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January 10, 2008 | Comments: (0)

CES: HP pledges to cut PC power usage by 25 percent

Using the greener-than-ever CES as a backdrop, HP this week announced plans to reduce the energy consumption of its volume desktop and notebook PC families by 25 percent by 2010 -- relative to its 2005 numbers.

HP's strategy for achieving this goal is pretty straightforward. In part, the company will continue to integrate more efficient power supplies and lower-energy chip sets into its systems. Here, HP is safely betting on the fact that these component vendors down the supply chain will continue to crank out increasingly efficient wares.

Power to the PC
HP's approach to power supplies is worth noting; I find it quite interesting, given the green agenda the company has embraced. In 2007, HP rolled out smaller form factors for its USDTs (ultra slim desktops). The HP dc7800 Ultra-slim Desktop PC, for example, is 46 percent smaller than previous models.

As part of the new design, the company incorporated a standard 85 percent efficient external power supply, according to Andrew Medlin, senior manager of business PC product marketing at HP. (External power supplies tend to be more efficient than internal, Medin points out.)

That's fine for small systems. Large-chassis systems, however, run on internal power supplies. HP customers seeking to purchase a larger system with a relatively more efficient 80-plus percent internal power supply will need to pay a $20 premium.

In other words, HP isn't making the more efficient supply the standard here. "There is significant cost associated with more efficient power supplies in general, and since not all customers value the more efficient power supplies, we chose to provide them a choice," says Medin.

Of course, I'd love to see HP and other PC vendors pushing green agendas to make efficient power supplies the standard on all of their machines. Yes, I can appreciate that the cold, hard reality of the bottom line can offset the greenest of intentions, a fact that many a vendor is dealing with. Even pushing the efficient power supply at a discount (say, $10 a piece) and highlighting the green and cost-saving benefits would be a good start.

Resting easy
In addition to using efficient components to achieve its goal, HP says it will employ more energy-saving technologies and processes into its volume PC portfolio. As an example, the company pointed out that Verdiem's Surveyor remote power management software agent comes preloaded on all its dc7800-series PCs. "When activated, Surveyor can help measure, manage, and reduce power consumption on PCs and monitors by up to 33 percent, or about 200 kilowatt-hours per PC annually," according to HP.

Indeed, there are cost savings and other green-related benefits to be enjoyed through PC power-management tools. But, as with an 80-plus percent efficient power supply that comes at a premium, the Surveyor tool isn't free; it's costs around $20 per licensee to activate.

Here, I'm less critical of HP's choice. Verdiem's offering is geared toward managing power consumption of PCs throughout a larger organization and is far more powerful than the run-of-the-mill tools that put the average home PC in sleep mode when it's not in use. Tools from Verdiem and its competitors are designed for remotely managing a fleet of PCs, ensuring they're powered down when not in use and turned on just before end-users come to their desks in the morning. Many of these power-management solutions are also designed to wake up systems from sleep mode after hours for patches and backups, then put them back to sleep. Given the power and complexity of these types of tools, it's only fair that HP pass the cost to large-size customers.

HP's Medin does add that HP is working on a power-management tool aimed at small businesses and SOHO customers that "will eventually be available at no added cost."

The bottom line here, as I see it, is that HP's on the right track in pursuing its green agenda. In fact, given all the increasingly efficient components and energy management software we're seeing, I don't expect it will be too difficult for the company to attain its goal of cutting energy usage of its volume desktop and notebook PC families by 25 percent by 2010.

I am, however, interested to see how HP and its competitors will continue to raise the green bar. Will we, in fact, see a company commit to making the most energy-efficient power supplies out there the standard in their systems? Will more PCs come preloaded with better power-management tools? I certainly expect so.

How do you envision PC vendors making their wares greener?

Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and author of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.

Posted by Ted Samson on January 10, 2008 12:58 PM

December 10, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Via packs power into teeny green Artigo PC kit

IDG's Sumner Lemon reported today on Via's minute do-it-yourself computer kit, called Artigo. It's indeed a wee package, measuring 5.9 inches by 4.3 inches by 1.8 inches and weighing in at under 1.2 pounds. Via says Artigo PC enthusiasts could use the kit to build a fully functional x86 system that fits in the palm of your hand.

