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A new proprietary survey by our sister publication Travel Weekly has revealed a wide gulf between how black and white travel professions view inclusion in the industry.

TWs findings were startling.

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Of the 423 industry professionals responding to a recent Travel Weekly survey attempting to gauge perception on the topic, 53 percent agreed or strongly agreed the industry is diverse and inclusive, 22 percent were neutral, and 17 percent disagreed.

But breaking it down among the races proved a far more disparate view.

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Among white respondents, the percentage who agreed or strongly agreed was 61 percent. But among the 15 percent of the respondents who indicated they were black, the same percentage 61 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed that the industry is diverse and inclusive, while 23 percent indicated a neutral position, and 15 percent believe it is.

One Black 25-year industry veteran commented that, for the 10 years that she worked for a large corporate agency, I was the only Black agent in all the Southern California branches. When I was promoted to agency manager, I had the opportunity to hire several Black agents, but we were still grossly underrepresented in my company. In the area of leadership, Black representation was even worse.

And it wasn't just employment within the industry. Another concern that came up repeatedly in comments had to do with the lack of people of color in sales collateral or advertising imagery. Among the comments:

Few advertising media display persons of color despite the fact that much of their revenue is derived from this group.

Marketing and advertising for leisure travel overwhelmingly caters to and features white travelers.

Especially with upscale and luxury suppliers, marketing assets are not diverse and inclusive. Representation is sparse.

You can find the entire survey, all of its questions, all of its responses and an interpretation here on the Travel Weekly site.

Link:
New Survey Sheds Light on Diversity and Inclusion in Travel Industry - TravelPulse

Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya opened up on the time after the infamous Koffee with Karan controversy. In 2019 Hardik and KL Rahul were invited on a popular chat show hosted by Bollywood director and producer Karan Johar Koffee with Karan. The episode was aired officially on January 6 and within hours it was much-talk about event of the year. During the show, Hardik made some misogynistic and sexist comments which led to a huge controversy. Later, the all-rounder took to Twitter and apologized for hurting peoples sentiments. Both Hardik and Rahul were suspended by BCCI, which was lifted after some time and they were fined Rs. 20 Lakhs.

Pandya talked about the incident and said he didnt even know what misogynistic meant at that time.

I really didnt know what misogynistic meant. At first, I laughed thinking it was some word being used to make fun of me. Then a friend said, it means someone who strongly dislikes women, Pandya told Times of India.

How can I dislike women? Mom, didi (sister), bhabhi (sister-in-law), Natasa theyre all women. I adore them. My home is all about women. We are, because they are, he added.

The flamboyant all-rounder got married earlier this year with Natasa Stankovic and also became a father.

Pandya further talked about life after the incident and said that he had to lock himself as everything around him started to crumble.

For the first time, I wasnt in control of my own life. Everything around me started to crumble. I had to lock myself up. If not for my family, Id have lost a great deal of everything. They were and continue to remain the backbone the women in my family, he further said.

Today, its my turn to be the backbone of my family, Pandya added.

He also talked about the struggles he faced during his early days and how cricket changed his life and put perspective to it.

I grew up in a family where there was absolute freedom. We were taught to make our own decisions. Ill give my son the same freedom.

We were raised in very tough times. Money was always an issue in the family. We struggled. But we were happy. Cricket gave me and my brother something to fight for. Cricket is once again putting my life in perspective, he signed off.

Hardik is currently representing the Indian team in Australia for the limited-overs series. The 27-year-old has been in sensational form as he scored 210 runs in three-match ODI series against the Australian team.

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Hardik Pandya Sheds Light on Koffee with Karan Controversy, Says 'I Wasnt in Control of my Own Life' - Cricket Country News

The FIA says it will analyse "every aspect" of Romain Grosjean's Bahrain GP crash and "collaborate with all parties involved" in the dramatic accident.

Grosjean's 53G impact with the barriers last Sunday led to the Haas' survivor cell piercing the Armco and to a raging inferno that were cause for concern according to F1 boss Ross Brawn.

