The emerging Internet of Things (IOT) is enabling the use of smart devices, such as Edyn, in surprisingly down-to-earth places. And because this crowdfunded smart garden gadget is now available on the shelves of one of the biggest home improvement stores in the U.S., it's not just for early adopters anymore.

One of the most entertaining parts of covering technology and gadgets is reading the press releases and pitches from startups that are convinced that they've built the next best thing, and which could really change the world... as long as changing the world consisted of turning your phone into a remote control for your lights, or turning your trash can into your grocery list maker.

However, because I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to the use of technology to replace things that are already simple, it's easy for me to want to laugh when I'm expected to be applauding, so it's rather rare for me to come across a new gadget that I truly think could be a gamechanger, and even rarer still to come across one that is designed to go into the decidedly analog space that is our home garden.

I covered the Edyn smart garden sensor last year when the company was crowdfunding the production costs of the sensor itself and the companion connected watering valve, but personally, I was pretty skeptical about this device getting the traction it needed to go beyond attracting just the gadget-heads and early adopters. So I'm happy to be proven wrong about this device, because it could make a difference in two big areas, namely water use and home food production.