Beyond the sheer "wow" factor of such a powerful system in a diminutive body, the Artigo is a fine example of how PCs can become greener. For one thing, it's got a remarkably lower power draw: According to Via, a complete system would consume around 15 watts in idle, while the mainboard itself consumes a maximum of only 20 watts under full load.

Moreover, a tiny system like this requires fewer materials, which means less waste. That's a double green whammy.

In terms of specs, the system is powered by the 1GHz Via C7 processor, according to Via, and supports up to 1GB of DDR2 533 SO-DIMM system memory. The Via EPIA PX mainboard is based on the single-chip Via VX700 system media processor, and packs a Via UniChrome Pro II IGP 3D/2D graphics core, MPEG-2/-4, and WMV9 hardware decoding acceleration and display flexibility. There's also onboard Via VT1708A HD audio codec.

Moreover, the machine delivers broadband networking through its 10/100 Fast Ethernet port. The VGA port in the rear of the system supports all regular monitors.

The Via Artigo Builder Kit will be available starting Dec. 14 -- just in time to get one last green-hued stocking-stuffer. Recommended retail price is $300.

Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and writer of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.

Posted by Ted Samson on December 10, 2007 12:48 PM

December 04, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Survey: Apple users more likely to be green-minded

Apple users are proportionally more eco-friendly than users of other vendors' PCs. Moreover, they're more willing to plunk down extra cash for "green" products.

That nugget of information is one of many findings in a report just released by Forrester Research titled "In Search Of Green Technology Consumers: Why Tech Marketers Should Target This Emerging Segment." Forrester surveyed computer users to determine the extent of their green leanings and what drove their environmentally conscientious practices (or lack thereof).

The report finds that, all told, 12 percent of U.S. adults are "bright green," which Forrester defines as those who are "concerned about the environment and global warming, and strongly agree that they would pay extra for consumer electronics that used less energy or came from a company that was environmentally friendly."

Moreover, another 41 percent of U.S. adults are "green consumers": those who "share concerns about environmental issues and global warming, but do not strongly agree that they would pay more for environmentally-friendly electronics."

The remaining 47 percent of the population "do not (yet) share the greens' concerns about the environment or global warming."

Forrester found that 14 percent of Apple users are bright green. From there, the list breaks down like this: 13 percent of Compaq consumers are bright green; then 12 percent of Gateway users; 11 percent of eMachines buyers; 10 percent of Dell fans; 9 percent of Toshiba users; 9 percent of IBM/Lenovo consumers; and 9 percent of consumers who buy their PCs from "Other" vendors. Below the "Other" category are HP users, 7 percent of whom are bright green. (The report notes that these numbers don't reflect the green practices of the companies themselves.)

Forrester notes that PC vendors are already making efforts to embrace more environmentally friendly practices and deliver greener products for several reasons: to appeal to consumers' ever-evolving eco-leanings; to deflect criticism from watchdog groups such as Greenpeace; and to adhere to regulations such as Europe's ROHS directive.

Those greener practices are taking several forms: designing products in a more conscientious manner; boosting system energy efficiency; cleaning up their manufacturing processes; using less wasteful packaging and transport methods; and making it easier for users to recycle their PCs.

Looking forward, Forrester predicts "that green-targeted PCs and other electronics will evolve as part of the consumer electronics industry's move to go beyond "beige box" design and styling and instead incorporate consumer style into its products."

Indeed, we've already starting seeing some of this since Forrester conducted its survey in Q2 of this year. Dell, for example, recently released a greened-up version of its Inspiron desktop. Everex is also focusing on the greenness of its recently unveiled TC2502 Green gPC, which runs on Linux.

The Forrester report "In Search Of Green Technology Consumers: Why Tech Marketers Should Target This Emerging Segment" can be purchased here for $279.

