Unless you've cracked open an old-school thermostat, you might not realize how primitive these devices really are. Until just a few years ago, thermostats contained a tube of mercury and worked much as a thermometer does: If conditions became hot enough for the mercury to rise up the tube, it would physically activate a switch and start the air conditioner blowing. Programmable, digital thermostats not only got rid of the hazardous materials but also let you set hourly heating and cooling schedules. The next generation, arriving now, is even smarter--the adapts future temperature changes based on your tweaks, and you can access it online or via smartphone whether you're in the house or on the road.

When's the last time someone pulled out a photo book or cell phone, and said that they just want to show you one picture? Old-school picture frames look fine at grandma's house, but the digital revolution has hit this mantelpiece standby hard. The big idea, of course, is that the frames automatically cycle through dozens or hundreds of digital shots, eliminating the need to print photos and deal with those painful metal tabs that hold the back of the frame together. But today's frames can do even more. For example, the Sony DPF-D70 can tell whether it's oriented in portrait or landscape position, and it has a clock and calendar built in. Models from even accept remote updates, so you can send fresh pictures to the frame from anywhere over the Web.