Technology News: Green Tech

Thursday - June 25, 2009

When Microsoft rolled out its beta version of Hohm on Wednesday -- a Web site that helps consumers save electricity -- it pulled off a veritable hat-trick. First comes the good publicity from positioning itself as a public benefactor. Second is a live test of its Azure cloud service, first announced at Microsoft's Professional Developers' Conference in Los Angeles last October. Third, Microsoft is staking out its turf in a battle with Google over a possible business helping consumers cope with the results of governmental efforts to combat the greenhouse effect. [More...]

Microsoft Goes Bing, Palm's Pwned

Monday - June 1, 2009

Last week, Microsoft announced its new search push at Google -- and unlike Live Search, which was a joke, Bing looks to have the right stuff. The question is, can Microsoft get people to move? Palm initially looked as though it was going to get iPhone users to move, but that hope started to sputter last week. [More...]

Utility Companies Plug In to Google PowerMeter

Wednesday - May 20, 2009

Google will start field testing its PowerMeter software with over 10 million customers of eight large utility partners in three countries. Google on Wednesday announced it's lining up energy companies so it can enlist the utilities' customers to start using the home energy consumption software. [More...]

Study Sees Eco-Threat in Power-Guzzling Gadgets

Wednesday - May 13, 2009

Charge your iPod, kill a polar bear? The choice might not be quite that stark, but an energy watchdog is alarmed about the threat to the environment from the soaring electricity needs of gadgets like MP3 players, mobile phones and flat-screen TVs. In a report Wednesday, the Paris-based International Energy Agency estimates new electronic gadgets will triple their energy consumption by 2030 to 1,700 terawatt hours. [More...]

Xerox Goes for the Green With Crayon-Like Printer Ink

Saturday - May 9, 2009

The "razors and razor blade" analogy is always the first to be employed when analysts -- or technology reporters -- begin their discussions of the copier/printer business. If you're HP or Xerox, you sell the machine once, but you really make your money supplying customers with ink cartridges, toner and other supplies during the life of that machine. [More...]

Chocolate Factory Waste Propels Eco-Friendly Speedster

Wednesday - May 6, 2009

Scientists unveiled on Tuesday what they hope will be one of the world's fastest biofuel vehicles, powered by waste from chocolate factories and made partly from plant fibers. Its makers hope the racer will go 145 mph and give manufacturers ideas about how to build more ecologically friendly vehicles. The car runs on vegetable oils and chocolate waste that has been turned into biofuel. [More...]

Black and White and Green All Over: Soy-Based Printer Toner

Friday - April 24, 2009

Every time you print out a page on a laser printer you're using toner made from petroleum-based products. Now there's a greener choice that shows promise: a toner product derived from soybean oil. While some customers might be wary, potential benefits are clear. It's easier to recycle paper printed with soy. [More...]

Attention Greens and Geeks: Time for an Energy Revolution

Friday - April 17, 2009

Earth Day is fast approaching, yet despite the awareness this day brings, most people are powering their computers with electricity from coal-burning power plants, delivered by "dumb" networks. Change is long overdue, and it's not a difficult matter. The electricity grid's basic structure hasn't changed much since Thomas Edison came up with the idea back in 1882. [More...]

Study: Your Inbox Isn't the Only Thing Spammers Pollute

Thursday - April 16, 2009

We know spammers are often the crooks behind online fraud, ID theft, data breaches and other acts of cybercrime. Now, however, we've learn that they're guilty of jacking up the planet's CO2 emission count as well. The average spam message generates 0.3 grams of CO2, according to a study conducted by consultant firm ICF International for security vendor McAfee, which has a vested interest in anti-spam products. [More...]

Tesla Shows Off Family-Friendly Electric Car

Friday - March 27, 2009

Tesla Motors -- a Silicon Valley startup backed by entrepreneur Elon Musk, the South Africa-born cofounder of PayPal -- is making plans to roll out its second electric car. The company has released the details of its Tesla Model S. The Model S is promising a 300-mile range and the ability to recharge the battery within 45 minutes. [More...]

IBM Dives Into Clean Water Management

Friday - March 13, 2009

IBM is dropping anchor in the water management industry with the development of several new technologies and the launch of a new consulting service targeting utilities. This is not an entirely new focus for IBM, although it is clearly a deviation from its pure IT heritage. [More...]

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