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The CherryPal promises to be affordable, efficient, and powerful enough for the average PC user. At first glance, that stats on the system look modest, and for good reason. This design actually cuts out 20% of PC components to reduce energy usage. But fear not, despite being small (the size of a paperback), the CherryPal claims it can start up in 20 seconds, and cloud computing provides more power/storage when you need it. A Linux operating system (now more user friendly than ever), and cloud computing means you won’t need to worry about viruses or install protective programs that can slow down your PC.

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I cover a lot of upcoming or future technology, but it’s time to step into the present and aim for the past. Today we’re going to look at a technology available right now that can make some wanton energy waste history. It’s a surge protector that stakes the hearts of vampire electronics without hassling you, the sleeping victim.

Vampire appliances are pretty much anything you can plug in that still sucks energy when it’s supposedly turned off. Some are pretty obvious - the clocks on your microwave or VCR/DVD player burn all day, everyday. We know they’re not “off” because we cans see their LEDs glow. But other electronics, from your television to your cell phone charger also draw power when they’re plugged in but not in use. Check out a handy graph from Good Magazine. Some gadgets are notorious, like your plasma TV. Estimates claim that 5% or more of U.S. energy usage is insidiously wasted by “stand-by mode” or certain misleading “off” buttons. A whopping 5% may not sound like much, but it adds up to about $1 Billion dollars per year - and energy prices will probably continue to rise.

Be honest - how many times would you go around the house unplugging everything before it got old? Smart greenies have been switching off their surge protectors, but it’s easy to forget while watching your favorite late-night TV show or blogging at 4am. So what can we do about these metal-toothed Nosferatu in our midst? How about a surge protector that turns off all your appliances for you?

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Developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena, Germany, the Kolibri CORDLESS is the size of a shoe box and it weighs a little over 2 lbs. No cables required, you just point and click. Several seconds later a detailed 3D image will appear on a laptop. From there you can analyze and use the digital model.

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Instead of having the shakes to produce energy (like most other eco-friendly lights out there) this product uses a zip cord. Simply pull the cord for about a minute — and voila! — you've got enough light for nearly half an hour. Pull longer, and that time limit goes up and up — to almost 45 minutes. Thankfully, the flashlight also comes with a car charger so your savings in batteries don't go towards physical therapy for your arm. Powering directly will yield you almost 3.5 hours of use. Did I mention it has a swivel head?

The good times don't stop there. Not only can all that physical exertion give you enough light to reenact The Blair Witch Project, but the power stored can also charge up any number of devices. The Eco LED comes with several adapters for PDAs, cell phones, and a host of other electronics. The 5 LEDs will last roughly 50,000 hours, so expect this flashlight to help you out where others have let you down.

For piece of mind in your glove box, boat, camping gear, or home, I'm not sure you can go wrong with this gadget. For $29.95, "zip" on over and pick one up!