From the Haas' trajectory and resistance and how it absorbed the formidable energy upon impact, to the efficiency of the barriers and the performance of Grosjean's personal safety equipment, the FIA's forensic investigation will leave no stone unturned as it breaks down every stage or component of the event.

The role of the track marshals and F1's medical team will also be assessed.

"As with all serious accidents, we will analyse every aspect of this crash and collaborate with all parties involved," said FIA safety director Adam Baker.

"With so much data available in F1, it allows us to accurately determine every element of what occurred and this work has already begun.

"We take this research very seriously, and will follow a rigorous process to find out exactly what happened before proposing potential improvements."

The governing body's investigators will rely on data gathered from "various video streams, including a high speed camera which faces the driver and films at 400 frames per-second to reveal in slow motion what happens to him during the accident".

"Data will also be gathered from the in-car accident data recorder, which will reveal the speed and forces on the car, and the in-ear accelerometers that are moulded to fit inside a driver's ear canal to measure the movement of his head in a crash," said the FIA.

The investigation is expected to take around 6-8 weeks to complete before findings are made public.

All information and data will be added to the FIA's world accident database while the governing body's Serious Accident Study Group [SASG] will use the relevant information across other FIA disciplines for the purpose of improving safety.

Haas

The FIA lost no time to kick off its investigation, with its technical delegate Jo Bauer and head of competitor safety Nuno Costa visiting Haas on Monday to examen the remains of Grosjean's Haas VF-20.

"They were here yesterday, if I say a whole day maybe I exaggerate, but at least six hours, Jo Bauer and Nuno Costa , they were inspecting everything," Haas team boss Guenther Steiner said on Tuesday.

"But they have done with the car, we can take the car back, they have done all their work, but there is no outcome yet. For sure when they do these investigations they can come up with things that can be developed for the future, to be even safer.

"As far as I know they have no issues with our car at all, everything was to regulations."

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FIA sheds light on how it's investigating Grosjean crash - F1i.com

The European Space Agency has released the most detailed map yet of the Milky Way, shedding new light on the workings of our galaxy.

It contains data gathered by the Gaia observatory, which took off from Earth in 2013 and began observing stars in July 2014.

The new Gaia data hasallowed astronomers to trace older and younger stars out towards the very edge of our galaxy -the galacticanti-centre -and even predict the movement of stars over the next 1.6 million years.

This movement is imperceptible to the unaided eye, but is being measured with increasing precision by Gaia and an animation shows the motions of 40,000 stars starting from their current position.

Gaia data sets were previously released in 2016 and 2018.

The spacecraft has recorded the same stars several times by now and is, therefore, able to calculate movements and make predictions more accurately.

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3D map of Milky Way sheds light on workings of galaxy - RTE.ie

World Disability Day is celebrated on December 3rd to mark the importance of people living with disabilities. This years theme is to provide an inclusive society and culture for the needs of people with disability in all aspects. Heres how Rani Mukerji, the eminent Bollywood actress, stepped in to speak about the relevance of this day.

World Disability Day this year thrives on key messages that focus on providing an inclusive culture for the disabled people, giving them the highest standards of health and well-being and removing any discriminatory barriers. The Covid-19 pandemic has given an opportunity to build back better health systems so that they are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of people living with disabilities.

On this day, the talented Bollywood actress, Rani Mukerji took an opportunity to speak about the need to be an inclusive and empowering society.

I learnt a lot about humanity by doing these outstanding, sensitive films like Black and Hichki. I think these films contributed to making me a better human being and Im fortunate that I got to do these films and be a part of such beautiful cinematic visions of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Siddharth P. Malhotra. I hope these films managed to spark the right conversations in society about the need to treat everyone as an equal, said Rani Mukerji.

