Belkin's WeMo Insight Switch connects any electrical appliance to the Internet of Things when it's placed between a plug and an outlet. It's a simple solution for home automation, and can be combined with other technology for more sophisticated functions.

After years of speculation, Amazon finally announced the Fire Phone in June 2014, featuring stereoscopic glasses-free 3D. Its biggest talking point was Firefly – a visual and audio 'Shazam' that lets you buy whatever you scan directly from Amazon. But do people really want this?

With the spread of technology, companies are exploring the ways household chores can be made more bearable. Amazon is appealing to grocery-hating mothers everywhere with Amazon Dash – the kitchen assistant intended to do for the shopping list what Kindle did for the e-book.

It is estimated that there are over 8.7 billion electronic devices currently connected to the ever-expanding Internet of Things - from fridges to phones, and now air conditioners. Con Edison has teamed up with ThickEco to create SmartAC to connect ACs to the net.