The Greener Gadgets
Conference took place at the end of February in New
York City.Sponsored by HP and Panasonic, the conference brought together
speakers with backgrounds in consumer electronics, industrial design, green building, and green
policies and standards.
Keynote speaker, Yves Behar, founder and designer behind fuseproject, an integrated design
agency. His passion is focused in making
green and sustainable living attractive.He recently worked on the latest design for Mission Motor’s
Superbike, the world’s first fastest, electric motorcycle.There’s no gas tank, no tail pipe, yet reaches
a top speed of 150 mph. The materials
along with the engineering make this electric bike fast. The goal for Behar, was to construct the bike
using entirely environmentally friendly materials so that the bike is 100%
recyclable. Using an aluminum tubular frame along with forged aluminum wheels
gives the super bike the durable and lightweight design to make this bike go
fast and be completely recycled at the end of its life. Beher created an attractive
design that motorcycle enthusiasts would see as a high performance vehicle
which happens to be fueled by electricity.
There will be 50, Mission One Superbikesreleased in 2010, get on their waiting list
while you can!
Macworld Expo 2010 concluded Saturday in San Francisco where thousands of attendees descended on Moscone Center for the annual Macworld Conference & Expo. As usual, there was plenty to see: flashy cases for your iPhone or iPod, as well as speakers and headphones. The prettiest product of the show (and one of the greenest) came from Flatscreen Arms, long-time supplier of computer arms for Wall Street banks and trading floors.
Machined from solid aluminum and anodized to give a long-lasting, maintenance-free finish, their line of Aluminum Flatscreen Arms for Mac was attracting lots of attention.
On display were its Sidewinder, Mantis (with a hydraulic arm), and Boa lines of mounts for various iMac models ranging from 19 inches to 27 inches, as well as for Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display and 30-inch Cinema HD Display.
Best part of all, the mounting arms are made from high-grade recycled aluminum, similar in look and feel to the Apple products they float above your desk. Ergonomics and space savings are achieved with a sense of style!
Leighton Cooper, Division Manager, Product Innovation and Development, explains the outlook for Alcoa Consumer Electronics in the age of rapid innovation.
Just as the Apple Wireless Keyboard is the perfect companion piece to the iMac, the Apple Keyboard Dock is a perfect accessory for the iPad. Both feature sleek, matte unibody aluminum that is infinitely recyclable.
This week, Steve Jobs took the stage and held up the iPad, Apple’s long awaited tablet. Steve said, "Environmentally, the iPad is a good citizen." And, for good reason! The Apple iPad is made from infinitely recyclable aluminum. Matte aluminum wraps around the backs and sides of the iPad, tapering a bit around the edges. If you've ever held one of the latest unibody MacBooks, you know exactly the kind of feel and finish of the iPad's aluminum. Unlike the polished chrome of the iPod or glossy plastic of the iPhone, the back of the iPad seems less likely to show fingerprints and wear.
Besides recyclability, Apple added lots of other features giving the iPad a good grade for green. Features include LED-backlit display (means a longer battery life per charge), up to 10 hours battery life (about 2-3 hours better than the average netbook), rechargeable lithium-polymer battery (can be recharged up to 1,000 times while maintaining 80% of its original charge capacity over the typical 5-year lifespan), and arsenic-free display glass, mercury-free LCD display, and is BFR- and PVC-free.
In summary, Apple has once again built a product that looks good and will feel great in the hand. The glass and aluminum enclosure (Apple signature materials) means that the iPad will have the same solid feel of the newest MacBook Pros which are also made from infinitely recyclable aluminum!
From the World’s Largest Consumer Electronics Show, Cat Schwartz, the eBay Tech and Toy Director and Founder of HiTechMommy.com Gives an Inside Look at the Technology That Will Be Changing Our Lives in 2010
Alcoa Aluminum
Alcoa Aluminum One of the biggest trends in consumer electronics is the growing use of aluminum from companies like Alcoa. According to a recent report from JP Morgan, aluminum is now the material of choice in the industry as companies are looking to make electronics light, thin, recyclable and have surface treatments that allow for "fashion" colors.
Sporting a high-tech aluminum and leather-wrapped housing and high-polished enamel, Diddy Beats embody a celebration of pop culture and high fashion that truly exemplify how "sound is life."
It’s Friday at the 2010 CES. There are more than 2,500 vendors and thousands of people milling around checking out the latest in this year’s gadgetry. I stopped at the Sony booth where their Z Series VAIO notebooks are forged from high-grade aluminum. I asked them why they chose aluminum as the metal. Their managing director told me three reasons: lightweight, durable, and strong. Looks like the trend forecasters had it right – the look, feel and durability of aluminum is making this year’s “hot products”, cooler. Listen to the interview.
We took a break at CES to sit down with Shion Hung, Senior Manager, Strategy Development, Alcoa - Growth Initiatives Group and hear about the outlook for aluminum and Alcoa in consumer electronics.
How are aluminum notebook cases being viewed by customers and what is the outlook for using aluminum going forward?
Shion: Customers see aluminum as a premium material, especially for laptops. Aluminum allows OEMs to design slimmer, attractive laptops without sacrificing durability compared to plastics. We’ve seen throughout this show that many OEMs prefer aluminum for their flagship notebooks, like the Dell Adamo, Asus U series, HP Envy and the Sony Z-series.
What consumer technologies is Alcoa most excited about and how does Alcoa see itself growing in this market?
Shion: I personally am excited about opportunities in e-readers, where the slim sturdy feel of aluminum can add value. Also, we’re exploring how aluminum might be used for better thermal management of LED TVs. Finally, I’m excited that CE is starting to take green seriously. Since aluminum is infinitely recyclable and durable, it is a great material for the consumer technology market.
