Gadgets Draining UK Power July 5, 2007
Read more Consoles , Gadgets , Gizmodo UK , HDTV , Home Entertainment , Mobile Devices , Technology
It seems that our obsession with gadgets, from skinny TVs to phones, is really putting a dent in the nation’s efforts to save energy.
In fact, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), gadgets are undermining UK efforts to conserve energy. In the next three years, consumer electronics – which we spend £12bn a year on, and rising – will be the biggest drain on the national grid – taking over from the biggest suckers, lights and fridges/freezers.
By 2020, we will need 14 power plants for gadgets alone, which will then account for almost half of the country’s energy needs. Flat TVs [especially plasmas] get a kicking, as do digital radios, but I guess the real eye opener for me was games consoles.
I know they drink but I didn’t realise that there’s almost no difference in power drain between a console in ‘on-mode’ [playing a game/watching a movie] and one in ‘idle-mode’ [not standby, but one with something on, just not being played]. This is how the EST put it:
“This means that even if a console is only used for an hour or two a day, but the machine remains on and in ‘idle’ mode for the rest of the time, it is the near equivalent of playing with the console 24/7 in terms of energy consumption. In the case of the Playstation 3 (PS3), this is similar to leaving three 60 watt bulbs on permanently, and at today’s electricity prices that will cost the householder approximately £164 per year.”
Hang on, just let me reach over here and…’click’. I’ve just saved £164. Phew.
Check out the amusingly titled ‘The Ampere Strikes Back’ here. -Martin Lynch
Editor and Contributor | Martin Lynch
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Comments
Ah it won't matter soon anyway, as we will all be powered by the wonder machine orbo.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/04/steorns-orbo-free-energy-machine-demonstrated-tomorrow/
Can't Governments legislate against all the pointless LEDs that get added to technology these days? I'm always bathed in glowing green and red lights. Everything has to glow all the time! The worse offender of the lot is Apple. That damn flashing white LED on their powerbooks. Look on the bright side, if you leave consoles and laptops on all the time, at least you won't need to turn the central heating on.
It actually says that it uses the power in "idle" mode... in standby it's a couple of watts... the report mentions leaving a console on in idle mode for 22 hours or so... who would do that?
Idle means, presumably, leaving the console on the dashboard...? Whereas standby is leaving it connected to the power but turned off...?
I think gadgets are going to be there for long and perhaps will increase in popularity in the coming time. It all started for the "lads", but now there is a whole range for ladies.
What about the idea of targeting the OAPs? Gran with a gadget,Uh!
There are loads of gadget shops coming up everyday, but not all are going to be there to last for long. Only the good one will survive as competition increases and the consumer gets more and more intelligent.
http://www.zsuaro.com/UI/index.aspx
I think gadgets are going to be there for long and perhaps will increase in popularity in the coming time. It all started for the "lads", but now there is a whole range for ladies.
What about the idea of targeting the OAPs? Gran with a gadget,Uh!
There are loads of gadget shops coming up everyday, but not all are going to be there to last for long. Only the good one will survive as competition increases and the consumer gets more and more intelligent.
http://www.zsuaro.com/UI/index.aspx
I think gadgets are going to be there for long and perhaps will increase in popularity in the coming time. It all started for the "lads", but now there is a whole range for ladies.
What about the idea of targeting the OAPs? Gran with a gadget,Uh!
There are loads of gadget shops coming up everyday, but not all are going to be there to last for long. Only the good one will survive as competition increases and the consumer gets more and more intelligent.
http://www.zsuaro.com/UI/index.aspx
I think gadgets are going to be there for long and perhaps will increase in popularity in the coming time. It all started for the "lads", but now there is a whole range for ladies.
What about the idea of targeting the OAPs? Gran with a gadget,Uh!
There are loads of gadget shops coming up everyday, but not all are going to be there to last for long. Only the good one will survive as competition increases and the consumer gets more and more intelligent.
http://www.zsuaro.com/UI/index.aspx