Rani Mukherji has always been a pioneering actress, leading the way in reel life and in real life both.Critics and audiences rate her performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Black to be her masterpiece and her acting in Hichki, as one of her best performances. Her excellent acting as a specially-abled girl Michelle McNally in Black, who strikes a beautiful and soulful bond with her teacher, and her portrayal of a confident Tourette Syndrome patient, Naina Mathur, looking to stamp her presence in this world in the superhit Hichki, helped initiate fundamental societal conversations about inclusivity and the need for equality in the society.

She adds, I learnt about the resolve of people who are determined to triumph despite all odds stacked up against them, their dreams, their aspirations and essaying these powerful girls on screen, made me a stronger human being. Im grateful that I can talk, see, hear and I realised that, as human beings, we might be taking these things for granted.

Rani says cataloguing of human beings because of their handicap must end at all cost. She says, For me, Black and Hichki were emotional experiences that opened my eyes more towards inclusivity for all, kindness and gratitude for what we have. As citizens of this country, we must all do our bit to constantly bring conversations about inclusivity and equality to the fore. Every citizen has rights and I realised that there is a lot of work that we all need to put in, individually, to stop discrimination and stereotyping of individuals like those I have portrayed in Black and Hichki.

Also Read:National Pollution Control Day 2020: 9 Ways to take initiatives for pollution control to save the environment

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World Disability Day: Rani Mukerji sheds light on the need to be an inclusive society - PINKVILLA

4:50pm, 02 December 2020

NZ Herald

Scott Robertson has shed light on his potential involvement with the British and Irish Lions, admitting its highly likely he joins Warren Gatlands coaching staff.

The Crusaders coach revealed in August after missing out on the All Blacks job to Ian Foster, he approached Gatland about joining the team in their tour of South Africa in 2021, with a desire to fill out his CV with international coaching experience.

Robertson says hes in ongoing talks with Lions management, which have been promising.

The Aotearoa Rugby Pod discuss the performance of super sub Will Jordan in the All Blacks 38-0 win over the Pumas in their final Tri-Nations match.

Weve had some good conversations the last couple of weeks around the opportunity. Im looking at potentially being involved with the team, that could play against the Springboks and then stay on in some capacity.

It wasnt an assistant role I was wanting it was a learning opportunity for me, [to] help a lot around the professional development and support their current coaching group, it wasnt about being an assistant as such.

Those conversations are continuing its a highly likely chance, Im finding ways I can get there.

Any involvement will follow on from the 46-year-olds duties in Super Rugby, where he will look to win a fifth consecutive title with the Canterbury franchise in next year.

The experience Robertson is after will ideally aid in him landing a more prominent role, likely outside of New Zealand, should his time with the Crusaders finish up soon.

Robertson earlier revealed he had aspirations to coach oversees, and recognised the sensitive timing around roles on the international market. He played in France for three years to learn French, in the hope of boosting his chances to coach there one day.

The Lions series in South Africa kicks-off on July 3, with the three tests running on three consecutive weekends from July 24.

Meanwhile, Robertson has this morning revealed his squad for next years Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, and will need to utilise the depth within his squad right off the bat.

All Black Braydon Ennor is out for the entire season with an ACL injury, while fellow international George Bridge along with Manasa Mataele with miss the start of the season, both with pectoral injuries.

That will see the likes of Leicester Faingaanuku and Dallas McLeod relied on more in the first team, players Robertson has touted as having big seasons in 2021.

Weve got a lot of guys that can play in multiple positions.

Leicester during Mitre 10 Cup was carrying a few people out the on the field, hes an awesome talent. If you want to win championships you need depth and if George is out, Leicester comes in. Theres great completion in all positions.

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.

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Scott Robertson sheds further light on 'likely' role with British and Irish Lions - RugbyPass

Colt McCoy makes pass vs. Bengals

Heading into practice on Wednesday, Giants head coach Joe Judge said that backup QB Colt McCoy will take a majority of the first-team reps as the team prepares for their matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Daniel Jones is still working hard to get healthy, but there was an outside chance that he would be ready to go.