Posted by Ted Samson on December 4, 2007 08:59 AM

November 09, 2007 | Comments: (0)

The greener -- and darker -- sides of MS's refurbisher program

Microsoft has launched the Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) program through which companies that sell refurbished PCs can easily load licensed versions of Windows XP and necessary drivers onto their wares. You can read the details right here.

I've got mixed feelings about the MAR program. On the plus side, it may encourage more environmentally concerned, pennywise, and/or cautious-minded companies and home users to consider purchasing refurbished PCs. Let's break that down.

I say environmentally minded because every year, as recently reported by Leon Erlanger, the e-waste problem is big and growing. To paraphrase some of his report:

According to IDC, in 2006 alone, 30.7 million commercial PCs, or 70 percent of the total commercial installed base, were retired. Yet IDC estimates that only 33 percent of U.S. companies, mostly large enterprises, have made use of the asset disposal industry. In the European Union the number is closer to 40 percent. That's unfortunate, because the increasing number of retired PCs that end up in landfills results in more toxic pollution. PCs and monitors, especially old ones, contain a multitude of hazardous substances.

That's not good news. But what is good news is the fact that the market for refurbished systems is growing. Up to 28 million refurbished PCs will be sold this year, making up 10 percent of the global PC market, according to Microsoft said Hani Shakeel, senior product manager of the genuine Windows product marketing team.

I say that that refurbished PCs in general should appeal to the penny-wise because they simply cost less than new ones. It's entirely likely that two-year-old computers will suit the needs of the average home user or employees at an SMB, so if you go the refurbished route, you can save some cash.

Finally, there's the cautious-minded aspect to the MAR program, which I know is a controversial topic. Like it or not, if you want support from Microsoft, including access to necessary patches and updates, you need to be running a legitimately licensed version of Windows.

Through MAR, companies and end-users who buy systems from a participating reseller will know the machines are fully functional and ready to work out of the box, loaded with a version of XP that Microsoft will recognize and support. That provides some peace of mind -- and saves time that would be spent loading Windows onto the machines at the office. Those benefits could encourage more people to consider refurbished PCs as an alternative to new ones.

Now here's what might bother you about MAR, and it certainly gives me pause. Suppose a company sells 50 PCs to, say, TechTurn, one of the two refurbishers currently participating in MAR. The systems are in pristine condition, and all are running licensed versions of Windows XP Pro. However, the company's IT admin didn't keep the original OS CDs to demonstrate that each version of XP was legit, which is pretty common.

So TechTurn does a full wipe of the systems, down to the bare metal. Then, as a result, thanks to Microsoft's end-user license agreement, TechTurn has to pay for new Windows licenses for each one of those systems. Albeit, the licenses are discounted ones; still, that's an expense that presumably gets passed on to the buyer. So ultimately, Microsoft is reaping the benefits of selling a second Windows license for a PC that was already running one fair and square -- because the admin or user didn't save the original installation CDs. That part's not quite fair, now is it?

The thing is -- and this is me speculating -- Microsoft should have ways of probing systems to ensure they're running legitimate versions of XP. Why not supply refurbishers with the tools to do just that before wiping them? Systems that are could then be reloaded after they're wiped with the same licensed version of XP they ran pre-wipe. The refurbisher could even burn a copy of the necessary backup CD, for a neglible fee, and package it with the system.

What do you think about the MAR program?

Posted by Ted Samson on November 9, 2007 11:47 AM

November 07, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Govs pledge to buy greener hardware for state governments

If you're a hardware vendor and "energy efficiency" isn't high on your product-feature list, you're risking losing some valuable customers -- perhaps as many as 50, with names such as Kansas and Minnesota.

The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced a partnership between the NGA chair's Securing a Clean Energy Future (SCEF) initiative and the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) to spur deployment of more energy-efficient computers and servers in state offices and agencies.

Two governors, NGA Chair Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, have committed to the partnership thus far, and they will work to encourage their 48 peers to follow suit.

The move would certainly have eco-friendly benefits. Moreover, it would result fewer wasted tax dollars. Underutilized hardware can spell costly waste. For example, powering down PCs that aren't in use can result in as much as $45 in energy savings per system and $30 per monitor, per year, according to Energy Star.

