section, or on our automated Facebook page.