Gallery: transform your iPhone into a green gadget with eco-friendly apps

As much as we all enjoy endless hours waving virtual lighters and popping virtual bubble wrap, you'd be forgiven for wondering if there was something a bit more... err...constructive that you could do with your iPhone, writes Kathryn Rodgers.

Well, by some miracle it looks like you weren't the only ones wondering. While you've been sipping your virtual pint at the virtual pub, some eco-conscious apps creators have been busy working on an array of green apps to help you help the planet.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO START THE GALLERY

Posted by shinychris on March 16, 2010 7:30 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Catch the spring sun with solar powered gadgets

With March welcoming the first cloudless days of 2010, I can't be the only one to notice certain people thinking that this warrants cracking out the shortest shorts and the tightest tanktops, despite the still freezing temperatures. With enough power to source the world's energy consumption 1,000 times over, solar is undoubtedly an underused energy source. So, if you want to enjoy the early blue skies without losing any of your limbs to frostbite, then let these solar powered gadgets soak up the sun while you stay safely wrapped up.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO START THE GALLERY

Posted by KathrynR on March 8, 2010 9:53 AM Permalink | Comments (1) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

CES 2010: iPhone solar charger from Novothink

There were loads of iPhone solar chargers at CES this year but this is one from Novothink is probably the best. It fits snugly on to your phone and can deliver thirty minutes of power for two hours of charging. It doesn't have to be connected to the iPhone to charge and if the sun isn't playing you can charge it up via USB.

It goes on sale soon in Europe including the UK, for 80 (not 8 as it says in the video) Euros. It comes with a free app that works out how much you need to use the sun to charge the battery depending on where in the world you are. See video after the turn.

Continue reading >>

Posted by shinychris on January 11, 2010 1:11 PM Permalink | Comments (5) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Sony Ericsson turns phones green with Elm and Hazel handsets

Driving the eco-bandwagon into the mobile phone market, Sony Ericsson has just gone and launched a pair of green phones today, the Sony Ericsson Elm and the Hazel, writes ShinyShiny's Anna Leach.

Elm and Hazel like the trees - the nice green trees.

"The Sony Ericsson Elm and the Sony Ericsson Hazel phones offer consumers a green choice without compromising on features or fun" say the company in a press release.

So, names aside, what's so green about these handsets?

1. Less energy and raw materials are used in their manufacture and packing:
- Made out of recycled plastics
- Free from hazardous chemicals
- The instructions booklet is not printed on paper but is an e-manual in phone
- Packaging has been minimised

2. The Greenheart phones are designed to be more energy-efficient
- Low power consumption charger (EP300 GreenHeart(TM))
- Clearer voice technology should mean lower volume is required
- A Widget Manager application, which allows users access to their social networking page via the stand-by screen and quickly switch between different social networks, reduces the battery-wasting waiting time.

3. They come with apps for helping you cut down on CO2 and energy use in other areas of your life..
- Walk Mate eco application
- Green calculator

Continue reading >>

Posted by shinychris on December 14, 2009 5:09 PM Permalink | Comments (1) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Gallery: Eco friendly gadgets

How many times have you opened a great gift, been desperate to get playing with it but discovered it requires eight AAA batteries - which of course are not included and you can't find in your junk drawer.

And how many other times has your gadget run out of batteries at the crucial moment.

Over 5 billion batteries are used and thrown away every year at great ecological cost. ShinyShiny's Andrea Petrou has put together a gallery of eco friendly gadgets to ease your conscience and battery frustration.

Click on the picture below to begin the gallery.

Posted by shinychris on October 6, 2009 5:14 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Green handsets to reach 500 million in 5 years - yeah right

According to new analysis from Juniper Research, consumer demand for environmentally sustainable mobile phone handsets could see shipments reach 485 million units by 2014.

According to their report, Green Mobile Handsets & Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014, even with an incremental attitude shift by consumers, numbers will still grow from a quarter of million shipments in 2009 to over 105 million by 2014.

Continue reading >>

Posted by shinychris on September 17, 2009 2:00 PM Permalink | Comments (0) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Is this the world's smallest and greenest computer?

Paul Ridden Writes: Not only does the Fit-PC 2.0 make claims to be the world's smallest fully functioning PC but also to be the greenest. I can't remember seeing anything smaller (and I've seen a LOT of PCs) so that's one claim that I can't argue with. The PC is 115mm by 101mm by 27mm, so if you've seen anything smaller that provides the same or similar specs, feel free to leave a comment!

Continue reading >>

Posted by Abi Silvester on July 3, 2009 7:33 AM Permalink | Comments (1) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!