Gadgets too power-hungry

The International Energy Agency is urging increased awareness of the issues surrounding gadgets ranging from computers to cellphones and PDAs, says Softpedia.

While these devices now consume about 15% of a household' s total electricity, that figure is expected to grow significantly over the next two decades.

By 2030, gadgets and personal devices will consume more than three times the amount of power they do today, and this means additional power plants would have to be built.

At the Reuters Global Technology Summit last week, executives from well-known companies indicated that out of the office, they don't want to be bothered carrying several devices around, states Geek.com.

Rich Templeton of Texas Instruments, talking about mobile Internet devices, led the way saying: “If it becomes a third device you have to carry, I don't know how that's a greater benefit.”

Everyone is craving the ultimate multi-purpose, multimedia, entertainment, business device. Smartphones, like the iPhone or RIM's Blackberry, are a step in the right direction.

As the office becomes increasingly mobile and workers rove the land armed with powerful gadgets, companies are facing a new cost that can run amok if left unchecked, according to Business Journal.

Most companies don't have policies to deal with cost overruns of cellphones, BlackBerrys and laptops, a Forrester Research analyst says. And though nipping those costs in the bud could be as simple as letting workers know someone is paying attention to their mobile usage, a new crop of companies is arising to help control expenses.

Brownlee Thomas, an analyst at Forrester Research, says the best policy is “know what you're spending”.