Wink-Enabled Nest Thermostats Now Work with Amazon Alexa

Wink + Amazon Echo users rejoice! Today we’re very excited to announce that you can now use Alexa to control your Nest Thermostat (or Thermostats) through Wink.

Last summer we unveiled our initial integration with Amazon that enables Alexa to control Wink-compatible lighting products, and were blown away by the response. We’ve been hard at work ever since adding additional functionalities (dimming) and now, a brand new product category in thermostats.

Connecting your Nest Thermostat with Echo is easy:

1. If you haven’t already, first set up your Nest account and name each thermostat you have (living room, bedroom, kitchen, etc.).
2. Next, connect your Nest account with your Wink app. Your Nest Thermostat will appear in the Wink app as “[location] + [name] + [the word ‘thermostat’]. "Home Living Room Thermostat,” for example.
3. Then, link your Wink account to Echo within the Alexa mobile app (Settings > Connected Home > Device Links > Wink). 
4. Finally, say “Alexa, discover devices.” This can take up to 20 seconds. Your Nest Thermostat will then appear in the Alexa app as [name] i.e. “Living Room” or “Bedroom.”  

From there, you can adjust the temperature day in and day out with an easy voice command.

If you know the specific temperature you’d like your home to be, simply say: “Alexa, set [name] to [XYZ] degrees.” An example would be: “Alexa, set upstairs to 70 degrees.”

You can also adjust the temperature incrementally by saying: “Alexa, [increase or decrease] [name] by [XYZ] degrees.” An example here would be: “Alexa, increase bedroom by 3 degrees.”

In order to conserve battery life on your Nest Thermostat, Nest limits the number of interactions per hour. After the limit is reached, Alexa will respond with "Sorry, the device [your thermostat name] is not responding."

We’ll soon be connecting Alexa with other Wink-compatible thermostats so stay tuned for more!

How Smart Homes Can Save on Heating Bills

The air is crisp. The leaves are falling. Fall is here in full force. For many of us up north, that means facing a noticeable uptick in energy bills for the next few months as we crank up the heat in our homes.

According to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling account for nearly half of the average household’s monthly energy bill. Luckily, there are a few ways you can use your smart home to make that bill a little easier on the eyes, and your wallet:

• Install a smart thermostat: If you don’t have one already, now is the perfect time to buy a smart thermostat like the Carrier Côr. With Côr, you can set smart schedules so the heat isn’t on when you’re not home. It has a smart setback feature which lets the thermostat intelligently adapt beyond manual programming for greater efficiency, while still meeting ideal comfort levels. It even uses your home address to gather local weather data so it can make even smarter, energy-saving decisions!

• Check the settings on your water heater: Fun fact: most water heaters run 24/7 and at a scalding / unnecessarily high temperature. Adjusting the settings is easy and can go a long way to saving energy. If you’re in the market, pick up a Rheem EcoNet which can be adjusted from afar through the Wink app to lower your monthly bill even further.

• Create an ‘Energy Saving’ Shortcut or Robot: By bringing together your lightbulbs, Carrier Côr thermostat, and other smart products within a Wink Shortcut, it becomes much easier to turn off or adjust everything. With one tap in the app, you can lower the temperature and turn off the lights for bedtime. Or you can connect products together in a Wink Robot so that when you leave the house in the morning, your HVAC system knows to lower the temperature.

Hopefully this helps keep the wallet a bit fuller this winter!

Meet the Newest Wink-Compatible Products

We recently released a new app update for iOS and Android and with it, have brought two new products onto the Wink platform. We’re very excited about them and wanted to share a quick overview of the latest Wink partners!

iHome SmartPlug - Wink HUB not required

This WiFi-enabled wall plug lets you control small appliances up to 1800 watts, including lights, fans, and portable heaters, right through your smart phone. Its slim design fits any standard outlet so you can keep one outlet free, or plug in two.

Forget to turn off the coffee maker or TV before leaving for work? With Wink, you can turn appliances plugged into your SmartPlug on or off in a pinch. You can also integrate iHome SmartPlug with existing Shortcuts or Robots for even more home automation possibilities.

Carrier® Côr™ - Wink HUB not required

The Carrier® Côr™ is a smart thermostat designed to combine home comfort with reduced energy use. Its smart setback feature enables the Côr thermostat to adapt beyond manual programming for greater efficiency, while its energy reports give you in-depth information and tips on how you can save money. It even uses local weather data so it can make even smarter, energy-saving decisions.

Try setting up an “Away” Shortcut in Wink that automatically adjusts the temperature of your Côr thermostat while ensuring other energy-hogging devices are turned off while you’re not home.

Wink Integrates With Ecobee

Today, we’re really excited to let you know that the ecobee3 smart thermostat and remote sensors are now Wink-compatible!

If you’re not familiar, ecobee3 intuitively understands when to turn on your HVAC system based on your home’s unique energy profile, your schedule, and the weather outside.

What really makes it handy are the ecobee3 remote sensors. These little guys (one comes with your ecobee3 thermostat purchase and you can buy more) can be placed around your home and measure temperature and occupancy so you’re always comfortable in the rooms you’re actually using.

With Wink, you can integrate ecobee3 into existing Shortcuts and Robots or monitor and adjust your home’s environment through the Wink app in a pinch.

For example, a ‘Vacation’ Shortcut (especially helpful as we enter the busy holiday travel season) could be used to lower your ecobee3’s temperature, turn off the lights and ensure the front door is locked with one tap.

Grab one today at Amazon or Home Depot!

New Products Now Compatible With Wink

Wink gives you choice and flexibility when selecting smart products for your home by working with the best smart products and leading brands.  Today, we're excited to introduce two new products that are now compatible with the Wink platform. To connect them with your Wink account, simply tap “Add new product” within the Wink app and follow the instructions!

Here’s a bit more about each:

OSRAM LIGHTIFY LED Tunable A19 White Bulb - Wink HUB required

This smart bulb lets you customize the color temperature of your home’s lighting to enhance your environment. How? It has an adjustable temperature range, so you can switch between warm and cool shades of white. You could have bright light for when you’re hard at work or a much softer light for a cozier feel when you’re watching TV. 

With Wink, you can also connect it with other smart devices in your home so that certain events (opening the front door, for example) will trigger it to turn on or off. 

Emerson Sensi™ Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat - Wink HUB not required

This smart thermostat gives you the ability to control your home’s temperature anytime, anywhere through the Wink app. You can set schedules, monitor the temperature, and even turn on your air conditioner when you leave work so your home is nice and comfy when you arrive. 

Or, if you want your thermostat to kick into gear along with other smart products, you can integrate it into a Wink Shortcut. A “Bedtime” Shortcut, for example, could dim your lights, lower the blinds and adjust your thermostat with just one tap.

Interested in picking these up? Both products, in addition to a variety of other Wink-compatible devices, can be found on the new Wink endcap in The Home Depot stores nationwide this summer!