Nest The Learning Thermostat programs itself to save energy

The idea of an iPhone based thermostat would seem silly unless the developer was the project lead from Apple`s iPod and iPhone 3.

They will cost $249 when they ship on November 14, 2011 and you`ll probably want one if you`re into all things iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Tech Crunch calls Tony Fadell the Godfather of the iPod an iPhone. When he left Apple to pursue his own life, Fadell couldn`t stop his urge to create something cool and useful.

Fadell`s research said that billions of homes have thermostats that are ugly and non-functional. Ugly is the ultimate sin in the world of Mac-olytes. But functionality is even more important.

Nest The Learning Thermostat will learn when to turn up and turn down the heat after a few weeks of user adjustment of the temperature wheel. If you forget to turn down the heat and leave home, it turns itself down after two hours of nobody home.

Fadell says it will save up to 10% of energy costs. When you dial back the heat or cooling, the Nest shows a green leaf for green energy.

As expected, there will be iPhone and iPad apps to allow adjustment from anywhere.

He got the idea from the green cars the Toyota Prius display shows when you drive more conservatively. As a Prius driver that does work at first. Like all things, we tend to ignore that in a rush.

Seems cool and the price is almost too high but not too high. You can pre-order or wait until it shows up at Best Buy in mid-November.

The website has an easy to use tool to see if your home is compatible with the Nest. Check the wires on your current thermostat first.

I just can`t figure out how the Godfather came up with such a clunky name. iPod or Nest The Learning Thermostat.