Zero Charger, No More Wasted Power

Most every one realizes that when you leave your charger plugged into an outlet, it is still drinking power even if it's not hooked up to your cell phone. This may seem to only add up to cents on your bill, but when you multiply this by all of the cell phone chargers that stay plugged in by lazy users, it adds up to some huge numbers!

• The wasted power is enough to power 24,000 homes every year
• The wasted energy can make between 3 and 4 Million cups of coffee every day

AT&T has come up with a device that solves this glut of energy waste first hand. In May, the organization eliminated vampire power consumption and started a new practice to charging our cell phone far more efficiently. Unless you are using the Zero charger from AT&T, you charger will continue to draw power when your cell isn't plugged into it should you leave it plugged into the outlet. The Zero Energy Charger has an added chapter to its design that automatically senses when the user disconnects their phone, and when it does, it shuts down the power supply from the wall socket. This smart charger won't use any energy even if it is left plugged into the wall for days.

The Zero has an IQ that keeps it on its toes and thinking ahead, as is evident by the fact it not only can eliminate tons of wasted power use, but its block-and-cable design is compatible with current and future handset model. This is good news when you consider the future numbers of out dated chargers that end up in landfills annually. This device also find better charging capabilities for powering phones bragging (rightfully-so) of a five-star efficiency rating (higher than the standards outlined in the GSMA, a group that represents the worldwide mobile communications industry). Oh, and just to show-off how GREEN is, it the Zero comes in 100% recycled paper packaging!

The cost of the zero charger shows just how much the company and the designers care about the customer base, it won't 'ding' your pocketbook anymore than a standard replacement charging device. So you can look to spend around $20 to $30 on the item. Not bad for a great bit of new technology!

Like most people I know, a drawer of old tangled cell phone chargers lurks somewhere in your home between the kitchen and office space. An ecophile's worste nightmare—how to creatively get continued use from outdated chargers that no longer fit the new cell phone  designs, and have no hope of a recycling contribution. Well, you may be thrilled to know that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is attempting to revolutionize the phone industry. The group recently revealed its universal charging Solution, which is a charger that can be used in all future cell phone makes and models— providing cell phone companies decide to use it. The ITU will not make it mandatory that cell companies use the chargers, the GSMA has reported some responsible interest in the devices by some major communication companies. The more viable organizations that have taken an interest in these units are DoCoMo, Samsung, Nokia, LG, and most inspiring is AT&T. These companies have already done some partnering with GSMA. Sony Ericsson actually announced that they launched compadible cell phone models with the Universal Charging Solution, and that these devices did well in the first half on 2010.

This universal charger features a micro USB connector, as well as making things better and more user friendly for the consumer, the Universal Charging Solution seems to offer some viable environmental attributes. To mention the top attribute, it directly reduces the number of chargers manufactured, reducing all of the waste those chargers' shipping materials and thrown-away packaging add to the landfill debacle. The new solution anticipates the reduction of redundant chargers by more than 50,000 units. In addition, the charger reduces a phones' standby energy consumption by half, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions by slightly less than 14 million tons annually!

Fuel cells have been put in vehicles, homes and some of the more 'green' tech-gear on the market these days. But, one of the most fascinating future-forward innovations has got to be the Motoslvr cell phone. This device sports a Angstrom Power's Hydrogen fuel cell. With this new tiny fuel cell technology, your phone remains sleek and trim like regular cell phones, but this wonder goes more than twice as long on a charge as minuscule as 10 minutes! If that doesn't get you excited about the future of cell phones you must not own a cell phone!

In the past, when a hydrogen cell phone has been looked at by the public, it seems very bulky with a bulging fuel cell out the back. Angstrom has done a beautiful thing, due to its Micro hydrogen platform it has been reduced to the size of a regular battery, and yet it's the same powerful fuel cell as the more bulky version from the past. It's like they have borrowed a shrinking machine from an old sci-fi movie and made the magic happen before our eyes! In your pocket or purse, this device will only take as much room as a regular cell phone, and will be as light in weight as a regular cell phone also.

Angstrom Power's prototype fuel cell lasts two-times as long as the standard lithium-ion battery used in every device so far.And, just to show off a little, remember it only takes as little as 10 minutes to get a charge! As outstanding as this tiny fuel cell is, there are still many fixes to be made to dial in the extraordinary capabilities of the device. One major hurdle is just where will all of the refueling stations be located? As it stands, these fueling stations aren't even close to being available in most places in the world. Another issue would have to be the safety of the 'hydrogen fuel cell', even though the company says the battery is very safe; it is hydrogen after all and can be quite volatile in certain circumstances. Still, there is a grand interest from major manufacturers, so this year, 2010, we can expect to hear much more about hydrogen fuel cell powered cell phones.