"The average desktop PC currently wastes half of the power it receives," said Gov. Pawlenty in a written statement. "Having states increase the energy efficiency of their computing equipment will save consumers and taxpayers money, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change."

Under the terms of the agreement, these states have committed to reducing energy consumption from a majority of their computing equipment by:

- pledging to purchase high-efficiency computer equipment that meets or exceeds federal Energy Star ratings;

- optimizing existing computer systems by educating employees about more efficient and effective computer power-management strategies, such as better using hibernation and sleep modes;

- and ensuring in subsequent years states purchase computing equipment with increasing levels of efficiency.

Beyond preserving precious tax dollars, the initiative could spur citizens and merchants to embrace more sustainable practices themselves, observes Bill Weihl, co-chairman of the CSCI board of directors and Google's green energy czar. "[Their] actions will provide leadership for residents and local businesses looking to implement effective emission reduction policies," he said in a written statement.

CSCI, an initiative started by Google and Intel, brings together manufacturers, businesses, organizations and individuals to significantly increase the energy efficiency of computers and servers. The group is led by representatives from nine board of director companies, including Dell; Electronic Data Systems; HP; Intel; and Microsoft.

For more information about the SCEF Initiative, go to nga.org/ci. For more information about CSCI, visit climatesaverscomputing.org.

Posted by Ted Samson on November 7, 2007 10:24 AM

November 01, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Dell tailors Inspiron desktop for green

Even before Energy Star 4.0 went into effect, we saw business-oriented workstations available from vendors including Dell and HP. Now Dell has unveiled a line of ES 4.0-compliant systems for home users: greened-up versions of the Inspiron 531, apparently with enough oomph to run Vista.

"We are committed to providing consumers a choice that helps protect the environment without sacrificing the performance needed to maintain a rich, high-definition digital experience," said Karen Plotkin, director of consumer desktop marketing, in a written statement. "Consumers using this energy-efficient Inspiron 531 can reduce their carbon footprint while also reducing their electric bills."

The Inspiron 531s are powered by 80-percent efficient power supply, as required by ES 4.0. Additionally, Dell has configured the machines to enter a low-power sleep state after 15 minutes of inactivity. (Powering down systems that aren't in use can, indeed, shave money off your energy bill.)

Moreover, the company is touting the fact that the system "includes a forest-friendly paperless owner's manual," which, I, as an advocate of paper-waste reduction, do appreciate. I do wonder if it means more calls to the Dell support people from non-tech-savvy users who can't manage to get to the paperless manual to begin with.

The entry-level configuration of the Inspiron 531 comes with Vista Home Basic and includes an AMD Sempron 3600+ processor, a 1GB2 Dual Channel3 DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs; a 160GB4 SATA drive (7200RPM), as well as a CDRW/DVD combination drive and NVIDIA integrated graphics.

On the other end of the spectrum, there's a configuration running the AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 5000+ with 2GB2 Dual Channel3 DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs; and a 500GB4 SATA 3Gbps drive (7200RPM). This one, which has Vista Home Premium installed, is listed at $1,184.

More information is available here.

Posted by Ted Samson on November 1, 2007 12:50 PM

July 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)

HP: Over 1B pounds recycled

Vendor aims to recycle another billion pounds of electronics and printer cartridges by 2010

HP: Over 1B pounds recycled The expression "What goes around comes around" is proving increasingly apt in the world of enterprise hardware as more companies discover the benefits of recycling retired PCs, servers, handhelds, and the like.

Indicative of the rising interest in hardware recycling, also known as IT asset recovery, HP has announced that its achieved its goal of recycling one billion pounds of hardware six months before the deadline it had set back in 2004. The company now seeks to recycle two billion pounds of gear and printer cartridges -- that is, another billion pounds -- by 2010.

"Environmental responsibility is good business," said Mark Hurd, HP chairman and CEO, in a written statement. "We've reached the tipping point where the price and performance of IT are no longer compromised by being green, but are now enhanced by it."

