Asus U5: The Latest Green Laptop

Asus has thrown it's hat in the ring of TreeHugger-friendly laptops (we've mentioned others before) with it's latest model, the U5. Built to comply with the European Union's standards to limit the use of toxic substances, the U5 is Asus's first lead- and halogen-free laptop. They got the lead out because it's the wrong kind of heavy metal, and halogens include an icky assortment of chemicals, including chlorine, that are decidedly bad for us TreeHuggers. The laptop itself is well-apportioned, with 512MB RAM, lots of wireless connectivity with built-in Bluetooth and WiFi, one FireWire and three USB ports, and a fast Pentium M, all weighing in at about three pounds. No word on price just yet; more info will be coming later this month, according to the manufacturer.

Apple Unveils Green Ultrathin Laptop

Apple today debuted its new très trim MacBook Air that is not only thin enough to slip inside a manila envelope but was made without many of the environmentally harmful chemical compounds used in older PCs.

Environmental activist organization Greenpeace just months ago criticized Apple for using bromine—whose vapors are toxic when inhaled—in its hugely popular iPhone. But the company now appears to be making good on its earlier promise that all new products would be free from brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a chlorinated plastic, by the end of this year. Apple says the new MacBook Air is made from "brominated flame retardant–free material for the majority of circuit boards as well as PVC-free internal cables."

The three-pound (1.36-kilogram) laptop, which Apple calls "the world's thinnest" and expects to sell starting at $1,799, also has a recyclable aluminum enclosure and Apple's first mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass. MacBook Air measures 0.16 inch (0.41 centimeter) at its slimmest point and 0.76 inch (1.93 centimeters) at its thickest.

Greenpeace is generally satisfied with the message that the new MacBook sends about cutting back on the environmentally unfriendly materials used to build PCs, but the conservation activists believe Apple can do even better. "We can say that Apple is getting greener, but it's still not green enough," says Zeina Alhajj, coordinator of the organization's international e-waste campaign. Although the new laptop contains less PVC and BFRs, "it could have been made without them entirely, and that would have made Apple an ecological leader." Still, she acknowledges, Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized the environment during his Macworld keynote today, "and that's a good start."

The company's bid to eliminate or reduce its use of environmentally harmful chemicals is an encouraging sign that they are trying to keep last year's promise. "I think Apple's extremely serious about improving their environmental footprint, but it takes time to find the new materials to replace what they're currently using," says Shannon Cross, an analyst with technology research firm Cross Research based in Livingston, N.J.

Apple says the 13.3-inch (33.8-centimeter) MacBook Air, which begins shipping at the end of the month, consumes the least amount of power of any Mac, and its retail box, made primarily from post-consumer recycled material, is 56 percent smaller by volume than the previously smallest MacBook packaging. Users will be able to get up to five hours of uninterrupted computing time from a fully charged battery. The laptop is available with either a 1.6 gigahertz or 1.8 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with four megabytes of L2 cache. Standard features include two gigabytes of memory and an 80-gigabyte, 1.8-inch (4.6-centimeter) hard drive as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1.

The company today also introduced a number of complementary features, including a compact external storage drive, the ability to wirelessly rent movies from its iTunes store and a wireless file backup called Time Capsule.

Sony’s Green Laptop (Literally)

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Stan Glasgow, the head of Sony Electronics in the United States, alluded to the arrival, in a not-too-distant future, of a laptop capable of rendering three-dimensional video. As it was, though, he settled for four new Vaio notebooks, each with its own personality. Here’s a brief look at each of them:

W series “eco-friendly” Mini. We won’t call it a netbook, though that’s pretty much what it is. The angle is that the green-tinted (we get the hint) plastic enclosure is made of 23 percent recycled CDs (from overstocked Sony artists?), and that the carrying case is made of recycled plastic bottles. The 10-inch screen is LED-lit, and it runs Windows 7 Starter edition.
Z series lightweight. Called an ultra-portable by Sony, the aluminum-encased Z is about three pounds and ships exclusively with solid-state drives, up to a 512-gigabyte model. It starts at $1,900 and can go way up (a Blu-ray player is optional, as are Intel Core i7 and i5 processors ) from there.

