As Cute As An EcoButton: Computer Energy Saver
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01.31.08
Plug the EcoButton into your computer via a USB port, load the software and henceforth any time you’re not using the machine, (gone to lunch, phoning your bookmaker, gathering around the water cooler to hear the latest gossip) you tap the button and it puts your computer into energy saver mode. Tap any keyboard key on your return, and it returns to where you left off. Plus it tells you how much CO2 and how many dollars you've thus saved.
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It looks to be about the same size and shape as the infamous hockey puck mouse that Apple supplied with the first bubble style iMacs. And although they use a new iMac for illustrative purpose, currently the EcoButton only works on Windows based PCs, running Windows 2000 / XP / Vista 32 bit. (A Mac version is promised.)
We guess the main benefit of the recycled plastic EcoButton over using the energy saving modes already available in your computer’s operating system is the simplicity. Tapping a button is easier than navigating menu bars. And they reckon that a business with 50 computers would save 6.80 Tonnes of CO2 and over $1,500 USD per year of electricity by using the EcoButton (were it employed to reduce an suggested average of two hours of non-machine use per day). ::EcoButton, via Slashgear.
Wow. Laziness at it's worst.
"easier than navigating menu bars.."
I don't know about the latest version of Windows, but on an Apple, you click once on the icon in the top left corner of your screen and scroll down to "Sleep."
Seriously...this makes the Segway look useful.
Firstly, false advertising is never a good idea. If they don't yet have an ecobutton for MACs then use a PC to promote it.
As a MAC user and I'm wondering if this ecobutton does the same thing as the "sleep" button? MACs can even be programmed using "expose" to simply move your mouse to the corner of your screen and it puts it to sleep. The extra need for more cables streaming out of my computer seems unnecessary and wasteful when I can possibly do the same thing with my mouse (minus the energy saving information). It would be interesting to hear if the purposes are the same.
Since I have never discovered a use for it, I have the Pause key bound to a script that locks the screen and puts the computer to sleep.
Really is it that hard to go into Control Panel, open up Power Options and click your settings? Do you need to buy something to do that for you? Is this gadget more effective?
As far as businesses go, my old company wouldn't let me change my power settings. I also doubt they would invest in something like this when they could just have someone in IT change the settings for everybody to do the same thing.
Also by setting your computer to automatically go into sleep mode it removes the need for thought or action by the user. Forgot to hit the button? In that case it doesn't do much good does it?
Really is it that hard to go into Control Panel, open up Power Options and click your settings? Do you need to buy something to do that for you? Is this gadget more effective?
As far as businesses go, my old company wouldn't let me change my power settings. I also doubt they would invest in something like this when they could just have someone in IT change the settings for everybody to do the same thing.
Also by setting your computer to automatically go into sleep mode it removes the need for thought or action by the user. Forgot to hit the button? In that case it doesn't do much good does it?
Two clicks on the Mac they have advertised (when it's not even out for OSX yet... curious choice): Finder, Sleep. And that means not using the resources that went into making the huge plastic button! Interesting idea, questionable necessity.
If you're going out to lunch, why don't you just turn off the computer...
wouldn't that be the most effective way?
and for the other things that take only a short amount of time, you can, as MyDogRex said, just go into Control Panel, open up Power Options and change your settings...
it doesn't seem to have much practicality
we agree that it is laziness not to utilise a computer's on-board energy saver settings. But just as many people will drive rather than cycle or catch public transport, we can also acknowledge the small stepping stones that help folk move beyond laziness into action.
We wish TH readers were the societal norm in their habits, the world would be a better place, but, alas, it ain't so. Well done on those previous commenters for being so proactive.
Although Apple ship all their systems with energy saver modes already activated, this has not been historically the case for other PC manufacturers. If a device like this gets people thinking about putting their computer to sleep, that is a step in the right direction.
Stupid waste of plastic and shipping resources if you order this thing. Learn to click a few buttons. Windows, OS X, and Linux can all do "energy saver mode" be it hibernate or suspend without a stupid green, only in color, button.
Granted it makes sense to change the sleep mode setting on your computer (PC), but the eco-button could be a physical reminder about saving energy and could be used as a physical reminder to help change peoples habits and increase awareness about our energy hog attitudes.
Well, for those responders who seem well versed in using power options and navigating menus you do have to remember that 90% of the computer users out there don't have a clue!
A big Green Glowing Button sitting next to their keyboard to hit every toilet break, phone call, smoke break, run to the water cooler, etc. This will really help those humble office workers, many of whom don't even know how to switch a pc on or off and only have a basic understanding of email. I know there are many of those out there, I've worked in offices full of them. And anyone in IT support for a company with a lot of pc users will tell you about the numpties out there using them. Maybeit is aimed at this market and could help them make great savings, whether they buyit for personal use or business.
As for waste of plastic? how can thatbe true when it's made from 'waste plastic'? A waste of waste? Made me giggle anyway!
For pro's out there wanting to really green up their computing they should really consider the new breed of energy effieicient PC, some of which only use a stunning 30watts!!