Skip to main content

When this disc glows red, you know you’re using too much water

Water bills can be a bit of a mystery. Just what’s putting a drain on your wallet? The dishwasher? Your 20-minute showers? The sprinklers? Barcelona startup Oasys is the latest company that wants to give you an insight into your H2O usage. While it won’t quite give you that level of detail, it is designed to help you track your usage before you open your bill, so you can adjust your habits accordingly.

Similar to another recent Kickstarter, Fluid, the Oasys has a sensor that fits around the outside of your water main, so you don’t need to take apart any pipes. But the Oasys goes a step further with a second device that visually illustrates how much water you’re using.

The dinner plate-esque disc has a white ring encircling a touchscreen. That screen displays all sorts of information, like how much water you’ve used that week compared to last, your consumption history, and water usage for similar homes. Local weather data and water reserve levels are also available with the swipe of a finger. It will also issue alerts and glow red when you’ve used too much water or a if there’s a possible leak. You’ll also eventually get notifications on your smartphone, though no apps are available yet.

Another way the Oasys differs from the Fluid is that it doesn’t detect the different “signatures” for your appliances, sinks, and so on. In that way, Fluid lets you know which devices are using the most water, but it still ties you to your smartphone. It’d be nice to see that capability in an easier-to-see format.

It has yet to meet its funding goal, with 10 days to go, and you can pick up the Oasys for the early-bird price of $202. If they do manage to raise the rest of the funds, the device should ship in May 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
The most common Google Home problems and how to fix them
best google home compatible devices hands on 4652

Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home make up the three biggest smart home platforms on the planet. Google Home is popular thanks to its lineup of Nest products, which includes the Nest Hub Max, Nest Doorbell, and Nest Cam, along with many other devices. Best of all, Google Home supports a wide array of third-party products, giving users an easy way to link all their gadgets together and control them from one streamlined app.

But, as you'd expect, getting all these devices working seamlessly isn't always as easy as it sounds. The Google Home platform is also susceptible to the same issues as other smart home platforms, which include various connectivity hiccups and problems with voice commands. Solving these problems is usually pretty easy -- that is, once you know where to look.

Read more
The most common Echo Show problems and how to fix them
Amazon Echo Show 10.

If you're looking to add a smart display to your home, the Amazon Echo Show is a great option. Bringing the best of Alexa into the visual realm, the Echo Show allows you to tap into real-time video from your home's smart security system, have video calls with friends and family using Alexa's Drop In feature, stream from Hulu and Prime Video, run photo slideshows, and so much more.

But glitches happen, and the Echo Show is not without its small trail of troubles. Fortunately, many of these issues have straightforward fixes. In this deep dive, we'll be taking a look at the most common Echo Show problems and how you can fix them.
Echo Show screen is flickering
This issue has been with the Echo Show since the first-generation model. What we're talking about are pulsating horizontal lines stretching across the screen. Sometimes, the malfunction appears closer to the bottom of the display, where Alexa's indicator is, or up and down the entire display. Some Echo Show owners experience this infrequently, others all the time. If your own Show is flickering, there are a few things you can try.

Read more
This Wi-Fi robot vacuum is discounted from $199 to $79
The iHome AutoVac Juno robot vacuum cleaning the floor.

Robot vacuum deals are consistently getting cheaper it seems, with it now possible to buy a robot vacuum for just $79. That’s the case at Walmart with the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum down to $79 for a limited time. It usually costs $199 so you’re saving a huge $120 off the regular price making now the perfect time to upgrade to all the convenience that comes from having a robot vacuum. Keen to learn more? Let’s take a look.

Why you should buy the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum
You won’t see iHome feature in our look at the best robot vacuums but that’s not to say that there aren’t benefits to buying such a cheap robot vacuum today. With the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum, you get up to 2,000pa of strong suction power with up to 100 minutes of runtime ensuring that plenty can be accomplished.

Read more