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November 30, 2010
Tech gifts on your list? Some greener alternatives
Posted by Blaine Kyllo
It's the time of year when everyone starts thinking about what to give, and what to get.
This year's tech gift suggestions come in all shapes and sizes, and cut across all aspects of life. From home entertainment to home office, from power management to mobile gadgetry, the common denominator in our wish list is that these items are all energy efficient, in their own way.
Flat screen, beauty picture
The latest models of Panasonic's Viera plasma televisions provide one of the best pictures possible, and they are also the most efficient displays the company has ever produced.
Constructed without using mercury or lead, and ENERGY STAR®-rated, the TVs also help manage power to the other devices in your home entertainment centre.
All other devices – DVD and Blu-ray players, tuners and amps – that are connected through the Panasonic TV are switched to stand-by when they are not being used, and when the TV is off, all connected devices are automatically sent into low-power stand-by.
Built-in Wi-Fi means you can browse YouTube videos directly on your Viera, and with the addition of a small camera peripheral, you can conduct Skype video conferences on your TV from the comfort of your couch.
Related:Make sure your next TV is ENERGY STAR, and recycle (or donate) your old TV
Video on demand
The second-generation Apple TV is not just small, it's smart. It can stream – over a wireless network – any photos, music or videos that are in your computer's iTunes library.
You can rent new-release films and episodes of your favourite TV shows directly on the device, and dispense with trips to the local video store. You might also consider relegating that aging VHS or DVD player to the Return-It Electronics recycling depot, too.
The clever design means Apple TV operates without needing a fan, and when in stand-by, it uses less energy than a night-light.
Related:Minimize the energy impact of your TV and peripherals
TV and movies, when you want
We weren't joking when we suggested you could recycle your DVD player. With Netflix now providing its online streaming video service in Canada, you can watch as many TV shows or movies you want for only eight dollars a month. And you can access the content whenever you want, even during that bought of insomnia when all the video stores are closed anyway.
You can connect to your Netflix account with your AppleTV, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3 or your home computer. And you can view content on your iPhone, iPad, or Windows Phone device.
Here comes the sun
Designed in Ottawa, the Kiwi U-Powered portable charger can charge virtually any mobile device. And because it can hold its own charge for at least six months, the Kiwi will still be ready to go next summer when you find it among in the camping gear from last year.
You charge the device using a USB port, a car charger, a wall outlet, or even the sun. That's made possible because the Kiwi was built with three photo voltaic panels.
Music, rough and rugged
It's too bad that extreme sports participants don't get to listen to music during their activity. Who'd risk dropping their iPod off that rock face while climbing? Nobody would want their Blackberry to get sand in it.
But a new all-terrain case from Grace Digital Audio will bring music to those athletic types. The Eco Extreme is a rugged, rubberized housing that not only protects your iPod Touch, Blackberry, or other MP3 playing device, but comes with a built-in speaker so you can listen while you, well, climb. Or hike. Or bike.
The Eco Extreme is waterproof, too, so you can take it on your skiff, or to the beach on one of those rare days when all you want to do is relax.
Stay simple
The Minimalist 4 is decorated with a logo of a turtle. Appropriate given that this is, essentially, a hard shell for your iPhone 4, to protect it from drops and scratches. For those who like to travel light, the Minimalist can also hold up to three credit cards.
Best of all, the case is made out of recycled plastic bottles.
There's also a white version of the Minimalist for 3G and 3GS iPhones.
Becoming documentarians
The days of needing a big camcorder with extra battery packs to document that family reunion are long gone.
With a sleek and thin Flip MinoHD – it's just over half-an-inch thick – you can record up to two hours of high-definition video – at a resolution of 1280 x 720 – without needing any extra power.
The MinoHD, equipped with 8 GB of memory, runs off a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery that can be charged from a USB port, and will provide about two hours of recording with needing a charge.
It features one-button recording, and nearly instant on, so you'll never miss those video-worthy moments when they happen.
And you can edit your video directly on the MinoHD, and upload instantly to Facebook or YouTube, no computer required.
Measure by measure
Looking forward to the arrival of smart meters in B.C. homes? Ever wondered how much energy your devices and appliances are using?
Belkin's Conserve Insight energy use monitor will show you how much energy is being used by an individual device or appliance, and can convert that information into cost of operation and the amount of CO2 produced in generating the electricity consumed.
You can even conduct your own in-home energy conservation tests. Try plugging in a lamp with a regular incandescent bulb and measure the electricity drawn by the lamp over an hour of use. Then replace the bulb with a CFL to see how much energy is conserved using the more efficient bulb.
Whisper-quiet printing
The HP Envy 100 is an all-in-one computer peripheral, designed to print, copy and scan. HP has other printers that can do those things; what sets the Envy 100 apart is that it was also designed to fit in with hip home decor.
The device, which can barely be heard even when in use, was created to fit in a modern apartment, where the printer may need to integrate with home entertainment devices, as opposed to hidden away in a home office set-up.
The Energy Star Envy 100 is also the world's first PVC-free printer, and it uses ink cartridges which contain up to 70 percent recycled plastic.
If that wasn't enough, it also uses HP's new ePrint service, which equips every printer with an email address, so you can print to the device from anywhere in the world, just by sending the printer an email.
Best battery charging
Apple computers have been making the move to wireless keyboards and mice in recent months. It's great for keeping a clean, cable-free desktop, but those keyboards still need power to operate.
Rather than buy a box of AA batteries, Apple's battery charger comes with six AA rechargeable batteries; two for the keyboard, two for the mouse and two to be charged at any given time.
Apple claims that the rechargeables retain 80 percent of their charge after a year sitting in a drawer, and the smart charger reduces its power draw to 30 milliwatts when it detects that the batteries in it are fully charged.
Power down
Belkin's Conserve Socket helps you keep on top of stand-by power drain, by automatically shutting off power connectivity after a preset period of time. You can set the Conserve Socket to shut down after 30 minutes, three hours or six hours.
It's the perfect way to protect against leaving that curling iron plugged in all day. Or to power down those holiday lights decorating your house without having to go outside and brave the weather at midnight.
Blaine Kyllo is a North Vancouver-based writer and frequent contributor to bchydro.com.
Views and recommendations expressed in this story do not necessarily reflect those of BC Hydro or BC Hydro Power Smart.
