Build

Cisco to manage energy of tech gear and buildings

Cisco Systems on Tuesday introduced software for controlling energy use in networked computing equipment as well as building heating and cooling systems.

Called EnergyWise, the software is a free upgrade to Cisco Catalyst switches that can monitor and manage how energy is used on IP-connected devices, including phones and wireless routers. This summer Cisco will release a version, based on Verdiem's Surveyor PC management software, that reduces energy levels of PCs.

With EnergyWise, a company can set policies on energy use, allowing PCs or networking equipment to go into sleep mode after work hours, for example.

Cisco's longer-term … Read more

On the level

Handy Level Free is a free application that turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a carpenter's level. The functionality and interface are extremely straightforward: you can hold your device either horizontally or vertically, with the edge of the device on the surface you want to test, and Handy Level Free's simulated bubble will tell you whether the surface is perfectly plumb or slightly sloped. What sets this app apart are its high production values (with a handsome wood-and-metal finish) and extras like buttons for holding a measurement and for calibration (important, because sensors can vary slightly from … Read more

CleanBoard: Recycled drywall from a solar factory

CleanBoard has a novel idea to "green" your home: use carbon-neutral drywall that's produced in a solar-powered factory and made from the residue of coal-fired power plants.

The self-funded company, founded less than a year ago, this week started talking publicly about its CleanBoard product, which is now available. The company plans to announce funding this quarter.

The money, which will include venture capital and debt financing, will be used to open a factory in California capable of turning out its recycled drywall by year's end, CEO and founder Rod MacGregor announced Thursday.

Getting green-building certification, … Read more

A solid performer

With its tiny user interface, this powerful privacy program very quickly and securely shredded files and folders.

NShred opens with a very small (almost too small) user interface. It features minimal command buttons, which are all very straightforward. A Help menu is included, but most won't need it to get started; the process is as simple as clicking the Add Folder and File buttons. Using the Options button, we were able to choose from seven shred methods, including DoD and Gutmann. The program offers a brief explanation of each method, along with how many overwrite passes each performs. We … Read more

Laser printers don't emit harmful toner dust, study says

Tiny bits of toner wafting from laser printers can't be blamed for polluting indoor air, according to research released this week.

In 2007, a study from Queensland University of Technology in Australia suggested that breathing toner particles from printers could hurt the lungs as much cigarette smoke.

But researchers from that school and the Fraunhofer Wilhelm Klauditz Institute in Germany have found no evidence to support that claim, after examining the makeup of chemicals released from laser printers.

They determined that such airborne materials include paraffins and silicon oils that evaporate when a printer's fixing unit, which attaches … Read more

The 404 239: Where we stop eating sesame cake

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, stealing the Empire State Building, and pirates make their appearance. As usual, it's a weird show today. We discover the classic line from the movie Congo from 1995, starring Tim Curry. Let's just say "Stop eating sesame cake" has become a new catchphrase for The 404. Yes, we're alienating more and more new listeners. Please, for the love of God, tell your friends about this show!

Jeff hates on the possibility that there will be a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. It looks like Joss Whedon is attached to the flick, but sadly no Sarah Michelle Gellar. Also, we discover new and easy ways to pirate content off of Amazon.com...not that we ever would. We don't even know what pirating is. Honest to God. Speaking of stealing stuff, the New York Daily News manages to steal the Empire State Building. Makes us feel really safe here in New York City. We talk about the life lessons that Trey Parker and Matt Stone have taught us through South Park. An idiot guy gets his cell phone stolen at a McDonald's with nude pictures of his wife. Rather than suing McDonald's for $3 million, we think his wife should sue him for divorce. And for the love of all things that are holy, please STOP making those Scary Movie or Saw flicks!

Episode 239 Download today's podcast … Read more

Photos: Greenbuild Expo flashes through Boston

The U.S. Green Building Council held its annual Greenbuild Expo in Boston last week, exposing close to 30,000 people to the latest green-building technologies and materials.

People who attended the conference were impressed at the high number of attendees, a sign that what was once a fringe movement is becoming mainstream.

On the show floor, there were a number of products designed with the environment in mind, such as sustainably harvested wood, drywall made from recycled material, and kitchen counters made of recycled paper.

During the week, the U.S. Green Building Council passed a draft for an … Read more

Going solar? Seven sites map your plans

Homeowners who dream of their electric meter spinning backward may seek solar panels to slash bills and carbon emissions. But where to start?

Before you call a contractor, these sites can assist with the early steps, like summing up what you could spend or save in your neighborhood.

San Francisco Solar Map

The San Francisco Solar Map helps locals lay their solar plans. A Google map pegs projects already up and running. Type in your address for estimates of installation fees and long-term utility bill savings and to find installers listed by the California Energy Commission.

Fog City's municipal … Read more

Industrial Origami snaps up $17 million

In its third round of funding, Industrial Origami secured $17 million on Monday toward commercializing its fold-up sheet metal technologies for building cars and household appliances.

The company says its patented system can slash manufacturing costs by 70 percent. Touted environmental benefits include less scrap waste at a factory as well as more efficient industrial shipping and storage.

The London-based Environmental Technologies Fund led the round.

"Industrial Origami profoundly changes the way products are designed and manufactured," said Patrick Sheehan, a partner at the fund, said in a statement.

Washing-machine maker Whirlpool is producing goods using the technology, … Read more