GeekSugar

Eco-Friendly Outlet Banishes Power Vampires For Good

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:50:52 -0800

Vampire power month may be over (how appropriate that it was in October, no?), but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying to find ways to reduce our electric bills! We are living in a digital world, which means nearly everything needs to be juiced up to work. I've already got my laptop working overtime at the office and at home, so you can imagine that I'm a pretty powerful energy vampire on my own. But I wouldn't be if I had this outlet.

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A concept design I found while cruising Yanko, the Switch outlet allows you to keep your appliances plugged in (no more unplugging your power strip), but with a simple rotation, it cuts off all power to your gadgets, so you aren't draining electricity when it's not needed. Way to be eco-friendly and efficient! Power vampires, be gone.

Vancouver's Olympic Medals Are Geeky and Green!

GeekSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:33:31 -0700

Last week, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games revealed the designs for the gold, silver, and bronze Olympic Medals, and it turns out they have a geeky touch. The medals, designed by Canadian artists, are made from recycled materials from used electronics - 6.8 metric tons of circuit board diverted from landfills.

The medals are the first to feature a curved design, and are individually laser etched - no two are the same. I love the Olympics even more now!

Daily Tech: Google Voice Permits Voicemail With Any Number

GeekSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:05:35 -0700

You can now keep your phone number while using Google Voice's fantastic features - Lifehacker
Here's how you can recycle your own gadgets - Engadget
It's rumored that a new, bigger, Nintendo DSi with a 4-inch screen will be coming out in Japan this year - Kotaku
Facebook now has a way to memorialize friends who have passed away - Boing Boing
10 ways to spot an email scam - Switched
It's giveaway time on GeekSugar! Log in for your chances to win one of these AT&T Smartphones - GeekSugar

10 Power Vampires You Can Unplug

GeekSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:50:44 -0700

I have a lot of gadgets, and leaving any (or all) of them (or their chargers) plugged in when not in use can rack up a girl's electricity bill faster than a hidden coin tunnel in Super Mario Bros. 3. Thankfully, you have the option of unplugging your gadgets and gizmos when you leave the house. Check out these ten power vampires you can unplug when not in use to stop the madness, help the environment, and lower your electricity bills all at once.

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Some Shine Charger Juices Up Gadgets, Decorates Your Home

GeekSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:45:30 -0700

Unlike some other solar chargers that require special adapters to charge your gadgets, and, you know, the availability of the sun, the Some Shine Solar Charger allows you to juice up your gadgets at any time via a USB connector. How can you solar charge your phone without the sun you ask? Well, I'll tell ya.

The Some Shine collects the solar energy from the daylight hours through a special (and stylish) solar curtain, then stores it in a charging base for later use. You can then charge your phone, your iPod, your laptop at night, or whenever you want since you basically have your own solar energy plant at your fingertips. I'm a little bummed cause this product is still a concept, but I'd be first in line to get my hands on one!

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Geeky Products Made From Bamboo

GeekSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:50:04 -0700

Not to be confused with our wide selection of wood products, these bamboo products may look like they're derived from the pine tree family, when in fact they are in an entirely different league of their own. Half part tech accessory, half part eco-chic, all of these products have one thing in common - they all feature some bamboo in their construction. Whether you're looking for something that's less plastic, and more natural, my little list will help you find some back-to-bamboo-basic items.

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Daily Tech: New EcoATM Will Pay You For Your Old Gadgets

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:15:42 -0700

New EcoATM kiosks will take your old electronics to be recycled and then provide you with an in-store payment - CNET
Samsung's new Behold II with Android has just been announced on the T-Mobile network - MobileCrunch
Twitter's cofounder Biz Stone talked to Martha Stewart about how Twitter got its start - Mashable
Thousands of Hotmail accounts have been hacked and are being posted online - BBC News
Check out five of the most energy efficient LED desk lamps - Unplggd
President Obama has banned all federal employees from texting while driving - Ars Technica
It's giveaway and game time on GeekSugar! Be sure to log in and play our Best Video Game Ever bracket! - GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Chegg

GeekSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:05:48 -0700

I may talk a lot of game about refreshing your gadgets and accessories before you head back to school, but let's face it - things can get pretty expensive. Between a new Fall wardrobe, books, and tech, you may blow your budget before the school year even starts.

But good news! I found one way to save you some serious cash during your school year - rent your textbooks from Chegg instead of buying. Chegg is an online textbook rental service that lets you use your book, as you need it - with super fast shipping and returns - instead of dropping a load of dough on a book you'll only need for a semester. The process of book renting and reusing is eco-friendly in its own right, but Chegg will also plant a tree for every book you rent. So now, good for the environment also means more green in your wallet.

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click "New Post" under the website of the day tab at the top of the page.
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Type "Technology and Gadgets" in the Categories box
Add keyword(s) in the tag field with relevant tags (for example mine for this story was "Website of the Day").
Choose whether you want the post to be private or public.
Click "Create Post" to submit content.

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the GeekSugar homepage!

Guess Who?

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:43:31 -0700

Guess which car maker debuted their new 170mpg hybrid at a recent auto show?

Charge It! Go Eco With the Bamboo Charging Station

GeekSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:30:43 -0700

If you're rolling solo, it's likely that you won't need a gadget charging station that holds more than a few mobile gadgets that you use daily (i.e., your phone, iPod or MP3 player, and point-and-shoot camera), so why spend your hard earned money on something you don't need?

Instead, check out the eco friendly and geek chic Bamboo Charging Station that has been marked down from $46 to $30. Cool thing is, the station can live on your desk, or hang on your wall to maximize space and create a modern decorative feature on your wall, even when your gadgets aren't being juiced.