News Roundup - Dell, EcoButton

Dell announced this week that they have achieved a goal they announced two years ago - reduce power consumption on desktop and laptop computers by 25%.  They cite improvements in circuit design, energy efficient fans, and LED monitors as the biggest reasons for the gains.

I'm very happy to see so much energy efficiency focus in the IT and telecommunications sectors.  Those areas use insane amounts of energy, and until the last two years all focus has been on faster, denser, better performing products, while companies have had trouble keeping up with the power demands in their facilities.

Anyway, read more about Dell's achievements on Energy Efficiency News.

New Product to help Computer Users Reduce Energy Use

When I first saw the EcoButton, I thought 'wow, another unnecessary gimmick for unwitting consumers'. As I've thought about it some more, I can see some benefit.

The EcoButton is a large-ish button that sits on your desktop and connects to PCs (no Mac support) via USB. It allows you to shutdown or sleep your computer by hitting the large, visible, easily accessible button, and serves as a reminder to do so.

Of course, the same can be done with a couple of clicks of the mouse, but I suppose if it helps someone remember or change their habits, that is a good thing.

Visit Eco-button's site for more info or cut to the chase and view EcoButton on Amazon.