Pat Tiernan, VP of corporate, social, and environmental responsibility at HP, called the two billion pound goal for 2010 "the most aggressive recycling goal in the industry. "We expect to achieve it in three and a half years by expanding our convenient re-use and recycling services worldwide."

HP currently operates its program in 40 countries around the globe.

"In 2006 alone, HP recycled 164 million pounds of products globally -- the equivalent weight of more than 600 jumbo airliners and a 16 percent increase over 2005," said Tiernan.

Vendors that engage in hardware recycling refurbish and resell systems when possible ha or else mine the products for materials that can be used elsewhere. According to HP, plastics and metals it has recovered have been used to make a range of new products, including auto body parts, clothes hangers, plastic toys, fence posts, serving trays, and roof tiles.

Posted by Ted Samson on July 17, 2007 09:23 AM

May 31, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Dell vague on Vista-friendliness of its Energy Star 4.0 PCs

Dell offers OptiPlex variants that meet the new standard and run Vista -- but which ones and how well?

Ever since HP announced its Energy Star 4.0 PCs earlier this year, I've wondered if any hardware vendor out there would be able to produce a business-worthy ES 4.0-compliant system not just simply capable of running Windows Vista -- but running it well.

Currently, HP's ES 4.0-configured systems just ship with XP -- even though the company "recommends Vista" all over the PC-sales areas of its Web site. When I spoke to the company about that last March, they basically told me that they hadn't devised a way to design a system that good meet Vista's system requirements and user needs while still meeting the wattage limits to bear the Energy Star 4.0 distinction. (Higher-end components such as processors and cards boost a system's energy consumption, even when it's in sleep mode.)

Now Dell announced this week a set of PCs that are Energy Star 4.0-compliant, the OptiPlex 740 and 745. The company touts the systems' included 80-percent-efficient power supplies, as well as their pre-installed Dell Energy Smart Power Management Settings. "Configured with flat panel monitors, these systems can help customers save up to 77 percent in power consumption compared to previous generation systems when combined with Energy Smart power settings," the company says.

Moreover, Dell notes that the system's chassis is "designed specifically for thermal effectiveness, maximizing the OptiPlex's internal fan's performance."

OK, that's great, right? (Right.) But suppose you head over to the OptiPlex page of Dell's Web site in the hopes of ordering one of these lean, green machines. You'll see that, lo, you have the option of ordering a system installed with either XP or Vista. But right below that bit of information, it says that "Select configurations meet Energy Star 4.0 requirements."

Well, good luck in figuring out which configurations that includes. Suppose you have your heart set on Vista. Once you click the "Customize with Windows Vista" button, you're taken to a screen where you can pick and choose your OS (one of three flavors of Vista: Home, Business, and Ultimate); processor; memory; optical device; video card; and so forth.

But after tinkering with a couple of configurations, choosing both the lowest-end option that would meet the bare-bones Vista requirements (more on that in a moment) as well as a higher-end configuration that would certainly run Vista and Aero, it wasn't clear whether or not I'd ended up with a system compliant with ES 4.0.

Now surely that low-end configuration could technically run Vista, but would it run well enough to be of any use? According to Microsoft, all you need for reaping "good" Vista performance is 512MB of RAM, an "integrated or discrete graphics memory," and at least 15GB of free hard drive space. But with that, you can't run Aero, and the company says that OS configuration is "great for booting the operating system -- without running applications or games." I’d wager most companies would prefer an OS that does more than just boot up.

The next level is of Vista performance is "better," which in Vista parlance means you can run basic applications, and Aero is enabled by default. The minimum requirements there: at least a 1GHZ processor, a 128MB graphics card, 1GB of RAM, and a 40GB hard drive -- but with that setup, Microsoft says that Aero performance will suffer if you open too many apps or run your system in dual-monitor mode.

Now, as I said, HP hasn't found a way to meet these Vista requirements in an ES 4.0 configuration -- at least one that it wants to offer business and consumers. And I sure would love to know whether Dell has managed the feat. I suspect people and companies that want or actually are required to purchase Energy Star 4.0-compliant systems would like to know what their options truly are.