F series. The latest entry in the multimedia entertainment portable space, the F has a just-right-for-movies 16.4-inch screen and likes to stay at home on a desk.
Y series. This is the semi-lightweight (four pounds) MacBook fighter that delivers up to seven hours of battery life and incorporates a 13-inch screen. Starts at about $800.
Sony showed off a slew of other new products beyond the new Vaios, including new Cyber-shot digital cameras and camcorders, home theater audio systems, and an intriguing touchscreen Internet viewer for the desk called the Dash.

Mr. Glasgow also said that Sony would now market SD (secure digital) memory cards, even though it has long been pushing its propriety flash storage technology, the Memory Stick. Mr. Glasgow said the decision was prompted by the need to “give consumers a choice.”

Woodern Keyboard & Optical Mouse

If you think about it, as a society, we’ve moved away from more natural materials (wood, clay, fibres) and replaced them with a massive range of plastic-based compounds. However, plastic materials have a nasty impact on the environment, often taking thousands of years to break down. However, a rather novel green gadget by a UK company is a wooden optical mouse and wooden keyboard.

These rather impressive looking wooden eco gadgets are made from 4 year old bamboo, which has been aged to give it strength and an attractive look. Unfortunately, the keys are wood-coloured plastic, rather than wood themselves, but the idea is great. The keyboard and mouse are completely conventional in operation, so you won’t have any compatibility issues with your computer.

Battery-Free USB Wireless Optical Mouse

This USB Wireless Optical Mouse is made by Cables Unlimited allows you to stop using even rechargeable batteries to operate your computer’s mouse.


The Battery-Free USB Wireless Optical Mouse is a plug and play device, meaning its easy for anyone to install. The mouse itself is wireless and is optical providing you with a sensitive response to your movements. It draws its power through the specially designed mouse mat. It is this mat which plugs into your computer’s USB port and draws power through that. The mouse has two buttons and two scroll buttons to help you use your computer smoothly and efficiently.

The mouse itself measures 12 cm x 5.4 cm x 3.7 cm (4.7in x 2.5 in x 1.45 in) which is a pretty standard size. The mouse mat is 22.5cm in diameter (8.86 in). Due to the fact the mouse draws power through the mouse mat though the mouse is wireless it does not offer you the same freedom other wireless mice do, as you are tied down to working on that mat and it has a wire connecting it to the computer. Also it is probable that the mousemat is taking charge from the computer constantly and so is using electricity needlessly for a lot of the time. For these reasons some may feel this product is not eco-friendly, but some may feel it is worth this to cut out the use of batteries and the problems of disposing even rechargeable ones after they are finally worn out.

Citroen Survolt concept

Citroën has revealed an electrifying new model at the Geneva Motor Show - the sensational SURVOLT concept.

A blend of high-fashion, extravagance and more than a hint of motor racing punch, SURVOLT takes the essence of Citroën’s REVOLTE concept - performance, cutting-edge technology and luxury - and adds an assertive sporting dimension into the mix.

A new breed of stylish, sporty and elegant supermini, SURVOLT bucks current trends and points towards the future of sleek coupés - combining elegance, sophisticated style and sporting passion. Clearly ahead of its time, SURVOLT also captivates the imagination with its innovative, environmentally-conscious all-electric drivetrain, which delivers driving pleasure, thrills and performance - all in virtual silence.

With a sleek, compact and low-slung frame - 3.85m long, 1.87m wide & 1.2m high - SURVOLT takes inspiration from sports car styling, then casts convention aside to form an entirely new and revolutionary concept design. SURVOLT’s aerodynamic, flowing lines convey agility, precision and vitality - with a powerful, muscular character contained in its refined and luxurious frame.

