Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

The Cortana-powered Glas thermostat now works with Alexa and Google

Kim Wetzel
By
Johnson Controls reinvents the thermostat

Update: read our full review of the Glas thermostat to find out how the device fared in the real world.

Recommended Videos

Glas, the first smart thermostat powered by Johnson Controls and Microsoft, is of course voice controlled via Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana (who stacks up surprisingly well against the competition). Its sleek design includes a touchscreen display that lets you adjust the temperature of various rooms throughout your home — and it’s now available to order for $319.

Related

And this week, Johnson Controls announced that the device will also work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, which means you don’t have to buy into Cortana if you buy the device. If you have an Amazon Echo or a Google Home device, you can turn down the thermostat just by using your voice.

Created by Johnson Controls, the firm behind the very first electric room thermostat, Glas will still depend upon Microsoft’s Windows 10 IoT (Internet of Things) Core operating system, and will be one of the very first thermostats to feature a Cortana integration. But it certainly isn’t the only smart home appliance that will soon tout Microsoft’s A.I. assistant. Microsoft recently announced plans to bring Cortana to a host of devices, including refrigerators, toasters, and more.

According to Microsoft’s promotional video for Glas, the thermostat will be able to keep you abreast of calendar notifications, energy usage, and air quality, as well as determine whether or not you’re in the room (and make adjustments accordingly). Much like the Nest, the Glas thermostat wants to be able to save you energy (and therefore money) by proactively changing its settings based on the environment.

The thermostat features an attractive 6-inch translucent OLED touchscreen display, and when internet-connected, will monitor air quality and intelligently adjust settings to help create a comfortable home environment. We got a chance to see the device and found it to be extremely user-friendly. Folks will be able to control Glas via mobile, tablet, or web browser, and mobile apps are available to download for iOS and Android.

The Glas smart thermostat is available now online at glas.johnsoncontrols.com and at Amazon.com for $319. It will begin shipping on August 24.

Updated August 15, 2018, to add information on availability, price, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kim Wetzel
Kim Wetzel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before joining Digital Trends as Home Editor, Kim was an adjunct journalism professor at Linfield College and high school…
You can buy a Pixel 4a now, but Google’s already teasing the Pixel 5
The Google Pixel 4a, front and back.

Google is going phone crazy for the remainder of 2020. It has announced the long-awaited Google Pixel 4a and teased a future 5G version of the phone, while also confirming the Pixel 5 will arrive in the fall. Having started off the year by discontinuing the Pixel 3a, this is great news for fans of smartphones that boast awesome cameras.

Pixel 4a Google

Read more
Microsoft to end Cortana support for iOS, Android, Harman Kardon Invoke speaker
harmon kardon invoke review on table

Microsoft is ending support for Cortana on mobile devices and on the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker, as the digital assistant continues to be primed for Microsoft 365.

Microsoft said that it will end support for third-party Cortana skills on September 7, which will be followed by the shutdown of the digital assistant's iOS and Android apps in early 2021. Mobile device owners are advised to utilize Cortana's integration in Windows 10, Outlook mobile, and soon in the Teams mobile app.

Read more
Google partnerships aim to help parents with their kids’ online safety
google be internet awesome

There are a lot of different things to be concerned about as a parent, but the internet ranks increasingly high on that list. What parent hasn't worried about what their children might be exposed to and what they might say or share online? We all know about the dangerous content that lurks online, we all fear cyberbullying, and it's natural to have concerns about screen time. Part of the problem is that most of us were never taught about online safety, so making sure that our kids understand how to stay safe online is challenging.

More than half of parents have never received online safety training, according to a nationwide survey Google conducted, and just 40% feel confident enough to talk to their family about online safety. There's a growing expectation that kids will be taught about online safety in the classroom. In fact, two out of three parents believe kids should learn about online safety both at home and in the classroom.

Read more