So the Giants are potentially getting ready for a McCoy-led offense, which will be his first start since Week 5 of last year when the Washington Football Team played the New England Patriots. It was a 33-7 loss for McCoy and his previous start after that came in Week 13 of the 2018 season with the Football Team again a 28-13 loss to the Eagles where he completed all four of his passes before the ball was given to Mark Sanchez instead. One more start in the week prior of that season was also a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

In fact, McCoy hasn't won a start since Week 8 of the 2014 season.

But that didnt deter Judge from saying that he is extremely confident in the veterans abilities if and when he has to go under center for the Giants.

I have a lot of confidence in Colt, he told reporters Wednesday via Zoom. The way this guy comes to work every day and prepares and then every chance he gets on the field to compete look, Ive been able to coach against this guy and now hes with us right now. You can see how competitive he is. Hes got a lot of instincts, a lot of savvy, and draws on his experience. Hes a tough dude. Hes mentally tough, hes physically tough and hes a guy whos very well respected on this team in the locker room and on the field. The guys like Colt and they rally around him.

Trust from players and coaches goes a long way, but what exactly do the Giants like about McCoy that makes them feel that way? Well, QB coach Jerry Schuplinski made it clear last night that McCoy had a great training camp that impressed defensive coordinator Patrick Graham given he was lighting up his defense during practices.

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When you also take a look back at those performances from McCoy, youll see a quarterback who can roam the pocket and as Judge pointed out use instincts to feel pressure and make plays happen. However, there are times when McCoy does scramble and seems to panic, causing turnovers. He had three interceptions in that game against the Cowboys despite throwing for over 250 yards (he also threw for two touchdowns).

But there are a couple of things working in McCoys favor that the Giants will hope can be utilized on Sunday no matter who's quarterbacking.

For one, the offensive line is improving by the week and that not only helps Wayne Gallman & Co. in the run game, but it should help McCoy from running around for his life. And make no mistake: The Giants will most likely try to pound the ball on the Seahawks, kill clock and limit Russell Wilsons time with the ball in his hands. McCoy will, then, be tasked with making the necessary throws to game manage and get points on the board kind of like what happened when Jones went down this past Sunday.

Well, I think the line obviously throughout the year works together and made a lot of improvement, Judge said. I think its a reflection of how these guys are able to compete through games together and how thats improved.

Also, it helps that McCoy and the Giants will be playing against one of the worst defenses in the league this year. Forget what happened on Monday night against the Eagles because Philly has its own issues on offense. Despite the record, the Seahawks are allowing an atrocious 418.1 yards per game. And most of that yardage comes through the air 328.8 per game to be exact.

So while the front seven might be solid in the run game, McCoy should be able to find his plethora of weapons on the outside open. Evan Engram will be a target to watch considering Seattle has allowed 585 yards and five touchdowns to tight ends this season. Dallas Goedert had his way with Jamal Adams, for example, on Monday night. Theres also Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard with very reliable short-to-medium route trees that should be able to work.

Will the deep ball be available? Maybe if the Seahawks get too lax. But the Giants should be banking on McCoy to hit his shorter throws whether that be designed screens, hitches and digs that will eat up chunks of yards and clock.

The Giants are an improving team by the week and their three-game win streak shows it. If Jones cant go, it will be up to McCoy to rely on his instincts and work with that improvement. Try not to do too much and make sure the ball stays away from Seattles offense. That is where the Giants can come away with an upset and keep their NFC East lead intact.

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Colt McCoy's recent starts shed light on what Giants' game plan should be if he plays in Week 13 - Yahoo Sports

