This 18-year-old thinks he’s found a way to cut your electricity bill in half
Teenagers: You give them guff, and they invent a smart outlet. At least, that's what happened with Ameer Sami, who invented the Ottobox at the age of 16, which he says can save 50 percent on energy bills. Now 18, he's launched a Kickstarter campaign.
The smart garbage can is here, and it wants to take charge of your groceries
Before you toss out that empty can of macaroni, scan it before the GeniCan, and you will have another item placed on your shopping list.
The seven sensors within this sensor might be enough to make your home brilliant
Our smartphones have tons of sensors in them, and that concept inspired the Notion Sensor. It has lots of sensors inside it, while staying about the size of an Oreo, and it can tell you lots about what's happening in your home.
To grow up and not out, San Jose needs to get smarter (with more tech)
If you think cities are crowded now, just wait until 2050, when 66 percent of people will live in an urban area. To help deal with the increased demand, cities are already getting smarter.
Compact laundry machines perfect for apartments with kitchen showers
Hunting for quarters on laundry day is a pain, but many apartments are too small for in-unit laundry machines. Compact washers and dryers are a good alternative, and there are more on the market than ever before.
In a couple years, you’ll be able to sleep in while this robot makes you breakfast
Do you smell what this robot is cooking? It's a crab bisque, based on a recipe from a MasterChef winner. Moley Robotics wants you to have these robot hands in your home in two years, prepping all your meals for you.
This Game of Thrones toilet is fit for the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms
Something tells us Robert Baratheon would have appreciated this: Super-Fan Builds made an Iron Throne that's actually a toilet for one lucky bar owner. We're glad we're not the ones who have to clean it, though.
A shelf that tells you when you need milk and more ideas from a home hackathon
In just 24 hours, teams of makers hacked a bunch of home appliances to give them cool, new features at the GE FirstBuild Hack the Home Hackathon over the weekend in Louisville, Kentucky.
Windwheel in the sky: Someday, people could live in this silent turbine
This beautiful structure is purely in the concept phase, but what a concept: a silent turbine that also houses an amusement park ride and apartments. Will this one day dominate the Rotterdam skyline?
Game of Homes: 15 houses that look they belong to the Lannisters (or Starks)
Game of Thrones gives off a very medieval vibe, as long as you ignore the dragons. Here are 15 houses that incorporate that style of architecture and decor into there homes.
Wish you were a baller? Check out these homes with indoor basketball courts
Lots of people have basketball hopes on their garages, letting them play some driveway hoops, but these homes have full-fledged indoor basketball courts.
Get fired up to make these <em>Game of Thrones</em> dragon eggs this Easter
Hunting for a cool alternative to Easter eggs this year? Put on your DIY hat and make some Game of Thrones-style dragon eggs.
Why does this 700-square-foot trailer cost $1.2 million?
Always wanted to summer on the Hamptons? This trailer is going for $1.2 million. Sure, it's not right on the beach, but it's close to Jerry Seinfeld's place
Soak cool: The biggest trends in bathroom renovation
Looking to upgrade to a two-person shower or a second sink in your master bath? If so, then you're right in step with the biggest bathroom renovation trends, according to a recent survey from Houzz.
These homes are luxe, $75,000, and tiny
Want to move into a tiny house but don't want to leave behind your stainless steel appliances? Tiny Heirloom homes on wheels don't sacrifice luxury.
No strings attached: Hoover goes cordless with three new vacuums
Hoover introduced its Air Cordless model last year, and in spring 2015, it will release three more cordless models. The company sees the future of vacuums as increasingly portable and light.
Facebook would like to be part of your smart home
At yesterday's F8 conference, Parse, which is owned by Facebook, announced a developer platform for the Internet of Things. It's Facebook's first big leap into the connected-home environment.
Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep this man from his smart home
In order to prove that he can control his smart home using Z-Wave from anywhere, a climber is going to the summit of Mount Everest. He'll whip out his phone and lock the door in New Jersey from over 29,000 feet.
This website custom tailors food for your pet’s breed, age, and activity level
Hate going to the pet store? Petbrosia will deliver pet food for your cat or dog, and it will be specially tailored to his or her breed, body type, age, and activity level.
