Sophie gives you the power to control the climate in your house from anywhere in the home - or anywhere in the world - by voice.  Once you install a Sophie-compatible communicating thermostat, you can call your home and ask Sophie, "What is the temperature in the house?", or you may ask, "What is the thermostat setting?"  Lots of people have programmable thermostats.  But what if your schedule changes after the thermostat is programmed?  Most programmable thermostats can only be programmed when you're at home.  With Sophie, if you decide to extend your vacation by a couple of days, you can simply call your house and tell her to set the thermostat accordingly.  Then call from the airport on the way home and tell Sophie to warm/cool the house to the temperature you desire.