Eco-friendly - SlashGear

‘eco-friendly’ Stories

California requiring energy-efficient handset chargers in 2013

Rue Liu, Jan 13th 2012 Discuss [21]

The eco-friendly state of California has just passed a unanimous vote requiring device manufacturers to ship energy-efficient handset chargers starting 2013. This new requirement applies to all cellphones, tablets, and hundreds of other electronic devices. The new law was passed by the California Energy Commission with a 3-0 vote despite objections from electronics makers. Read The Full Story

Solar satellite plan blasts fossil fuels with eco-laser

Chris Burns, Nov 15th 2011 Discuss [10]

A study group of the International Academy of Astronautics in Paris this week has published a study which notes that in as little as 30 years we could be meeting our global power needs by harvesting the sun's solar energy with satellites. This group notes that with seed money from the government, orbiting power plants will be "technically feasible" within a decade or two, each plant able to beam solar energy back to Earth for use by citizens across it. Of course all of this is without a specific road map or exact scientific architecture it seems, but it seems like a good time! Read The Full Story

Verizon and Sigma Designs release Z-Wave technology for the home

Chris Burns, Oct 12th 2011 Discuss [2]

It's time to get a newly minted handle on everything electronic in your home, here provided by Verizon and Sigma Designs through Z-Wave Control technology. This system will be called "Verizon Home monitoring and Control" and is now available in the USA to all Verizon customers. You'll be able to lock doors remotely, see your home via networked cameras, and adjust, set, and control your thermostats, appliances, and lights. All of this is done through a gateway device that will, over time, be enabled to work with Internet-based connections via iOS and Android. Read The Full Story

Ecopad Concept Tablet Powered By Touch

Rue Liu, May 26th 2011 Discuss [0]

Can you imagine having a tablet that you'll never need to plug in to recharge? That's what a team of designers have dreamed up with in their tablet concept called the Ecopad. The Ecopad is powered simply by your touching and pressing of the screen, where typing, swiping, and tapping actually does the recharging. Read The Full Story

Hammacher Schlemmer Electric Comfort

Kevin Fubar, Apr 13th 2011 Discuss [1]

Hammacher Schlemmer is selling this sweet bike on their website. It's designed like a standard Cruiser. I've seen a lot of old Schwinn's with a similar design. This bike features big baloon tires, a fatty padded seat, and a powerful electric motor to help you cruise around town without breaking too much of a sweat. This baby has 500 Watts of power assist driven by a 36 volt L-ion battery pack providing up to 30 miles of electric boost. That's more than enough. Hammacher Schlemmer's Electric Comfort Bicycle will get you where you need to go, in style, and it's eco-friendly. Read The Full Story

Home Farming, Not So Much

Kevin Fubar, Apr 6th 2011 Discuss [1]

Designer, François Hurtaud has an idea. This idea is tiny ecospheres in our kitchens and living rooms that dissolve the organic garbage we dispose of into a tiny garbage ecosystem replete with fish and plants. The first thing that came to mind when I saw the image was, clean lines and cool fishbowls. It looks like something the Jetsons would have had in their home. But it has some flaws in the design. Read The Full Story

EcoSquid Makes Selling or Recycling Gadgets Easy

Samia Perkins, Feb 24th 2011 Discuss [1]

There are lots of gadget recycling options out there, and sometimes the number of choices can be overwhelming. EcoSquid is a site that compares many different websites and lets you choose the best option for selling, trading in, or recycling your old device. You just type in what gadget you want to get rid of, and the site will give you a list of options. So step away from that blender... Read The Full Story

Coconut fiber concept iPad case straight out of Gilligan’s Island

Rue Liu, Jan 27th 2011 Discuss [1]

This concept from Econut takes the cake as being the most green gadget accessory. The concept case is made from coconut fibers and allows you to slip your iPad in, prop it up and use the built in keyboard with the device. Read The Full Story

Raindrop Mini turns downspout into eco-friendly water collector

Chris Davies, Jan 24th 2011 Discuss [0]

A compact way to modify downspouts for collecting water is now available, promising eco-friendly thirst quenching for apartment gardens. The Raindrop Mini by Studio Bas Van der Veer fits in-line with the drainpipe and channels rainwater into a removable jug; rather than demanding you accomodate a water-butt, water is collected into the watering can itself. Read The Full Story

Electronic Eco-Friendly Rickshaw Designed by Japan Firm

Chris Burns, Jan 20th 2011 Discuss [2]

I have the distinctive honor of presenting to you the very first post on SlashGear to feature a rickshaw. This rickshaw is both electronic and eco-friendly. This is the Meguru, a three-wheeled, three seat tiny vehicle that's made to go what they call "maximum speed" and range of about 25 miles per hour. Of course that's just with the out-of-the-box build, you can add batteries as you like for a longer ride. Read The Full Story

Ocean Empire Super Yacht is Self-Sustainable, Costs $17 Million

Evan Selleck, Jan 19th 2011 Discuss [3]

$17 million for a self-sustainable super yacht may seem like a steal to some people. But, as many yachts have proven in the past, it's all about the features on board that make the price make more sense. For the Ocean Empire, being called the first-ever zero carbon life support vessel isn't good enough. No, the designers wanted to make sure that there's plenty of eco-friendly elements, along with plenty of room for people to live their day-to-day lives on board. Read The Full Story

Biolamp Concept Cleans the Air, Fuels Eco Cars

Evan Selleck, Jan 17th 2011 Discuss [1]

While we've seen concept designs recently really focus on helping the environment in one fashion or another, we haven't seen many that actually focus on two separate causes at once, and aim to fix both of them with one device. The Biolamp concept design is meant to not only clean the air, but also fuel eco cars. The design implements solar energy, as well as the usage of a specialized liquid to make the magic happen. Read The Full Story