Google might have the Nest Learning Thermostat, but Tim Cook’s got a smart shower, thanks to a recent investment by the Apple CEO in a new, environmentally friendly shower company.
And what kind of boss would he be if he didn’t test the next-gen washing solution as an option for Apple employees?
The (unknown) investment is in six-person San Francisco startup Nebia, which has created a water-conserving shower head the company describes as a major breakthrough.
The gorgeous shower head looks like a traditional fixture crossed with an iMac and can reportedly reduce water consumption by as much as 70 percent. This is because it uses nozzles to break the water up into miniature droplets, thereby making it more of a spray than a conventional shower.
Nebia began testing the showers at Apple’s campus, along with those of Google and Stanford University, late last year. The project is currently raising money on Kickstarter, where it has racked up $275,000 against a $100,000 target — and there are still 30 days to go.
Check out a video below:
Coming at a time when California Gov. Jerry Brown had mandated that the state cut 25 percent of its water usage, it’s easy to see why Cook would have been swayed by Nebia — particularly given his focus on making Apple eco-friendly.
No wonder he was so concerned about whether or not the Apple Watch could be used in the shower.
Via: The New York Times
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
6 responses to “Tim Cook brings green dream to Apple showers’ stream”
I dunno. Had an atomizing type showerhead years ago. Trouble is with all that extra surface, the water cools off much faster. The water that was great on my shoulders was too hot for my head, and ice cold by the time it hit my legs. Now I save more water by just using a flow control on the showerhead…. (at a lot less than $300)
is it just me or is American that far behind in Eco Friendly Toilets and shower heads? not to mention light bulbs. – the rest of the world has been using them for years.. plus for a lot cheaper than $300..
We don’t have ready access to dual-flush toilets, which would be nice, but eco-friendly toilets and shower heads are common. We have a 1.25 gallon / 4.73 liter toilet, for ex.
Not hardly “the rest of the world.”
Vegas and California – are finally waking up to the idea that using unlimited supplies for flat rate is not paying off. The rest of the world – at least the ones who live within buildings have been environmentally and eco friendly for years. – as for those who live in the jungles and rain forest, they have been the most earth friendly so i guess they can be included as well ;)
Atomizing shower heads are from being new technology. I had one twenty years ago … and hated it. Atomized water cools down very fast, and it works poorly when trying to wash the shampoo out of your hair.