Honeywell

Twitter launching music discovery app

CNET Update tweets to the beat:

Twitter is launching a new music service that will suggest songs to listen to based on accounts you follow or artists that are trending. As the world waits for the official launch, Ryan Seacrest seems to be enjoying it.

Android users can experience Chat Heads on the Facebook Messenger app, rather than download the Facebook Home interface.

Also in this tech roundup, I bring you the highlights from the DigitalFocus technology showcase, which includes the Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat, the Linkase Wi-Fi signal booster for smartphones, the new Duracell Powermat iPhone 5 wireless charging … Read more

Honeywell wants in on smart thermostats

Honeywell doesn't get any more specific than referring to "other 'smart' thermostats" in announcing its new Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat this week, but the feature and price similarities between Honeywell's new product and the Nest Learning Thermostat couldn't be more clear.

For $249, the same price as the Nest, the Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat will provide a similar set of functions to help you regulate and customize your home heating and cooling. Like the Nest, Honeywell's thermostat lets you program temperature settings on the device itself and remotely via iOS and Android devices. It also has … Read more

New radar tech helps pilots nimbly avoid severe weather

Say goodbye to turbulence and flying through nasty weather, and many of the costly delays that go along with such airborne unpleasantness.

That's the promise of the latest iteration of Honeywell's IntuVue weather radar system, technology that is designed to allow airline pilots to steer clear of rough weather.

Although IntuVue has been around for several years, offering pilots a three-dimensional view of weather up to about 370 miles in front of them, the newest version of the software adds warnings of up to 10 minutes for turbulence, hail, and lightning.

The IntuVue system, first unveiled in 2008, … Read more

IBM partners with Honeywell to create mobile shopping app

IBM is introducing its own in-store shopping companion app.

Dubbed the "digital shopping assistant," this mobile app allows consumers to scan items they want to purchase at retail stores with their smartphone and then use an IBM self-checkout station to pay.

"Retailers can now deliver a more personalized shopping experience that is less of a chore and more of a convenience for consumers," IBM Retail Store Solutions vice president John Gaydac said in a statement. "By enabling consumers to scan and check-out a wide variety of products at their own pace, retailers can not only … Read more

Honeywell digs in against Nest in thermostat IP case

Honeywell today summarily denied counterclaims in a patent infringement suit it filed against thermostat startup Nest Labs.

In a court filing, Honeywell stood by its claims that Nest infringed on its numerous patents in programmable thermostats. The suit was first filed against Nest in February.

Nest responded to the suit in April, saying that Honeywell's seemingly broad patents are "hopelessly invalid" and said Honeywell is trying to stifle innovation.

In today's filing, Honeywell fired back, saying the thermostat heavyweight intends to vigorously defend its intellectual property. The filing said Nest Labs' counter claims are "irrelevant … Read more

AirGenius 5: Air cleaner sounds like an Apple product but isn't

Apple sells Air laptops and has geniuses working in its stores, so at first glance you might think the new AirGenius 5 has some sort of Apple pedigree. But no, it's just Honeywell's new high-tech air cleaner, which hits Target stores today for $239.99.

The product has a few highlights, the most important of which are that it's quiet; has five different cleaning settings (Sleep, Germs, General, Allergen, and Max); and has a washable honeycomb-style filter that you don't need to replace like some filters (Honeywell says it doesn't restrict airflow like paper filters do and still captures up to 99 percent of particles 0.3 microns and larger).

I actually saw and heard the AirGenuis 5 in action a couple of weeks ago and can attest to it being quiet. As for cleaning the air in the room around me, I'll have to take Honeywell's word on that. If nothing else, I'm now more cognizant about just how much breathing I do. … Read more

Nest Labs to Honeywell: We'll see you in court

Nest Labs today fired back at Honeywell over its patent infringement case against Nest, claiming the thermostat giant is using its patent portfolio to stifle innovation.

The company also hired Apple's former chief patent counsel, Richard Lutton Jr., as it plans for a legal fight with Honeywell in the years ahead.

Founded by former successful Apple engineers, Nest Labs started selling its $250 Learning Thermostat last year and quickly sold out amid rave reviews over its design and ability to automatically set schedules.

Honeywell in February filed a suit claiming that Nest infringed on several of its seemingly broad … Read more

Nest vows to fight Honeywell thermostat suit

Nest Labs today said it will "vigorously defend" itself from a patent infringement lawsuit filed by thermostat giant Honeywell.

The startup issued a statement two days after it got hit with the suit along with Best Buy, which sells its smart thermostat. The lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction to halt the sales of Nest's Learning Thermostat.

Nest Labs' statement from today is:

"We at Nest are proud of creating products that bring true innovation to home efficiency and we are continuing to innovate and bring products to market. The Nest Learning Thermostat is already making … Read more

Honeywell slaps Nest Labs with lawsuit over thermostat

Honeywell today filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nest Labs and is seeking to stop sales of Nest Labs' high-profile thermostat.

The lawsuit claims that Nest Labs infringes seven Honeywell patents. The longtime thermostat maker is seeking damages and is trying to prevent Nest Labs and Best Buy, which is also named in the suit, from selling Nest Labs' Learning Thermostat.

Honeywell said Nest infringed patents dealing with user interface control and other advanced features. "We are focused on upholding the integrity of the hard work and development our company has put into its home comfort and residential control … Read more