October 18, 2006, 11:29 AM PDT
More motivation to let a robot vacuum
Posted by: Elsa Wenzel

To go on a proper energy diet, first you'd have to measure the power consumed around the house, outlet by outlet. Just like counting calories, that would take all the fun out of gobbling up electricity. But if you're really geeked about saving money and greening your home, then you might follow the lead of one Silicon Valley engineer who crusaded around his apartment with the Kill-a-Watt energy meter, measuring the appetite of nearly every appliance.

Eric Boyd calculated that over a year, his refrigerator, desktop PC, and iMac used the most electricity. He estimated that his stove, oven, and air conditioner demanded a bit less energy than the computers. (Government figures, on the other hand, list heating and cooling as the biggest energy gobbler.) The toaster, microwave, washer, and dryer were hungrier for watts than anything else in Boyd's home, but their infrequent use led to low operating costs overall. Lighting didn't cost much because he already used compact fluorescent bulbs instead of ravenous incandescents. And in case you needed more motivation not to clean the floor yourself, his Roomba ate up a piddling 43 cents of his annual electrical bill.

Unfortunately, Boyd concluded that he'd barely notice a dent in his utilities bills if he conscientiously unplugged every gadget from the wall when not in use. But various studies show that standby power drained by those dormant appliances might quietly eat up as much as one-tenth of your energy expenses.

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October 03, 2006, 9:41 AM PDT
Logitech elevates the wireless keyboard
Posted by: Rich Brown

We liked Logitech's DiNovo Media Desktop über keyboard set well enough when it debuted back in 2003. It's since undergone various updates, but the core design has remained the same. As you can see from its picture, Logitech's new laser-cut Plexiglas, brushed-aluminum DiNovo Edge, announced this morning, is more than a simple update.

Logitech brought the DiNovo Edge by for us to play with briefly a week or so ago and explained some of the reasoning behind the new design. Apparently one of the most requested capabilities was making the wireless keyboard rechargeable. That's what the base unit is for, which also doubles as a display stand. The new unit no longer comes with a mouse, as Logitech found that most people would rather bring their own. In its place, Logitech has added a touch-sensitive pad on the side to help with navigation.

Design-wise, the DiNovo Edge looks just as pretty in real life as it does in its picture. One appearance tweak we really like is the hidden hot keys, which aren't really keys anymore. Instead, when you hold down the Fn button, an orange light illuminates previously invisible symbols behind the top row of F-buttons, indicating their alternate functions for launching e-mail, a Web browser, and other applications. You'll note that it doesn't have a number pad, which helps reduce its width for a more living room-friendly appearance. And, like the original DiNovo, the Edge comes with Bluetooth capability, but Logitech has added its own RFID-based Bluetooth pairing technology between the keyboard and the USB mini receiver, circumventing Windows' cumbersome Bluetooth install process.

Like all of the DiNovo keyboards, the Edge won't come cheap. When it hits stores in the beginning of November, it'll cost about $200. We'll let you know if it's worth it just as soon as we can get one in for a full review.

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September 26, 2006, 4:49 PM PDT
HP's dye-ink for your big pictures
Posted by: Lori Grunin

OK--a bad pun, poorly executed. I admit it. Nonetheless, at Photokina today, HP announced a new Photosmart printer to inhabit that amorphous market segment geared to amateur photographers who want to print their photos as large as 13x19. Or at least to know that they can.

The Photosmart Pro B8350 uses HP's dye-based Vivera inks--the same cartridges as the consumer Photosmart 8450--for six-color or monochrome prints. What's "pro" about it is the medium-format size and straight-through paper path for printing on heavier paper stock.

I expect the print quality to be the same as the 8450's, which is very good for a consumer model, and like the 8450, the B8350 has a built-in Ethernet connection, which is one of the reasons I recommend the B8450 to anyone who wants to use it on a home network.

HP plans to ship the Photosmart Pro B8350 printer this month, for $349.

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September 25, 2006, 4:13 AM PDT
Epson's pro printer for ambitious prosumers
Posted by: Lori Grunin

If you dropped $2,000 on a good dSLR and lenses, don't you think you deserve a printer to match? Epson does, and it thinks the Stylus Pro 3800 should be that printer. This is the first desktop printer from the company's pro graphics division, which positions it well for shooters and digital artists who want to embark upon the journey of selling their work or those who've considered--and discarded--the idea of spending $2,000 on a Stylus Pro 4800 for the ability to produce their own 17x22-inch prints.

The Pro 3800 also produces 17x22-inch prints, though unlike the 4800, it doesn't support roll paper. On the other hand, it does allow you to print full bleed (borderless) on cut sheets, which the 4800 could do only on rolls, and print as small as 4x6. Like that model and the 13x19 Stylus Photo R2400, it uses Epson's 8-color UltraChrome K3 pigment ink set, with all of that printer's grayscale and color printing perks but without the need to swap the Matte and Photo Black ink tanks. Though the droplets have the same 3.5pl volume, Epson claims its new screening algorithm does a significantly better job at producing grain-free output. Depending on the ink/paper combo, prints are rated to last upwards of 100 years. Epson also claims the 3800 is faster than the 4800, by about 30 seconds on a 16x20 print. And finally, it has built-in networking and a USB 2.0 port.

So are you ready to shell out $1,295 for all that? Yeah, I'd want to think about it a bit, too. But it's not slated to ship until November, so you have some time.