Both charming and profound, SURVOLT’s distinctive profile features a voluptuous bonnet and generous, sculpted flanks highlighted by emphatic wheel arches. The front end is characterised by slim, horizontal headlights, a large oval-shaped grille with Citroën’s integrated double chevrons and an eye-catching vehicle badge design. The striking LED clusters also add a contemporary, high-tech flourish. At the rear, SURVOLT inherits the elegant light signature of the REVOLTE concept and gains a new spoiler - an essential reference to motor sport.

An evolution of REVOLTE’s distinctive colour palette, SURVOLT’s two-tone paintwork features shades of fuchsia and charcoal grey. The concept’s elegant curves, shifting from satin-smooth to shiny, are a clear departure from the classically masculine design codes of the sports car world and the use of chrome and aluminium throughout simultaneously references the worlds of luxury and motor racing.

Resembling a piece of fashionable jewellery, SURVOLT’s two-occupant cockpit is designed like a glass setting between the chrome-finished roll bars. The generous glazed area brings a sensation of light and space, which sets SURVOLT apart from many contemporary sports cars with their confined and gloomy cabin environments.

Citroën’s new and radical vision with SURVOLT is entirely consistent with the Company’s 90-years of history as an innovative brand, focused on creativity and technology.

BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid

The new concept car offers a particularly good rendition of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan in all its dynamic, efficient and innovative qualities, at the same time representing the ongoing development of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 with their drivetrain technology already in production.

The drive system featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid consists of a straight-six gasoline engine with TwinPower Turbo technology, eight-speed automatic transmission, and electric drive. Integration of BMW ActiveHybrid technology in a sedan already extremely efficient with its "conventional" combustion engine reduces both fuel consumption and emissions once again by more than 10 per cent. At the same time the electric motor offers a boost function, supporting the gasoline engine in generating particularly dynamic drive power for an even more sporting driving experience in the car.

Intelligent energy management likewise serves to enhance the efficiency of the overall system, its unique functions ensuring appropriate control and management of all energy paths within the car and appropriate interaction of the drivetrain components precisely adjusted to driving conditions.

The drivetrain technology featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid allows all-electric, zero-emission motoring in city traffic. At the same time a special hybrid-based Auto Start Stop function offers additional efficiency by consistently switching off the combustion engine when stopping at the traffic lights, a road junction, or in congested traffic. Optimised comfort, finally, is provided by the auxiliary climate control function already featured in the BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Special development of ActiveHybrid technology as part of BMW EfficientDynamics.

The concept car based on the new BMW 5 Series Sedan for the first time presents the next generation of BMW ActiveHybrid technology, a special solution exclusive to BMW for intelligent interaction of the combustion engine and electric drive focused specifically on the requirements made of a dynamic sedan in the upper midrange segment.

Taking this approach, BMW is consistently continuing the development of hybrid technology according to a modular principle (best of hybrid), thus offering the optimum rendition of BMW ActiveHybrid technology for each concept and vehicle segment.

In accordance with the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy, this ensures highly effective and practical use of hybrid technology for the reduction of both fuel consumption and emissions.

Also in the BMW Series Sedan segment: the BMW among hybrids combines supreme dynamics with maximum efficiency.

The combustion engine is supported in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid by an electrical drive system developed specifically for this model and arranged in compact dimensions between the straight-six combustion engine and the automatic transmission. Drawing its energy from a high-voltage battery at the back of the car, the electric motor develops maximum output of 40 kW.

An automatic clutch connects the gasoline engine and the electric motors.

Due to the particularly high level of torque generated from the start through the electric motors, the interaction of the two drive systems ensures extremely spontaneous and dynamic acceleration whenever required.

Perfectly integrated, precisely controlled: high-voltage battery supplying power to both the electric motor and the on-board network.

In overrun and when applying the brakes, the electric drive systems acts as a generator developing electric power fed into the high-voltage battery. This converts kinetic energy otherwise wasted as heat in the brake system into electric power saved for subsequent use.

Such energy obtained without any further consumption of fuel may then be used to generate drive power or operate electrical functions in the car.

