The Dimplex Ceramic 2kW Heater with Wi-Fi ($199) can be controlled remotely through your phone by installing the Dimplex Connect It app for Apple and Android.

Does this mean if you can't find your phone, you can't adjust the heat in your house? Thankfully, there is a traditional remote control supplied. So why do we need the phone as well? You can set the thermostat and timer remotely with the app to get back home to a warm room, which is great, but there are no compelling benefits to pairing the two devices. Unless you just want to control all your appliances through your phone.

And it takes a lot of mucking about to try to connect this heater to the app.

However, in an undervalued feature, I do like that instructions and information for app-connected devices, this one included, can then be viewed in (almost) your language of choice.

This heater is just skirting the edges of smart appliances, and it's a first step if you're interested in playing in this area.

The more smarts an appliance has, the more sensors and software it has, which means it can predict what you like and act accordingly. For example, an extra smart heater can learn that you like it fired up when the temperature hits below 20 degrees Celsius, but not on Saturday nights when it (through its motion sensor) knows that nobody is home.

The trend will be towards inter-connecting all our appliances and voice-activation, so we can ask for information or give instructions, much like we do with our phones. "Heater, turn on when I'm watching The Drum." But it will have already worked out that when you watch The Drum each weeknight you like it on, so there's no need to ask.