“Alexa, turn the air conditioning to 74.” That might sound like something out of the Jetsons or the 1999 movie, Smart House, but millions of Americans across the country are waking up each morning in their smart homes and turning the temperature down is only the beginning!

It seems that nowadays every electronic device has some sort of virtual assistant. Your coffee maker that knows to turn on at 6AM and start your brew or the refrigerator that can show you how stocked it is. The industry of home automation is now reaching sales of $44 BILLION and shows no signs of stopping.

The simplest of these tools may be in your pocket right now. Everyone knows Siri, and how she can tell you a joke when you’re feeling down or to call your parents on their birthday. Smart homes simply use a network of virtual assistant capable devices and work through a hub to control aspects of your home. Your lights, air conditioning, alarm and home entertainment systems can all be controlled through the sound of your voice. It’s really an amazing technology that pretty much anyone can use and applying these tools to your home can help save on your energy bill as well.

One of the more common devices in homes is a Nest thermostat. The Nest works through your smart phone and with hands-on features that can learn when you are away and adjust temperatures to save energy. You can also set schedules and newer models know when it’s time to replace air filters or if repairs are needed. The best thing though? With the introduction of all these smart home devices, prices are getting lower and lower.

Do you have any smart devices in your home? What products would you recommend and how are you living in the future, now?