The original iPhone 4 stumbled out of the gate with an infamous antenna issue that left many users very disappointed. And while the problem was eventually resolved in a modified housing that carried forward to the recently released iPhone 4S, the latest model seems to be suffering from its own serious performance issue. More »
This article was written on October 15, 2007 by CyberNet.
When Microsoft created Vista they realized that they had to do a better job with conserving batteries and energy. Laptops are getting to the point where they last as little as an hour when they are brand new, and that not only reduces productivity but it also means they consume more electricity.
In Vista you’ll see a completely revamped power management screen in the Control Panel, and with it you can choose between several different “states” you want your computer to run in. The best part, however, is that you can completely customize your own power plan, and that’s what I’ve done. In my power plan I have cut back my processor speed, screen brightness, wireless performance, and more when my computer switches into battery mode. Not only does that save my battery life, but it also reduces my PC’s CO2 Emissions.
Out-of-the-box Vista PC’s run in a “Balanced” mode that gives your computer the performance it needs when you’re doing intensive tasks, but reduces it when you’re doing simple tasks like word processing. This is a feature that Microsoft never put in XP, and it can make a real difference on the environment.
Below is a table that shows you what the cost and emissions are on computers running Windows XP and Vista (just the computer, no monitors). The results come straight from Microsoft, and I’m sure there is a little exaggeration but their tests are well documented (PDF). They tested three computers for all of their results, but I took the liberty of averaging them together and converting them into U.S. dollars:
| Windows XP | Windows Vista | Vista Savings | |
| (1) Computer Annual Cost | $110.17 | $36.44 | $73.73 |
| (200) Computers Annual Cost | $22,033.37 | $7,287.59 | $14,745.78 |
| (1) Computer CO2 Emissions | 259 kg | 85.33 kg | 173.67 kg |
| (200) Computers CO2 Emissions | 57.13 tons | 18.89 tons | 38.24 tons |
As you can see there is a big benefit for corporations who run Windows to make the upgrade to Vista, in terms of energy savings and emissions produced. 
This article was written in part for Blog Action Day.
Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com
Related Posts:
Stanford researchers figured out that, by dipping electrodes for super capacitors in a solution of carbon nanotubes or a conductive polymer they could increase the charging capacity by up to 45-percent. The team started working with composite electrodes of graphene and manganese oxide, since manganese is cheap and plentiful, but were hamstrung by its low conductivity. The thin coating of more conductive material greatly boosted the capacitance of the electrodes, and thus their ability to hold a charge. Further tests are still required to find the actual energy density of the dipped electrodes, but lead researchers Yi Cui and Zhenan Bao are already working on a way to apply the same technique to batteries.
Dipping capacitors and batteries in nanotubes could improve capacity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Panasonic’s little battery-powered bot that could, the Evolta, has garnered our attention several times over the years. It’s already climbed out of the Grand Canyon and walked 500km from Tokyo to Kyoto, but apparently neither was enough to prove it and its namesake batteries’ true mettle. This time, Panasonic’s putting three of the robots through the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, and they’ve got a week to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112, and run a 26.2 mile marathon. Unlike the meatbags running the race who have a day to finish, the robots get a week — though they’ll be doing their thing 24 hours a day while only taking breaks to recharge their three AA batteries. Intrigued? The race starts on October 23rd, so there’s plenty of time to watch the appropriately dramatic video explaining the challenge facing the triumvirate of tiny triathletes after the break.
Continue reading Evolta robot to take on the Ironman Triathlon, conquer the course in a week
Evolta robot to take on the Ironman Triathlon, conquer the course in a week originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
The Huffington Post | 
Panasonic | Email this | Comments
Researchers at the University of Michigan have figured out a way to drastically increase your cellphone’s battery life, at least while using WiFi. By using what they’re calling E-MiLi, or Energy-Minimizing Idle Listening, professor Kang Shin (right) and student Xinyu Zhang have developed a proof of concept that could extend battery life up to 54-percent with the WiFi radio on. Even when idle, a wireless radio is actively checking for incoming traffic. E-MiLi scales back the wireless card’s clock to just 1/16th of its normal operating speed, and only kicks back into full gear when it senses incoming data. To be really useful though, we’d love to see the same trick employed on cellular data networks — that LTE sure is fast, but it’s not exactly battery-friendly. Check out the PR after the break.
