Venstar ColorTouch Residential Thermostat With Wi-Fi Key Lets Users Control Home Thermostats From Their Mobile Devices via Skyport Cloud Services

CHATSWORTH, CA--(Marketwire - May 16, 2012) - Life just got a little easier. Venstar®, a leading thermostat and energy management systems supplier, today announced its newest accessory, the Skyport™ Wi-Fi Key for the ColorTouch® residential thermostat. The Skyport Wi-Fi Key connects to Venstar's Skyport Cloud Services, which, when used with Venstar's new mobile application, allows users to remotely monitor and control their home thermostats. Compatible with Apple iPhone®, iTouch®, iPad®, BlackBerry, Android, Mac and PC devices, the ColorTouch residential thermostat with Skyport Wi-Fi Key is priced under $300 (estimated consumer cost).

Using the ColorTouch mobile application on their smartphones or tablet computers over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G, or over the Internet, users can control their energy usage and reduce energy costs from any location, at any time. The ColorTouch thermostat with the Skyport Wi-Fi Key and the mobile application connect remotely using Venstar's secure Skyport Cloud Services.

"The ColorTouch Skyport Wi-Fi Key transforms the thermostat into a Wi-Fi device that allows users to monitor and control their home thermostats from any compatible mobile device or computer via Skyport, our proprietary cloud service," said Steve Dushane, president and CEO of Venstar Inc. "Whether they are in the same room as the thermostat, across town or on the other side of the world, users can now remotely monitor and control their home thermostats. Users can adjust the temperature up or down when they are on the way home from work, and they can even do it from their smartphones without getting up from the couch."

The new ColorTouch residential mobile application allows users to remotely monitor and control up to 10 thermostats at up to 10 locations. Multiple people can control thermostats at the same home individually from their mobile devices.

Once a Skyport Cloud account is created online, users can use the application on their mobile devices or directly from the Web to:

• Monitor thermostat information, including system run time and current usage;
• View incoming alerts based on pre-configured notifications, such as important updates on the health of the system or simply if the home's inside temperature has gone above or below pre-set limits;
• View a pictorial display of the current weather and weather forecast for all thermostat locations; and
• Send text messages from the mobile device to the thermostat display, such as reminders and notes to family members.

In addition, users can receive vital updates from their HVAC professionals on the health of their systems right on the thermostat display.

The Home Thermostat That Thinks It's a Digital Picture Frame

In addition to its new mobility features, the ColorTouch residential thermostat with the Skyport Wi-Fi Key adds to the many benefits of the original ColorTouch thermostat. Its multi-functional, simple-to-use, richly featured, programmable touch screen thermostat has customizable backgrounds, including the users' own photos, and more than a dozen pre-set themes, including holiday themes. Compatible with virtually every type of heating and air conditioning system, ColorTouch can be configured to display one of three languages: English, French or Spanish. ColorTouch is the thermostat that thinks it's a digital picture frame!

Five Menu Items Make Programming Fast and Easy

The ColorTouch residential thermostat with the Skyport Wi-Fi Key comes standard with the ColorTouch Assistant software for PC or Mac, which has five main menu items that make programming the ColorTouch thermostat fast and easy. From their smartphones, tablets or computers, homeowners can use the ColorTouch Assistant to control the following from anywhere in the world:

• Picture Gallery -- users can easily find and upload their own photos. Editing tools allow for photo placement, color and brightness adjustments.
• Service Information -- allows the contractor to provide service contact information. This can also be done directly on the thermostat.
• Schedule -- users can see an "overview" of the time period schedule for heating and cooling and can edit the schedule from any Mac or PC desktop or laptop computer running ColorTouch Assistant. The user can also view and change the schedule directly from the thermostat.
• Thermostat Settings -- users can adjust preferences, alerts, daylight savings, vacation, security, and overall system settings. The user can also make setting changes directly on the thermostat.
• Automatic Updates to ColorTouch Software and Firmware (the operating system and feature set) -- When the user opens the ColorTouch Assistant application, it automatically connects to Venstar's Web site in the background and updates the ColorTouch Assistant and thermostat firmware to the latest revisions at no charge. ColorTouch Assistant updates the firmware to the Skyport Wi-Fi Key to be uploaded to the thermostat, which then updates the thermostat. Updating the firmware ensures that the user always has the most current system software, including new features and performance enhancements.

Users of the ColorTouch residential thermostat can "get connected" by adding the Skyport Wi-Fi Key card, priced at under $100 (estimated consumer cost). Upgrade process includes a simple firmware update using ColorTouch Assistant.

For more information, visit: http://www.venstar.com/Thermostats/
For product videos, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8reHhhLdMQ
Email: sales@venstar.com
Telephone: 818-812-9930

About Venstar Inc.

Founded in 1992, Venstar Inc. is a leading thermostat and energy management system (EMS) supplier, known for providing value to its customers via ease of use and installation, proven cost savings, improved energy efficiency, quality and reliability. Venstar is one of the largest thermostat suppliers in the world and designs and produces Venstar-branded products, as well as OEM thermostat products for the biggest names in HVAC. Venstar's Surveyor is a leading energy management system, typically saving small-box retailers 25 percent of their energy costs, which translates to millions of dollars in savings and dramatic reductions in C0₂ emissions. Surveyor currently controls the energy usage of more than 13,000 retail locations across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Visit Venstar: www.venstar.com