This principle is the same as that of Brake Energy Regeneration already applied in BMW's current production models, with the level of electrical energy generated by the electric motor being significantly greater and the increase in efficiency correspondingly higher.

The high-voltage battery likewise developed for this specific concept is fitted within a high-strength special case near the rear axle of the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid. This leads to an optimum position in terms of both safety and harmonious weight distribution. An integrated control unit permanently analyses the charge status of the high-voltage battery and controls both the battery charge process by way of Brake Energy Regeneration and the system cooling process. Apart from the electric motor, the high-voltage battery also delivers electric power to the car's on-board network. Among other things, this allows efficient operation of the car's auxiliary climate control activated whenever required by a remote control function to cool down the car's interior significantly even before starting the engine.

Convenient use of the all-electric driving mode and the Auto Start Stop function is likewise guaranteed in this way, with all electrical functions such as the audio system, climate control or navigation remaining fully available even with the combustion engine switched off.

Unique: intelligent energy management with advance analysis of driving conditions.

BMW ActiveHybrid technology provides its unique potential in terms of both efficiency and driving dynamics under all kinds of conditions and throughout a wide load range.

Unlike conventional hybrid cars whose extra efficiency is largely limited to city traffic, both the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, by combining the combustion engine and the electric motor, are able to offer significantly lower fuel consumption and emission ratings also at higher speeds. This is made possible by technically sophisticated power electronics masterminding the interaction of the combustion engine and electric motor and thus optimising the overall efficiency of the drive system as a whole.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid once again raises the range of functions provided by such power electronics to an even higher standard. As an example, the energy contained in the fuel and provided by the high-voltage battery may now be used even more specifically and efficiently to provide that Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW.

Taking additional factors into account, the interaction of the two drive units in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is tailored to the driver's requirements and current driving conditions with maximum precision. At the same time the power electronics also control the operation of the car's ancillary units and comfort functions, again in the interest of maximum efficiency.

The range and diversity of parameters taken into account by the system is indeed quite unique in the automobile, just as the number of functions controlled in this way. A high level of all-round networking allows the power electronics to provide intelligent energy management, thus optimising the operating strategy of the entire vehicle under all conditions.

A further unique feature of energy management in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is the car's ability to adjust its operating strategy not just to current, but also to upcoming driving conditions. To do this the power electronics from the start evaluate data indicating a possible change in exterior conditions or the driver's wishes and prepare the components in the drivetrain as well as the car's electronic system for a possible change in requirements.

To analyse driving conditions up front, the system uses data provided by engine and chassis management as well as the sensors in the driver assistance systems on board the car. Data saved in the navigation system on the route chosen by the driver likewise goes into the final calculation, enabling the system to forecast driving conditions on the route directly ahead. Then, proceeding from this analysis, the car is coordinated in advance and the optimum use of all systems serves to use the energy available with maximum efficiency.

Should the system determine, for example, that the autobahn ahead is about to lead downhill, the charge level of the high-voltage battery is intelligently controlled in advance to regain brake energy upfront with maximum efficiency.

Similarly, the high-voltage battery may be fully charged in good time before the driver reaches his destination, enabling the system to switch off the combustion engine at an early point and change to all-electric drive along the final stretch of road. Indeed, this forward-looking function is able to extend the cruising range on electric power by up to 30%.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid: the future of driving pleasure and efficiency in the upper midrange segment.

Optimised to an even higher standard in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid, the drivetrain and control systems underline the great significance of hybrid technology as a cornerstone of BMW EfficientDynamics. Looking at a new generation of hybrid technology from BMW featured in the BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid therefore offers particularly attractive perspectives, the ongoing development of BMW ActiveHybrid technology serving to provide substantial progress in all areas leading to a harmonious all-round concept with distinctive features typical of the brand.

The BMW Concept 5 Series ActiveHybrid is therefore more dynamic, efficient and more intelligent than conventional representatives of this drive technology, standing out clearly as the BMW among hybrid cars in this segment.