This snowboarder can step out his front door and head down the mountain
The thing about tiny homes is that they can fit just about anywhere. Snowboarder Mike Basich's house is just over 200 square feet and is located right on the slopes. He even has a chairlift on his property.
Green Aker: These kits let you make your own urban farm
For those city-slickers who love homegrown veggies and farm-fresh eggs, Aker is raising funds on Indiegogo for its urban farming kits. They also have files you can download, so you can print your own on a local CNC router.
‘Inventor’ of toilet paper weighs in on ‘over vs. under’ debate via 1891 patent
A patent from 1891 that shows toilet paper in a certain configuration is being used as evidence in the debate over whether TP should go over or under the roll. But is it decisive?
These kids’ beds cost more than a car, but they’re pretty amazing
Have a kid who loves outer space, castles, or cowboys? Do you also have tens of thousands of dollars? Fable Bedworks has just the thing for you. The company's handmade beds are works of art and cost just as much.
Would you blow over $6,000 on this 3D-printed air conditioner?
This 3D-printed air conditioner was a hot commodity at the recent Appliance World Expo 2015 in Shanghai. Haier's attractive, one-of-a-kind device sold for over $6,000.
Robot stalk-er: a 3D-printed bot designed to pull weeds
One of the most cumbersome tasks of gardening is pulling up weeds. Though this robot is just a prototype and actually designed with farmers in mind, we can't help but imagine this weed-pulling bot zooming around our gardens.
My Budgee and me: Is the world ready for this grocery-carrying robot sidekick?
Have you always wanted a robot? Budgee is a follow-me robot that will tote your belongings as it rolls along behind you. It should ship next month and costs $1,400. Start saving your pennies!
Does Nest want to make speakers? It’s hiring a Head of Audio
On the news of Googling filing a bunch of smart-home patents, Nest begins looking for a Head of Audio. Is the company making speakers or trying to make everything voice-controlled?
The United States of Beer: Stick caps in this map to chart your drinking habits
Are you a worldly drinker? Now you can show off with a map from Beer Cap Maps; U.S., state, and country maps can be filled with beer caps from different regions, which makes for a pretty cool-looking effect.
Google’s new patent is full of ideas for smart home gadgets
Yesterday, a patent from Google was published, detailing lots of ideas from the company about connecting your smart home. It looks like the company wants to expand to door locks, door knobs, and more.
The ‘doghouse of the future’ is swankier than our place
How spoiled is your dog? Does he or she have a $30,000 doghouse? Samsung created a pretty amazing pad for pooches that just might make you slobber all over your keyboard.
Putting the “pee” in power: This toilet generates electricity
When it comes to great ideas, this toilet that turns urine into electricity is number one. Researches want to use it to bring lights to refugee camps, making them safer for women.
Whoops. K-Cup inventor doesn’t use them, kind of regrets inventing them
There's no getting around it: K-Cups create a lot of waste every year and often aren't recyclable. Perhaps that's why their inventor, John Sylvan, feels pretty guilty about his creation.
Tracking illness in your community may soon be a breeze with a smart thermometer
You heard your co-worker coughing yesterday, but how sick is he? Kinsa's smart thermometer will soon be able to tell you the health score of different groups, from your kid's school to your kickball team.
Switchmate installs in seconds with magnets, makes any switch smart
Have you been hesitant to jump on the smart-home bandwagon because you rent your apartment? Switchmate is a smart light switch you don't have to install; it just magnetically attaches to your existing one.
Over Ikea? Customizable furniture maker launches on Kickstarter
Have you graduated from Ikea? If you're looking for something that fits your decor but doesn't cost designer prices, Arrister launched its customizable furniture on Kickstarter today.
AT&T wants you to control your smart home from your smart car
People generally have a routine when they arrive home and get out of the car. AT&T wants to help automate it by connecting its Drive and Digital Life services, to connect cars and smart homes.
Home security camera over-stimulated? ArcSoft found a way to cut down on false alarms
My home security camera sends alert after alert when the cat stretches in his tree. ArcSoft's simplicam now ignores zones with lots of motion, so you get fewer alerts about innocuous movements.
How to sink or swim on Shark Tank, from someone who’s been there
Going on ABC's <em>Shark Tank</em> definitely has its perks, but not everyone walks away with a deal. Though the did manage to score one in the end, Keen Home's founders were prepared for a fight.