Amazon yesterday held an event where it revealed a deluge of smart home products. One of the smart home devices designed to take on the Nest is the Amazon Smart Thermostat. Just like the Nest, the smart thermostat will automatically adjust your indoor environment when it detects that you’re home and based on other learned preferences.
Amazon has built up Alexa’s ability to act on “Hunches” over the last few years, and it appears the thermostat relies on a deep connection with the AI assistant’s smarts to understand what it should do and when.
Integrating smart features like Alexa routines and presence detection at its price means that it’s not only poised to undercut more expensive products like the $130 Nest or Ecobee’s $250 option. It’s even cheaper than value-priced smart thermostats like this Wyze thermostat that is generally available for about $80. And it may be even cheaper in some cases, as Amazon claims that “After applying utility-provider rebates, eligible customers can get Amazon Smart Thermostat for $10, and sometimes, for nothing at all.”
The company says it developed the new device in partnership with the makers of Honeywell Home smart thermostats and confirmed it’s ready to work with most existing 24V HVAC systems.
The Amazon Smart Thermostat is priced at $59.99 and is already open for preorders in the US.
Amazon Glow video-chat device
Amazon also launched a video-chat device specifically designed for kids. The product dubbed Amazon Glow video-chat device beams computer images onto a table, where kids can interact with them.
The gadget features an 8-inch LCD display which allows the kids to clearly see their loved ones. The device can be paired with a smartphone or tablet which can then be used to remotely determine what the child views in terms of books, drawings, play puzzles, and more. 
Some of the resources available to users of the Glow products launched in partnership with Disney, Mattel, Sesame Street, and Nickelodeon for interactive books, puzzles, and all sorts of other items.
The device also comes with a privacy shutter to protect the kids. Also, kids can only call people that have been approved previously by their parents.
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