Smartphones have taken the planet by storm, leaving anyone with a regular old phone feeling obsolete. Whether you prefer phones that are operated from prepaid cell phone plans or mainstream contracts, there is one thing that everyone agrees on: apps.

Apps today can be used to turn lights on and off, to preheat an oven, and even to lock or unlock car doors. If you want to be one of the cutting-edge homeowners who starts a load of laundry from the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, check out this infographic to learn more about available smartphone apps.

Though many Americans have a natural inclination to assume that the products and services so beloved in the USA are American-made, nothing could be further from the truth. Many popular companies with well-known products in the U.S. are actually Canadian neighbors.