With quadruple the number of searches for "smart home," home automation is one of Yelp's fastest growing categories for Home and Local. Yelp recently shared just how many new business listings the category is responsible for, with the most growth coming to the cities with the healthiest economies.

Every single day, Americans throw away an estimated 500 million single-use plastic straws. A new handy portable implement aims to do something about that, and in a way that’s as stylish as it is eco-friendly. Step forward and take a bow, FinalStraw. Now available on Kickstarter.

Tired of hearing the same old voice every time you ask Google a question? Google has expanded the number of extra voices available to U.S. Google Assistant users, so you can now pick between a number of different options. Here's how to change your Google Assistant's voice.

Your voice is quickly becoming the only key you need. The latest smart lock to unveil Amazon Alexa integration is Yale Locks & Hardware, who on Monday, May 14 announced support for the smart assistant and the ability to unlock the smart deadbolts with nothing more than a spoken command.

A visit to the doctor may one day be a visit to your living room, where you can have a conversation with your Amazon Echo -- or more specifically, Amazon Alexa. According to an internal document seen by CNBC, Amazon is creating a team within its Alexa division called "health and wellness."

You don't have to like doing the dishes -- your LG dishwasher will do them for you. With the latest innovations from the home appliance maker, you won't have to worry about water spots or a shoddy wash job. Rather, LG is bringing its LG TrueSteam technology to its new line of LG QuadWash dishwashers.

Your options for food delivery tonight just got a little bit slimmer. Munchery, one of the many on-demand food delivery services offering quick and easy re-heatable meals to folks who would prefer to use a microwave rather than a stove, has ceased operations in Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.

Shouting at your TV just became a whole lot more rewarding thanks to a new Alexa skill that lets you issue voice commands to control your TiVo DVR.

A subsidiary of Chinese technology giant Xiaomi, Roidmi recently debuted its new cordless vacuum cleaner, known simply as the F8. The cordless vacuum cleaner promises a similar performance to the Dyson V8 vacuum, but with a significantly lower price tag of $259. It's soon coming to Indiegogo in the U.S.

As much as you’d like to tell your dentist the truth, it’s difficult to meet the withering stare that accompanies your admission that in fact, you don’t always (read: ever) floss your teeth. Luckily, there’s now a solution for even the laziest of us oral hygienists. It’s called the Waterpik Sonic-Fusion.

Video doorbells may be cutting down on the amount of time you have to spend running to and from your front door, but they could also be cutting down on the amount of privacy you have in your home. A security flaw in Ring video doorbells means users don't have to re-log into the doorbell app after a password change.

Alexa was never a top-10 U.S. baby girl name, but now, after Amazon used the name for the Echo smart speaker voice assistant, even fewer parents choose it for their newborns. Siri is a much less popular name for girls in the U.S. than Alexa, but it too has seen a decline. "Hey, Google" was never a contender.

Is it a plant? Is it a smart home hub? Is it Alexa in different clothing? The Natede, the latest product from air purifier maker Clairy may just be all of the above. Heralded as a "smart and natural air purifier," the Natede promises to help circulate cleaner air within your home while doubling as a sleek plant holder.

Need to make last-minute brunch reservations for Mother's Day? Forget to order her flowers? Let Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant help you with that. Both voice assistants have rolled out some new features just for mom.

The Frigidaire Gallery FGIF3036TF Induction Range is the first of its kind for under $1,000. Induction cooking is fast, efficient, safer, and cleaner than radiant and gas stoves. We did a little cooking on the range and watched it boil water in 90 seconds.

Xiaomi has yet to establish a foothold in the United States, but at Google I/O 2018, the company revealed it would be adding Google Assistant support to three new smart home products, all bound for American shores. Google and Xiaomi previously joined forces for an Android One smartphone in 2017.

As assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri continue to gain ground in functionality and user numbers, Cortana has faded to the background a bit. But this may change now that Microsoft is rumored to be working on its own smart speaker. There's still no confirmation from Microsoft, though.