But alas, I've been asking the company since yesterday morning for a chance to talk to someone and to get more information, yet no one at Dell seems available to speak with me, for some reason. Maybe I've been blacklisted because I wasn't sufficiently impressed with the company's "Plant a Tree for Me" program?

Posted by Ted Samson on May 31, 2007 04:04 PM

April 25, 2007 | Comments: (0)

AMD seeds Dell's 'Plant a Tree for Me' program

AMD seeds Dell's 'Plant a Tree for Me' program Dell has found its first corporate partner for its "Plant a Tree for Me" program: cash-strapped AMD.

AMD, which just recently announced a $611 million first-quarter loss and could soon be facing long-term debt of up to $5.4 billion, has scraped together a $16,000 donation "on behalf of the company's 16,000 worldwide employees" for Dell's tree-planting program, intended to offset the carbon produced by the electronics it sells.

When launched in January, Dell presented its "Plant a Tree for Me" program as a way for its customers to offset the carbon impact of their notebook computer use for an extra $2 and desktop system use for an extra $6. Last month, Dell expanded the program to include an extended portfolio of IT products, plus U.S.-based consumers and businesses could donate to the program without making any product purchases. Dell even goes so far as to let you donate $99 to offset your own carbon usage.

I hate to say it (kind of), but I can't help but draw a rather cynical conclusion when looking at this announcement.

First, consider the sum AMD is pouring into the program. While $16,000 surely can buy plenty of saplings, it strikes me as a rather token donation coming from a Fortune 500 company. A dollar per employee doesn't come close to the $99 per-person carbon cost calculated by Dell.

Second, consider AMD's relationship with Dell. After years of being an Intel-only hardware maker, Dell finally opened its arms to AMD, releasing notebooks, desktops, and servers running AMD processors last year. Having buy-in from one of the world's top PC maker was a huge and significant win for AMD.

Third, consider Dell's "Plant a Tree for Me" program. Although it's a very well-meaning endeavor, there are probably better ways for companies to invest money toward reducing carbon emissions and conserving energy: making energy-efficient power supplies standard on PCs, or investing in alternative-energy research, or installing solar panels on the roof of your datacenter, or developing more sustainable, eco-friendly business practices. That's why carbon-offsetting programs like Dell's "Plant a Tree for Me" garner some criticism: they're viewed in some circles as a way of sidestepping the responsibility of reducing and cleaning up one's carbon footprint.

Also notable: A new study by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Carnegie Institution, and Université Montpellier II confirms that although planting more trees in tropical rainforests could help slow global warming, new forests in mid- to high-latitude locations could actually create a net warming. Thus, the benefits of reforesting are arguably inconclusive anyway.

Now, to Dell and AMD's credit, both companies do seem to have a firm commitment to sustainability. Dell, in fact, has become the green poster child among IT hardware makers for such initiatives as offering free product recycling worldwide, regardless of product purchase.

AMD, meanwhile, has worked to reduce energy consumption, make its wares more efficient, cut back on hazardous waste, and has taken plenty of other direct measures to boost its sustainability and reduce its eco-impact.

In other words, both companies have been taking on the challenge of cutting carbon emissions in very direct ways, but now Dell has come along with this offset program, the benefits of which aren't as concrete.

Yet when presented with the option to donate to the cause, what could AMD do but donate to Dell's green pet project? You'd likely do the same if your manager wandered into your cubicell and asked you to sponsor his son's walk-a-thon to fight diaper rash. Even if you'd already given money and volunteered time for more arguably worthy causes -- and you were a little strapped for money -- you'd still reach into your pocket and fork over a few bucks.

That's my admittedly cynical view. What do you think of Dell's "Plant a Tree for Me" program?

Posted by Ted Samson on April 25, 2007 10:31 AM

March 19, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Update: HP's new Energy Star PCs come with XP, not Vista

HP's new Energy Star PCs do XP, not Vista Updated March 19 to clarify some of the Energy Star info.

If you go to the business desktop PCs section of HP's Web site, you'll see this phrase prominently displayed at the top: "HP recommends Windows Vista Business."

