Bruce Coolidge, programming director for Capital Athletic Club in downtown Sacramento, wears a Garmin Forerunner 305.

In the unqualified realm of science fiction and fantasy, there have been genuine smart gadgets. Take, for example, Bobbi Anderson’s typewriter in Stephen King’s “The Tommyknockers,” which, when alien-enhanced, is able to tap Anderson’s thoughts into pages.

Try as they might, some people are incapable of keeping a plant alive. As easy as maintaining a regular watering schedule, proper lighting and keeping pests away seems, these black thumbs, as they’ve been termed, can still turn the hardiest species into compost after a few weeks. Two recent gadgets give a leg up to gardeners who can’t quite get the swing and offer a chance to bring the power of networks and databases to everyday life.