Wanna wear your own windmill? Share all your energy consumption data on Google? Network your lights so they know when you're in the room and how much light you need? Gadget news on these questions and more!
Google PowerMeter's Adds Info Sharing - Is it Just What We Need, or TMI?
Google has latched on to the idea many other power monitor companies have had, which is getting users to share their information about their energy consumption. They're now allowing users of their PowerMeter system to let loose with their data with other PowerMeter users. Is this just what we need to get people on board, or does it boarder on Too Much Information?
Is the Internet a Threat for Endangered Animals?
"The internet is becoming the dominant factor overall in the global trade in protected species," said Paul Todd of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. This is because it is now much easier to buy and sell anything and everything, and that includes polar bear pelts, live baby lions, poached ivory, etc.
5 Battery Breakthroughs that Could One Day Power Electric Cars
To truly make EVs mainstream and replace the internal combustion engine, further technological innovations will be required to make batteries store more power, cost less to manufacture, and recharge faster. Let's look at a few recent breakthroughs to see what the electric car of the future might run on.
LG Under The Gun for Cheating on Energy Efficiency Testing
LG has not been the brightest crayon in the box when it comes to gaining street cred for green labeling. They had their Energy Star label stripped from several of their refrigerator models after it was discovered that the fridges far exceeded Energy Star requirements for electricity consumption. Now they've been caught red handed rigging the testing process in Australia.
AT&T Launches Cell Phone Charger with Zero Vampire Power Draw
AT&T has announced a new charger coming to market soon, one that solves the problem of excess power consumption during charging. But does this mean you should rush out to buy it?
Wearable Windmill to Harvest the Breeze Looks A Little Flighty
A windmill. That you wear. Oh, that we were joking. But it's not April Fool's Day yet, and this thing is real. It's a harness that you wear, so you can harness the wind. Like a functional fairy suit. It's called the Dandelion, and it's quite the fashion statement. Check out a video of the outfit in action.
Tendril Launching New Home Energy Monitor - Progress, or Just Another Gadget?
It's called "Vision" and it's a digital clock-like in-home energy display. But does a single-use device like this have a place in a market rapidly evolving toward multi-use gadgets?
Networked Traffic Lights Could Save Time, Fuel, and Lives
BMW and Siemens unveiled a system of networked traffic lights that can communicate with nearby cars to warn them about road conditions, help them better use anti-idling features, but that can also learn about traffic patterns from those cars and adjust cycling times to optimize traffic flow, saving time and fuel.
Color E Ink Coming This Year, Thanks In Part to Apple's iPad
E Ink has been among the leaders in color electronic ink displays, and the new head of the company, Prime View International will be churning out color displays by the end of 2010 or early 2011. Interestingly enough, the company states that the extraordinary popularity of the iPad is actually helping clear the way for them.
Smart Lighting? Software-Controlled Networked LED Lights Save Tons of Power
Digital Lumens says its networked LED lighting system can save up to 90% compared to regular HID lights typically used in warehouses and commercial buildings, thanks to special sensors and software for precision use.
TreeHugger's EcoModo column appears every Tuesday on Gizmodo.