Today’s New York Times’ regular feature called The Boss provides one man’s self-described transition from the pinnacle of consumer tech design, which he helped establish, to a greener entrepreneurial form of the same:

After years of work at Apple, designing iPods and iPhones, the founder of Nest Labs now makes a self-programming thermostat that enables homeowners to save energy.

We first heard this story in podcast form in a great conversation he had with Jessica Harris:

Nest Labs is focused on helping to create the next-generation home by making energy-saving smart digital assistants. Tony calls Nest’s first product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, “a smartphone in disguise.” Prior to launching Nest, Tony worked at Apple where he led the team that developed the iPod and iPhone. He was a special advisor to Steve Jobs until late 2009.

Tony speaks with Jessica about his leadership role at Apple, and his vision for Nest, from scratch.