In the red-hot Bay Area real estate market, you'd be surprised what people would pay to get their hands on a home that's nearly destroyed. The Bay Area is one of a few real estate hot spots in the country where ruined homes are commanding ridiculously high prices.

If you’re an audio company in this day and age, you better have a smart speaker, and now Polk Audio is getting into the game with the Polk Assist, a smart speaker powered by the increasingly ubiquitous Google Assistant that also features multiroom wireless audio courtesy of Chromecast built-in.

At Google I/O 2018, we stepped inside a larger than life-size Google Home Max to experience a wave of sound and immersive visuals. This big structure, which first popped up at Coachella, showcases the audio capabilities of the Google Home Max smart speaker, and it may be toured around the country.

Researchers have proven that voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri can hear silent commands that the human ear can't pick up. In some cases, researchers have been able to embed commands directly into white noise or musical recordings and users were unable to perceive them.

Nearly two years after Google Home first made its debut, it's now finally compatible with Google Play Movies. That means that you can now control Google's native video streaming service using your Google Assistant and your voice. It's strange that this feature didn't exist before, but better late than never.

New York City-based architecture firm Buildt has created a unique way to break down the city's growing pollution problem by combining a high-tech mineral-based facade with a photo-catalytic compound that turns harmful nitrous oxide into harmless water and gas.

Think you can’t get a good security camera for under $100? Think again. While its supporting cloud services are patchy, WyzeCam v2 looks and performs better than any $20 smart cam should. We were overall surprised by and impressed with this little security camera’s performance.

Hey Google, preheat the oven. Hey Google, start the dishwasher. Whirlpool is making improvements to how users control their smart appliances with the Google Assistant. Whirlpool voice commands will now be shorter and more practical.

Unlocking your door no longer requires your key or even your hands. Thanks to smart lock maker Schlage and its new integration with Amazon Alexa, "Open Sesame!" is no longer a command relegated to legends. Rather, it can help you unlock real life doors, too. You'll just need to set a PIN.

Still shopping for a Mother's Day gift? Surprise your mom (or wife) with the wildly popular kitchen appliance The Instant Pot at a massive markdown today at Amazon and Sur La Table. This 10-in-1 multi-use pressure cooker almost never goes on sale, so act now to get this fantastic price.

We love Lego. We love robots. And we sure love breakfast. So what could be better than a Lego-based robot ready and willing to cook you breakfast? Fortunately, that's exactly what a father and son YouTube duo have created with their awesome new Breakfast Machine. Check it out.

The DeLonghi EC685, which utilizes both fresh grounds and ESE pods, is a convenient way to brew solid espresso at home. While the flavor might not be as robust for the coffee connoisseur who prefers café-style beverages, this counter-saving device is an affordable, easy-to-use option for those looking to add an espresso machine to their collection of appliances.

Alexa has introduced what it's calling Amazon Experience Centers, which offer customers the ability to "experience first-hand the convenience of the Alexa smart home experience and more in a real home environment." You'll be able to check out Alexa, Dash Buttons, Amazon Home Services, and more.

Make your irrigation system smarter with the Scotts Gro 7 Zone Smart Watering Controller, which gives you the ability to control when and how often you water your grass or outdoor plants. Download the app on your phone and even ask Google Assistant or Alexa to water the grass for you.

Amazon is helping this youngest generation experience the wonders of innovation in a kid-friendly manner. Today, the smart home giant debuted a Kids Edition of the Amazon Echo Dot, as well as Amazon FreeTime on Alexa, heralded as an all-new Alexa experience built specifically with children in mind. 

In a bid to keep pace with Amazon's grocery delivery efforts, Walmart partnered with Uber and Lyft in 2016 to help it with its own last-mile delivery operation. But the logistical challenges of combining grocery delivery with human transportation have proved too much, with the partnerships set to end in June.

Kwikset has introduced new smart lock technology that the company hopes will allow more homeowners to use smart locks. The Z-Wave Smart Lock Conversion Kit will transform mechanical locks into smart, electronic locks, and the conversion requires no change to a home's exterior appearance.