The company might need to put a temporary parenthetical caveat beside the glowing recommendation: "unless you want a more energy-efficient system."

That's the conclusion I've reached, anyway, after reading about HP's new set of Energy Star 4.0-compliant business desktop computers. The systems -- the Compaq dc5700, dc5750 and dc7700 -- will come loaded with Windows XP Pro, not Vista.

Why not Vista? When I first spoke to a couple of HP reps yesterday, I didn't come away with a clear answer; just a feeling that I'd touched on a hot-button issue. Or perhaps a hot CPU issue?

But in a follow-up e-mail, Todd Kruse, the global desktop product manager at HP, said this:

"We will introduce Windows Vista configurations that are Energy Star 4.0-ready in the near future. Because we were able to begin testing all the components including the 80% efficient power supply with Windows XP earlier, we are much farther ahead in confirming compliance with XP combinations."

"Also, there will be demand for Energy Star on both operating systems as some customers may want to wait for the first Microsoft service pack before they deploy Vista."

When I did speak with Kruse on Thursday, he explained that there are plenty of hardware considerations when developing a PC that meets the more stringent Energy Star 4.0 guidelines, which take effect in July. These guidelines "apply mainly to a PC's efficiency in idle mode, not how well it runs under a maximum workload."

HP told me that the EPA doesn't expect more than 25 percent of PCs to meet that standard, whereas currently 98 percent of the systems on the market meet the current one. It's all about raising that energy-efficiency bar.

There are actually three categories of Energy Star 4.0 PCs. These HP systems are "category B" systems, meaning they "must have multi-core processor(s) or greater than one discrete processor; and a minimum of 1GB of system memory" to meet the new ES 4.0 requirements, plus they can't use more than 65 watts while in idle mode (meaning when the PC is up and running, waiting for input from the user).

According to Kruse, it took some effort to come up with configurations that would meet that standard. "In some configurations, you may not be able to add graphics cards and a network card. You really need to measure [the energy consumption] of every configuration and determine if it's Energy Star compliant."

HP provided some very basic specs of what comes with its new Energy Star 4.0 configurations (again, which come with Windows XP Pro): The highest-end model includes a Core2 Duo E6300 CPU (which has a clock speed of 1.8GHz), an 80GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM).

Now consider Vista's recommended system requirements for Windows Vista Business: a 1 GHz CPU, 1GB of system memory, and a 40GB hard drive with at least 15GB of available space. (Windows XP Pro, on the other hand, requires at just a 233MHz CPU, plus 128MB of system memory and 1.5GB of hard drive space.)

So based on the aforementioned Vista systems requirements and the basic specs of HP's systems, there shouldn't be a problem, right? Perhaps the problem lies in Vista Business's graphics card requirements, necessary to keep the oh-so pretty Aero GUI so cool and refreshing (pun intended, though perhaps not noticed).

HP's higher-end, Energy Star 4.0-ready dc7700, for example, comes equipped with an Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000, which is a stripped-down version of the GMA 950 (which was created with running Vista in mind.) On the 3000, hardware video acceleration such as IDCT MPEG-2, ProcAmp (video stream independent color correction), and VC-1 decoding are missing.

I'm certainly not trying to knock HP here. I think it's notable that the company is ahead of the game in terms of cranking out systems that meet the new ES 4.0 regs and cut per-PC power consumption by as much as 52 percent. I also like that HP is making 80 percent-efficiency power supplies available (for $20 more) as an option on nearly all of its dc5 and dc7 configurations, whether they meet the other Energy Star criteria or not.

But I do think that companies like HP have their work cut out for them in terms of delivering the higher-efficiency ES 4.0 PCs that can take full advantage of Vista. And it seems the burden is on the shoulders of the hardware makers to carry the processing-hungry load of the new Windows system. Perhaps it's time we see greater coding efficiency, not only out of Microsoft but other app vendors so as to reduce the strain on CPUs.

And I also wonder if the push for more energy-efficient systems will result in a rise in Linux adoption. But that's a topic for another day.

Posted by Ted Samson on March 19, 2007 03:06 PM

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