The RodneySubmitting Company: Ankrom Moisan ArchitectsLocation: PortlandCost: $66 millionStart Date: September 1, 2015Completion Date: October 1, 2019Owner/Developer: 14th & Glisan Investors, LPArchitect: Ankrom Moisan ArchitectsStructural Engineer: CKC Structural EngineersCivil Engineer: DOWLConsultants: ACS Testing, Acoustics by Design, Cardno, CKC Structural Engineers, Code Unlimited, Data-Tel Communications, DOWL, Earth Advantage, Kittelson & Associates, Morrison Herschfield, Navix Engineering, Terra Associates, Vida DesignGeneral Contractor: Holland ConstructionSubcontractors: Affordable Window Coverings, BASCO-Builders Alliance Supply Co., Benelli Construction, Bergelectric, Bridgewell Interiors, Buffalo Welding, Cascadia Windows & Doors, Compaction and Recycling Equipment, Crawford Door, Culver Glass, De-El Enterprises, DeSantis Landscape, Exteriors Design, Floor Solutions, Fredinburg Masonry, Gonsalves & Santucci dba Conco, Huntco, Icon 3D Signs, Imperial Steel Craft, InstaFab, Jet Industries, JS Perrott, KONE, Lanz Cabinets, LDC, Malcolm Drilling, McDonald & Wetle, MEI Group A Moore Excavation Co., NW Construction Services, Pacific Stair, Parcel Pending, Patriot Fire Protection, Peninsula Painting, Sawtooth Caulking, Snyder Roofing of Oregon, Wall to Wall Stone, Western Partitions, Williamsen & Bleid, You and I Construction

Crowned with a 360-degree rooftop deck, The Rodney residential tower offers a mix of layouts from urban studios to penthouses. The 16-story structure houses 230 units and 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The Rodney is enrolled in the city of Portlands Multiple Unit Limited Tax Exemption program, and 20 percent of the buildings units are set aside for low-income housing.

The base of the building pays homage to the history of the old warehouses scattered throughout the Pearl District. As the tower climbs vertically, the rigidity and heaviness of the base begin to lighten and a glassier aesthetic begins to emerge. Designers wanted to challenge the traditional notion of a residential lobby and created an active gathering space for group events and a coworking atmosphere for residents.

The LEED Platinum building features water management systems and landscaping; high-capacity bike parking; low-emitting vehicle priority parking; and low VOC materials. Much of the building demolished to make way for The Rodney was recycled, and the project achieved 85 percent construction waste reduction.

The project team also created a parklet near the building because there is a lack of open space in the western edge of the Pearl District.

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The Rodney - 2nd Place (Multifamily) Daily Journal of Commerce - Daily Journal of Commerce

Designed to an exceptionally high standard to achieve LEED & Wiredscore Platinum Certification, this development will comprise 177,000 sq ft of Grade A office space across eight storeys over double-basement, featuring gym and changing facilities, as well as ample bike and car parking spaces. The ground floor will consist of the developments lobby and reception and offer 5,700 sq ft of retail space.

The adjacent Protected Structure, formerly home of the British and Irish Steam Packet company will be restored, with the ground floor being repurposed as a caf, contributing to the growing sense of public realm between the Campshire buildings on the Quays, while the upper floors and rear atrium will be converted into office space.

Construction of the development is underway, with piling for the building foundations already completed and works commencing this month on the double basement structure. The erection of the tower cranes as well as the basement floor slab of the central core, will be completed by Christmas.

The Shipping Office and neighbouring development One Lime Street another Marlet scheme which will deliver 216 high-end apartments are both due to be completed by Q3 2022.

The Shipping Office, like every other Marlet development, has been carefully designed to guarantee the health and safety of its occupants and will incorporate features such as a large entrance court and reception to avoid congestion at peak times, larger lifts to allow for social distancing as well as microbicidal paint applied on washroom and shared area walls, antibacterial door hardware, touch-free building access, and a top-of-the-range ventilation throughout the building.

Occupants will have access to multiple landscaped areas and green roofs populated by native vegetation and sustainably designed to be a natural habitat for flora and fauna within the city.

Pat Crean, Marlet CEO said: We are delighted to begin the delivery of this state-of the art office development with BAM. The Shipping Office was designed with high-expectations occupiers in mind and its exceptional location will undoubtedly make it a new Dublin landmark.

