ITworld Green IT

Solar-powered plane takes off on flight across US

IDGNS staff — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:37:25 +0000

A one-of-a-kind aircraft powered solely by solar energy took to the skies above Silicon Valley early Friday morning on the first leg of a planned trip across the U.S.

Should you build and host your own server using a co-location?

mombrea — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

If you’re leasing server equipment in a hosting provider’s data center, you’re likely paying through the nose for antiquated technology. There is peace of mind that comes with that service in the form of care free hardware maintenance, but is that really enough to keep you paying for that same 4GB of RAM every month for life?

Folding USB Solar Cell will power your devices on the go

IDGNS staff — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:11:36 +0000

The simple, folding solar charger from Brown Dog Gadgets can be paired with a battery pack to store a charge for those dark times.

Kickstarter: Using personal power to charge your smartphone

pasmith — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

A pair of Kickstarter projects turn the kinetic energy you generate into a source for charging your smartphone, whether you get around by bike or on foot.

Sustainable IT: The 2013 Green IT Awards

kgerich — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:40:00 +0000

These organizations have implemented innovative ways to slash waste, save energy, boost data center efficiency, and reduce CO2 emissions

IBM 'overclocks' solar energy collector tech with supercomputer cooling

IDGNS staff — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:06:59 +0000

IBM improves solar energy tech with a new solar collector captures the power of 2,000 suns.

Recycle your old tech gear

IDGNS staff — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:54:49 +0000

What to do with your old tech gear when it no longer works? Recycle it. We show you how and where to be responsible with outdated stuff.

Fact or fiction: Eight Mac energy-saving techniques tested

IDGNS staff — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:23:29 +0000

What if the daily computing practices you follow to save energy end up wasting it instead? What if your assumptions about Mac power usage are wrong? To investigate this possibility, we compiled a list of eight widely held opinions about energy conservation, grabbed our trusty power meters, and started logging power usage.

Being green and the madness of crowds

IDGNS staff — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:03:24 +0000

Being green isn't easy and irrational beliefs about the health effects of wind farms just makes it that much harder.

Why can't I get lithium ion batteries in standard battery sizes?

TheCount — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:18:53 +0000

Why are Lithium Ion batteries not available in standard sizes (AAA, AA , C, etc.)? If they are the best choice for things like cell phones and laptops, wouldn't they also be suitable for use in other "normal" devices?

A cicada invasion is coming to New York (and other stuff you missed)

IDGNS staff — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:39:20 +0000

A year of NASA photos of Earth, a Tetris game on the side of a building, and other stuff you missed.

Vodafone, Ericsson test feature to make rural mobile coverage cheaper

IDGNS staff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:58:10 +0000

Ericsson and Vodafone in Egypt have successfully tested a new way to build more energy-efficient networks in rural areas, and make it possible to build networks where they previously could not be built, according to the vendor.

Nanowires could boost energy in solar cells by 15x

IDGNS staff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:09:02 +0000

Building solar voltaic cells from nanowires instead of standard metal conductors can increase the amount of energy that can be captured by a factor of 15, according to a new study by scientists from the Nano-Science Center in Denmark.

Trade groups look for uses for recycled CRT glass

IDGNS staff — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:16:29 +0000

An electronics and a recycling trade group are looking for ways to reuse recycled cathode ray tube (CRT) glass from computer monitors and television sets, with a US$10,000 prize for the best proposal.

Solar panel-cleaning robot means one less chore for you

IDGNS staff — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:49:16 +0000

Installing solar panels on your roof can be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, and they can save you money in the long run. Of course, they can also build up dirt and dust, which can negatively impact their efficiency and power-generating capabilities. What's a homeowner to do? Let a robot do the dirty work, of course.