Continue reading New ‘subconscious mode’ could improve smartphone battery life, supress your WiFi id
New ‘subconscious mode’ could improve smartphone battery life, supress your WiFi id originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
They’re some fairly bold claims, but a team of researchers at the University of Leeds say they’ve managed to develop a new type of polymer gel that could lead to batteries that are safer, cheaper to manufacture and more flexible than traditional lithium-ion batteries. That last detail could have some particularly interesting consequences, as the researchers say it allows for batteries that can “shaped and bent to fit the geometries of virtually any device.” What’s more, all of that apparently comes with no compromise in performance, and the team has already licensed the technology to Polystor Energy Corporation, which is now conducting trials to commercialize the battery cells. The only catch is that there’s not so much as a hint as to when such batteries might actually be available.
Leeds researchers tout gel-based batteries as better, safer and cheaper originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink DVICE | University of Leeds | Email this | Comments
Although it’ll still be hard to misplace in your pile of electronics, a company called Nichicon has launched what it says is the world’s smallest chargers for electric vehicles, the NGQ-A202 and the NGQ-A302. By using what the company calls advanced module technology, it was able to shrink its EV charger down by 50 percent to around 59 x 13.8 x 23.6 inches, also reducing the weight by up to 66 percent. Compatible with the ChAdeMO standard, these 20-30kW chargers will work with electric vehicles like Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf, taking between 35 and 60 minutes to fully power your whip. Charging doesn’t come cheap, however, as the batteries are said to retail between $24,600 and $27,000 when they launch sometime in October. Next step — cutting the cord and going wireless, perhaps? Check out the full PR after the break.
Filed under: Transportation
Nichicon lays claim to the world’s smallest EV chargers with NGQ-202, NGQ-203 models originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 06:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Syrian freedom fighters claim to have come up with a new and creative way of charging their cell phones when they’re cut off the grid. It sounds too good to be true… and we think it is. More »
Graphene, that microscopic chicken wire made of carbon atoms, has a great many theoretical uses. Among these is to improve Lithium-ion battery technologies, and the big brains at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a graphene and tin composite material for use in battery electrodes. When it’s baked at 572 degrees Fahrenheit (300 degrees Celsius) the tin turns into nanopillars that widen the gap between the graphene layers. The greater volume of tin provided by these tiny towers improves electrode performance (read: faster charging), and the flexibility of the graphene prevents electrode degradation. Naturally, current prototypes can only maintain capacity over 30 charge cycles — as opposed to the hundreds required for commercial applications — so some serious improvement has to happen before we see it strut its stuff in any phones or EVs. This leaves us, once again, extolling the virtues of graphene, but lamenting its exclusively academic application.
Continue reading Researchers use graphene and tin sandwich to make better battery electrodes
Researchers use graphene and tin sandwich to make better battery electrodes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
We’ve had about all of the transparent displays we can handle. Besides, what good is a screen you can see through if the electronics behind it are as opaque as ever? Thankfully, the fine folks at Stanford are working hard to move us towards a future filled with invisible gadgets. Yi Cui and Yuan Yang led a team that have created a lithium-ion battery that appears transparent. In actuality, the cells are composed of a very fine mesh of electrodes, approximately 35-microns wide, that are small enough to appear invisible to the naked eye. The resulting power packs are cheap and flexible but, currently, can only store about half as much energy as a traditional Li-ion battery. Cui has a particular destination in mind for creation, as he told the college paper, “I want to talk to Steve Jobs about this. I want a transparent iPhone!” Check out the video after the break.
Stanford researchers create transparent battery, dream of a see-through iPhone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Stanford University News | Email this | Comments
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