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August 29, 2006, 1:34 PM PDT
Bunch of new Epsons
Posted by: Will Greenwald

Epson has announced several new printers, for that is what printer companies are wont to do. Among the new products are two dedicated photo printers and three all-in-one printers.

The Epson R260 and R380 are printers with several high-end features. Both can produce borderless prints at up to letter (8.5x11) size, and both can print directly to CDs and DVDs. The R380 goes even further, with a 3.5-inch LCD screen and a media card reader.

The Epson CX5000, CX6000, and RX580 are Epson's newest multipurpose printers. All three are all-in-one units that can both scan and print photos. The CX5000 includes a built-in card reader for directly printing images. The CX6000 has a card reader and a 2-inch color LCD. The RX580 lacks a card reader but sports a big, 3.5-inch LCD and CD/DVD-printing capabilities.

The Epson CX5000, CX6000, and R260 will be available in September with respective suggested retail prices of $100, $150, and $130. The R380 and RX580 will both ship in October at the suggested price of $200.

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August 25, 2006, 10:27 AM PDT
Dell gets green points, but Lenovo gets trashed
Posted by: Elsa Wenzel

Dell, Nokia, and HP win top marks today in Greenpeace's ranking of how tech companies manage toxic chemicals and old equipment. The environmental group's Guide to Greener Electronics ranked Lenovo at the bottom of the heap--not far beneath Apple, despite its recently expanded recycling program. Get more dirt by reading Greenpeace's scorecard here.

Dell and HP are also among the few vendors whose products made it to the EPEAT list of eco-friendly computers. Both companies offer good e-waste recycling programs; Dell will even pick up your old goods of any brand for free. Last month, Europe's ROHS rules started forcing global manufacturers to reduce the use of toxic metals and flame retardants in all sorts of gadgets. And in California, your cell phone company now has to take back your unwanted handsets.

Each month, the world's consumers dump millions of tons of poisonous, high-tech trash. At the same time, companies touting cleaner, greener tech are now getting newfound attention and big money; read ongoing coverage here.

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August 23, 2006, 12:38 PM PDT
Microsoft pairs with Razer for gaming mouse
Posted by: Rich Brown

As Dave Rudden mentioned earlier, Microsoft introduced a bunch of XBox 360 gaming hardware at the Liepzig Games Conference. The PC also got a little gaming love in the form of two mice. The IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 is a slightly redone basic optical mouse with a gaming bend. But what's more surprising is the announcement of the the Habu, which it made in partnership with hard-core gaming-mouse maker Razer. The Habu (named for a poisonous Japanese pit viper), is basically a Razer Copperhead with a tweaked body that's a little more substantial. It has the same 2,000dpi laser sensor as the Copperhead and the same response times and customizability. Microsoft added an adjustable plate that lets you set the position of the two thumb-side buttons to your preference. The Habu will retail for $70 when it hits the streets in October.

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July 25, 2006, 7:33 AM PDT
Sooner than we thought, Apple's new wireless mouse is here
Posted by: Rich Brown

We caught an unofficial glimpse yesterday, but this morning it's official: Apple has a new Bluetooth-enabled Mighty Mouse mouse. New features include laser tracking and the aforementioned Bluetooth wireless connection, and it runs on two AA batteries. We're sad to see that Apple's press material makes no mention of other improvements to the design. Apple is known for making unannounced tweaks to its products, so we'll have to get the final product in hand before we can pass final judgement. We'll get right on that.

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July 24, 2006, 2:37 PM PDT
Apple has a new mouse in the works
Posted by: Rich Brown

After some sleuthing around the FCC's Web site, Engadget found a new product filing from Apple. It's a redesign of the Mighty Mouse, this time with Bluetooth, which means one less wire cluttering your iMac's aura. Engadget's hoping that Apple fixes the side buttons; we hope it gives the squirrelly scroll nub some sensitivity refinement. Either way, we're happy to see the cord go.

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July 24, 2006, 12:03 AM PDT
Green computers: a convenient truth?
Posted by: Elsa Wenzel

If greener cars rev your engine, you'll probably pick a computer that minimizes its ecological impact and your energy bills, if you can find one. Today, for the first time, you can look up laptops, desktops, and monitors that meet the definition of green agreed upon by electronics makers, environmental groups, and the government. Check out the new EPEAT database at epeat.net.

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool is a voluntary badge, similar to Energy Star, but it rates more than energy efficiency. EPEAT products earn a Gold, Silver, or Bronze label according to how well they satisfy strict standards of energy usage as well as design, recyclability, durability, materials, and packaging. Corporate policies are also taken into consideration.

You can search on the site by brand or for qualities such as CRT or flat-panel monitors between 15 and 30 inches in size. I couldn't find a single product that rated Gold, while 54 shone Silver, and 7 were Bronze. Read the ratings details for a menu of cutting-edge design techniques, such as modular components, reduced mercury, and cases made of postconsumer recycled plastic.

HP, Dell, and CTL Corporation are early EPEAT adopters (HP and Dell also offer good curbside tech recycling pickup). Other big brands are absent from the database, but the initial list of 61 items is sure to expand, especially as demand grows among makers of green homes as well as within the government. The Department of Homeland Security, NASA, and Massachusetts State will require equipping their offices with EPEAT-labeled products. The EPA funded EPEAT, expecting it to save enough energy to power 6 million homes and save 13 million pounds of hazardous waste by 2011.

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