Tag Archive for 'CES'

CES: Green Gadgets Part 3

jordan published on January 22, 2009 in technology. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Returning to cool gadgets discovered at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Convention, if I may…

The Power Players: The Eco Button and the Trickle Saver.

As I mentioned in my prior CES posts… what green there was in consumer electronics this year seemed centered on the theme of power — efficiency, eco-alternatives, or energy saving solutions.  These two gadgets  fall into the latter category, both seeking to solve the big problem of Standy or Vampire Power.

It’s been estimated that standby power (the energy consumed by electronics not in use, but still plugged in), may account for 10-12% of energy consumption in homes and companies around the world, and that $3 billion alone are wasted in the US every year alone paying for unused power.

The simplest solution of course is to turn off your electronics, unplug your appliances not in use.  But if like me you often forget to do this, then that’s where Trickle Star can help.

Their Trickle Saver products act like intelligent power strips, automatically cutting off the draw of  standby power when you’ve turned off your electronics, be it computer, or TV, etc.  It’s a simple solution that can save hundreds of dollars in needless electric bills and tons of wasted energy over the long haul.  Their website has wonderful info on Vampire Energy and updates on product availability (should hit the US in March).

This little Eco-button is pretty dang sweet.  Twenty buckaroos gets you this cute little energy reminder, and the software to make it work.  Then simply plug into your PC and whenever you get up to walk away, take a lunch break, go to bed… hit the button.  In seconds it powers down your PC, eliminating phantom power.  Press the glowing button again and you’re back on in seconds, all your applications right where your  left them.

It’s simple, it’s sexy, it saves energy, it saves you money.  How much?  Eco-button’s website has a savings calculator.  Imagine every cubicle in every corporation in the world implementing these… let alone every personal computer in every home.  The amount of wasted energy saved would be staggering (approx 5 million tons of CO2/year and $1.3 billion). It’s available now and can be purchased here.

Eliminating standby power is something we can all do right now to better our planet.  I’m gonna go unplug my toaster and cellphone charger right now, while I wait for my trickle saver and eco-button to arrive in the mail.

CES: Green Gadgets Part 2

jordan published on January 16, 2009 in technology. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

A question: disposable batteries. Do we really need them?

I remember a childhood full of Costco-sized packs of batteries of all shapes and sizes. Batteries for cameras, toys, flashlights, remote controls. Batteries for emergencies. For the comfort that portable power brings. Batteries tossed casually into the trash. To spread their toxins and outlive us, like cockroaches or Wall-E.

But today we have lithium (still toxic) batteries, rechargeable batteries, LED flashlights that can be powered by hand-crank. The only conventional batteries I would still use would be for the remote control of the TV I don’t have. But I think the answer to my question above is yes, most people still use disposable batteries. A necessary evil if you will. Well now there’s a solution…

2) Green Batteries: For the first time ever at the 2009 CES convention, two companies unveiled the first ever Eco-friendly bats.

First up is Enviromax batteries from Fuji. As far as I’m aware these are the first ever, eco-friendly consumer batteries. What that means is they are made in eco-responsible factories in Japan, without the toxic materials like Mercury, Cadmium, or PVC found in most conventional batteries, and are packaged in recyclable materials. Add to that the fact that they last as long as regular batteries and are priced competitively… and you have a simple revolution in power! And they should soon be in stores everywhere and near you!

There’s no reason to ever buy any other (toxic) brand of battery, ever again. Unless of course that brand is Aqua Power Systems No Po Po (non pollution power battery).

The No Po Po does everything Fuji’s Enviromax does and then takes the innovation one step further. These batteries too are eco-friendly, safely disposed of in the trash when done, and are powered by WATER. Or soda. Coffee. Even Urine.

How does that work you ask? In truth, I don’t really know, but after seeing, lord I do believe! Water is injected into a small tube in the batteries middle, or you can simply drop the battery in a cup and then dry it off. Plug it into a low-powered device like a clock, or small flashlight… and voila! Power. When it runs down, you can even recharge the battery with fresh fluid (though battery life and power decreases with each usage). It’s pretty amazing technology, the catch of course being for now it can only power low wattage devices. But Aqua Power Systems out of China is right now using the same tech to build a 110 w battery that will be capable of powering an entire house for over 24 hours… on water.

The No Po Po is currently only available in Japan, but will be hitting our shores very soon. Exciting stuff!

Best of CES: Green Gadgets

jordan published on January 13, 2009 in technology and zeitgeist. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Searching for green gadgets at a consumer electronics convention quickly narrows the field. With thousands of items on display at CES and over 140,000 attendees, sprawled over 2 separate full convention centers, and the meeting rooms of two separate hotels… narrowing the field is not necessarily a bad thing.

The simple challenge I faced in my search for truly sustainable gadgetry was the “electronics” aspect. By nature, electronics are man-made constructs composed of largely not naturally occurring products. They require industry and energy to produce and a power source to run.

Still I’m proud to report that “going green” was a big thing at this years’ CES with major companies like Sony, Samsung, LG, Lenova, etc… touting their greener TVs, computers, washing machines, and so forth. I found what this translates to in today’s market is “energy efficient” products. They use less energy and often less toxic or more nature friendly materials and packaging. These are great steps forward towards the hopeful future of fully sustainable, eco-friendly consumer electronics.

Still, there were a pioneer few with their eyes on that prize, looking to bring that future of sustainable innovation about today. And finding these planet consious products was like finding diamonds in the rough. So here are my green gadget highlights for which we can all get overly excited about! The issue they all address is eco-energy consumption.

1) The nPower Peg: On the last day, in the last 5 minutes of the convention I found what I think takes the prize for greenest gadget. The PEG, that little green pogo stick is really a Personal Energy Generator that harnesses the kinetic energy of human motion. Strap it to your hip, throw it in your backpack, go out for a walk or run, and the PEG converts your human power into electric energy that will charge your ipod, your cell phone, etc! What this means is never needing to plug your gear into an outlet again! It means endlessly sustainable power! Even motivation for a healthier lifestyle! We want it, we need it now.

For the sustainable minded start-up company nPower, the PEG just a beginning. Next they plan to use the same technology to harness wave power. For their commitment to sustainable energy SuperForest gives nPower our Greenest Gadget award.

SuperForest goes to CES!

jordan published on January 13, 2009 in technology and zeitgeist. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .

The words Las Vegas hold a powerful association for most people. The mere mention of the eponymous Nevada town tends to ignite images of the illicit in most of us. If New York is the city that never sleeps then Vegas is the town time forgot. Hopes run high 24-7 under the neon lights and dreams slide from the fingers of millions of migrants every day and every night, across every table-top in town.

Love it, or hate it… Sin City can be a polarizing place. But if there’s one thing most people would be united on it’s this… when you think of Las Vegas, sustainability is probably last thing that comes to mind.

Which is exactly what SuperForest went in search of — throwing ourselves into our country’s capital of consumption culture, into the heart of one of the world’s largest conventions: The Consumer Electronics Show. CES for short.

Over the course of 72 intensive hours we scoured thousands upon thousands of exhibitor booths, miles upon miles of showroom floor, in search of the greenest gadgets, the coolest innovations for 2009.

We uncovered so much awesomeness, it’s impossible to post all at once. Instead we’ll be breaking it into categories stretched out over the course of this week. So if you’re interested in best and future tech, green gadgets, and amazing innovations… stay tuned for SuperForest’s top picks from CES.