Since the acquisition of its first site in 2014, Marlet has grown to become one of Irelands largest independently owned property development companies. Over the last 6 years Marlet has sourced and acquired over 1bn of assets and built up an impressive and extremely diverse portfolio in Ireland for its investors. The portfolio includes major mixed-use developments, Build to Rent apartment schemes, student accommodation, hotels and aparthotels. With over 1.6 million sq. ft already built, the companys goal is to be at the forefront of the industry and reshape Dublins urban landscape.

Theo Cullinane, BAM Ireland CEO said: We are delighted to be entrusted by Marlet yet again to deliver a high-profile project on what is the last remaining undeveloped riverside site in the South Docklands. The Shipping Office will utilise a lot of the same off-site prefabrication techniques being used to deliver Lime Street. Utilizing off-site construction will shorten the construction period and reduce the numbers on site to aid social distancing. The health and safety of our staff is our number one priority at BAM.

Established in 1958, BAM Ireland is one of the countrys largest construction businesses. We employ 2,000 people directly and indirectly with a forecast turnover for 2019 of 603m. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal BAM Group of the Netherlands, which has a turnover of 7.2 Billion and employs 19,500 people worldwide. BAM Ireland is the holding company for all BAMs operating companies in Ireland. These include: BAM Building; BAM Civil; BAM Fit-out; BAM Property; BAM Housing; BAM PPP; BAM Facilities Management and BAM Rail. Together, these operating companies rank in the top 2 of major Irish construction companies. BAM Building has carried out projects of the largest scale for the most prestigious of clients. BAM Civil is the largest civil engineering contractor in Ireland. Projects include PPP motorway schemes, transportation, water & wastewater, marine, energy and rail projects.

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Marlet appoints BAM Ireland as main contractor for commercial development the Shipping Office on Sir John Rogerson's Quay - Irish Building Magazine

Ten years ago, Nest introduced its first smart thermostat, the Nest Learning Thermostat, and showed the world what a smart thermostat is capable of. You can use it to automatically program your thermostats schedule, control it with your smartphone or a voice assistant, integrate it with other smart devices in your home like smoke detectors, and have it adjust itself for when youve left the house.

The companys latest model, the simply named $129.99 Nest Thermostat, does away with a lot of the more advanced features in favor of a simpler, more basic design and feature set. But while Googles goal is to appeal to those who havent yet upgraded their ancient programmable thermostat, its stripped out a lot of what makes a connected thermostat smart to begin with.

The most obvious thing Google did was change the design and functionality of the thermostat itself. The Nest Thermostat doesnt have the signature rotating ring of Nests prior models. Instead, you use a touch strip on the right side to adjust temperature and navigate the interface. The touch strip works fine, and the thermostat will emit an audible click as you swipe up or down, but its far less satisfying to use than the dampened ring on the Nest Learning Thermostat. I do prefer it to Ecobees clumsy touchscreen, however.

Also different are the materials: the Nest Thermostat is made entirely of plastic that you can get in four different colors, as opposed to the metal finishes of the older models. Aesthetics are certainly a personal preference, but I like the look of the brushed metal of the older Nest models much better. Its clear that Googles changes here were to bring the price down and make it more accessible than the flagship model that retails for $250 (though it can be found on sale quite regularly).

The front of the Nest Thermostat has a mirrored finish, with a display that shines through it when you are in front of the thermostat or interacting with it. This is not a touchscreen all interaction on the thermostat is done through the touch strip and most of the time, it just sits there on the wall not displaying anything. I was concerned that this mirrored finish would get quite dusty, but in the few weeks Ive been testing the Nest Thermostat, its stayed clean.

When the screen is on, it looks like information is just floating on the mirrored front, a neat effect. It will tell you what the thermostat is currently set to, what temp its reading, and whether it is running the heating or cooling systems to adjust the climate in your home. Tap the side, and you can scroll through the menus to adjust modes, set a hold temperature, and view other settings, though most of the adjustments to scheduling and such are handled through the Google Home app on your smartphone.

