Hisense Announces World's First Internet Connected Smart Air-Conditioner

Hisense is a Chinese company that makes all sorts of electronics products. The company has announced what it claims to be the world's first Internet connected smart air conditioner for home users. The air-conditioner was announced in connection with Chinese social networking site Weibo.

It might seem a bit odd to announce a new air-conditioner along with a social networking site, but the product is designed specifically to interface with a Weibo social network account. Hisense says that users install the air-conditioner in their home and then connect it to the Internet where it can be interfaced with via private messages using a Weibo account.

Once connected to the social network, users can monitor power usage, temperature, and humidity within the home. All of those settings can be adjusted over the Internet via Weibo private messages. The system does require that the user add the air-conditioner to their friends list.

Hisense says that the product is being added to its lineup after success with smart TVs and smart refrigerators. The product is part of Hisense's plan to create a household Internet of things. There's no indication of when the air-conditioner will be available or how much it will cost this time. Other manufacturers have done something very similar to this with Internet connected thermostats such as the NEST thermostat.

SOURCE: Hisense