The mirrored finish is unbroken, thanks to Googles use of radar-based Soli technology to detect your presence instead of a more traditional motion sensor. But if you look at it from the right angle, mostly from the left side, you can see where the square display is centered under the mirrored panel, breaking the illusion a bit.

The Nest Thermostat doesnt support a number of advanced features found on the higher-end model, including FarSight, which lets you see the current temp or other info from across the room. In practice, this wasnt a problem in my home. The Nest was still able to detect my presence and light up even when I was 10 or more feet away from it.

Installing the Nest Thermostat is very similar to prior models, and Google does a good job of walking you through the process with video tutorials in the app. Certain creature comforts, such as the included screwdriver, have been dropped for this model, and most frustrating of all, it doesnt come with a backing plate to cover up the holes in the wall from your old thermostat. To get one of those, youll need to shell out another $15. (Older models always included it in the box.)

The Nest Thermostat doesnt use the rechargeable lithium battery as other models, instead relying on two AAA batteries that Google says will last up to two years. Google also says it does use the same trickle power feature to draw energy from the HVAC system as the older model, which likely helps extend the life of those two batteries.

In all, it takes about 15 minutes to install and set up the Nest Thermostat, though you can also pay a professional to do it for you.

Set up and control of the Nest Thermostat is handled entirely through the Google Home app; you cant do anything with it in the old Nest app. That may be frustrating for existing Nest customers looking for a single place to monitor all of their devices, but for most new owners, it doesnt matter.

Scheduling the Nest Thermostat is significantly different than how older Nest models work. Instead of relying on the thermostat to determine your patterns and automatically schedule itself, you are prompted to choose temperatures and time blocks when you set it up. This is very similar to how a traditional programmable thermostat works: you put in what times youre home, what times you arent, and when you go to bed, and then set temps for each respective mode. You can also add custom time blocks for more granular controls.

This method will be very familiar to those coming from an old programmable thermostat, but it makes the Nest Thermostat feel quite limited and dumb compared to other smart thermostats. For example, it will not adapt itself if your schedule happens to deviate from your programming because youre home at a different time than usual. Right now, we are home a lot more than we typically are, thanks to pandemic-related lockdowns, but the Nest Thermostat sticks to its programmed schedule no matter what.

The Nest Thermostat does have the ability to go into its energy-saving Eco mode when you arent home by using its own presence detection, geolocation on your phone, or a combination of the two. If the system doesnt see any activity for an hour and your phone location is reporting that youre not home, it will automatically switch to the Eco preset to save energy. Its odd that it cant do the opposite for when you are home unexpectedly.

Another area where the Nest Thermostat is inferior to other models is in support for remote sensors. It just doesnt support them; the only temperature it will set itself to is what it reads from its wall-mounted position. Both the Nest Learning Thermostat and Ecobee line of thermostats can adjust the system based on sensors elsewhere in the home, which provides much more flexibility and control over the climate.

The Nest Thermostat isnt completely dumb. In addition to the smartphone control, you can use either the Google Assistant or Amazons Alexa to adjust the thermostat via voice. It also has built-in energy-saving and comfort features from the other Nest models, including the ability to preheat or cool the home before a scheduled time block starts or circulating the air with the fan to more efficiently use air conditioning. It will also tell you how long it will take the system to reach your selected temperature and will award leaf icons when you program it efficiently though in my home, the only way to get a leaf was to set it uncomfortably cool or warm. It will also prompt you to change filters and do other maintenance to keep the system running efficiently.

In all, the Nest Thermostat is a fine connected thermostat that lets you program and control it with your phone easily. It also can save you money on your heating and cooling bills, thanks to its Eco modes.

But it also feels like a smart thermostat from years ago and isnt as helpful or flexible as other options, even within Nests own lineup. The main appeal for the Nest Thermostat is its price: at $130 and even less if you have a rebate available from your local power company, its a much easier pill to swallow than Nests fancier models or even Ecobees options.

Photography by Dan Seifert / The Verge

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Nest Thermostat review: more simple than smart - The Verge