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If you’re like me, the tablet PC has become your must-have device on the go. I go everywhere with it and definitely feel like something’s missing when I leave it at home. One question I get asked a lot is whether the tablet is about to replace the PC. The short answer is – not yet. While tablet technology is moving at a rapid pace, we are not at the point yet where tablets can deliver the same power, functionality and features offered by a conventional notebook PC. That’s why the most common use of the tablet is as a complement to the PC.
Some of the differences between tablets and notebooks are one reason we launched our new certification for tablets – TCO Certified Tablets.
The nature and use of tablets is reflected in the criteria of TCO Certified Tablets: high brightness (great for outdoor readability), efficient battery charging, outstanding image quality for example. Along with criteria for social responsibility and environmental design, a TCO Certified tablet offers a sustainable choice.
Tags: Green AV, Sustainable AV
Just back from the inaugural GovComm event in Washington, DC. Focusing on communications systems and AV for government, GovComm also marked the official launch of the InfoComm STEP program for sustainable AV systems. STEP is a great complement to Sustainable Building efforts and ensures that not only the building itself is built in a sustainable way, but that the IT and AV systems installed are integrated into the facility’s sustainability objectives. TCO Certified is proud to be recommended for all display and projector purchases in STEP. The Step Foundation is also actively seeking pilot projects where the STEP rating system will be used. Funding is available -more information available from The STEP Foundation.
Here’s a snapshop video of TCO Certified at GovComm, by rAVe publications
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Today we go live with TCO Certified Tablets – our first certification for Tablet PCs ! We’re also proud to announce that the Samsung Series 7 Slate is the first tablet to achieve the certification. You can check out full details about the launch and the program in our press room.
Tags: computer display, computers, e-waste, Green IT, Recycled plastic, TCO Certified Edge
Imagine if all computer monitors contained 65% post consumer recycled plastic. Five years from now, the industry would have reduced carbon emissions by approximately 860 million kg and saved energy corresponding to that used to fuel 280 000 cars a year. Not to mention the prevention of toxic e-waste !
Judging by some of the products we’ve been certifying in recent weeks, we may be making some moves toward that goal.
Incorporating recycled plastic content into ICT products has been a tough challenge for manufacturers. Despite good intentions, a lack of reliable sources of high quality materials at required volumes has been one of the major hurdles to including recycled content in our PC products. But this week we’ve been able to present several displays from Phillips and All in One computers by Lenovo with our TCO Certified Edge award for featuring a high percentage of post consumer recycled content. Check the newsletter or searchable database for full details.
Tags: Green IT, tablet, TCO Certified
If you already use a tablet, you know how convenient, easy to use and totally portable it is. If you’re like me, you don’t go anywhere without it ! But how sustainable are they ? We’ve got a lot of users asking about the usability, design and environmental issues associated with tablets over the last months. So we’re excited about today’s launch of our draft TCO Certified Tablets criteria – the world’s first eco-label criteria exclusively for tablets.
Tablet PCs are currently among the fastest growing trends in electronics. Growth estimates put the tablet market from an estimated 10.3 million consumers in 2010 to 208 million users by 2014.
Consumers and business users are moving to tablets for their ease of use, portability and flexibility of use through a rapidly developing “app” environment. While tablets have been primarily marketed to consumers, professional users or “prosumers” are expected to adopt tablet technology in greater numbers in the next few years, particularly in retail, health care, finance and education settings. In 2011 an estimated 25% of tablets will be purchased for business use, double the amount seen in 2010. This number is expected to rise dramatically along with continued growth in the consumer segment.
We want to hear from you ! Our criteria draft is open for comment until October 17, so send us your comments as a manufacturer, user or sustainability professional. After the comment period we will go live with the final specifications and be open for testing and the first TCO Certified Tablets !
Tags: audiovisual, AV, Projectors, sustainability, TCO Certified Projectors 1.0
Sustainability is now making inroads in the Audio-Visual space – great news from an area where product performance has traditionally outweighed environmental issues. TCO Certified has now been recognized by InfoComm International’s new sustainability rating system for AV installations –STEP (Sustainability Technology Environments Program). As part of the program, TCO Certified projectors and monitors will be recommended for pro AV equipment purchases.
STEP will promote sustainable practices by the associations’ members and their customers. The rating system will be a tool for owners and technology providers to plan for and implement sustainable practices in their technology projects. By recommending TCO Certified products as part of STEP, buyers and installers can be assured they are choosing products designed for the environment, as well as high performance.
Soren Enholm, CEO of TCO Development, comments: “We are honored and excited to see TCO Certified as a recommendation in the STEP program. The TCO Certified eco-label offers the Pro AV community useful guidance in the selection of projection equipment designed for sustainability as well as optimal image quality. By choosing TCO Certified projectors and monitors, users can be assured of a product that delivers both high performance and sustainable design.”
Allen Weidman, sustainability officer, InfoComm International and executive director of the STEP Foundation comments: “InfoComm is delighted to include the TCO Certified designation as a tool for identifying sustainable technology products. The STEP program is dedicated to promoting existing sustainability designations that have been vetted and accepted by consumers.”
Tags: headsets, Plantronics, Savi 700, sustainability, sustainable, TCO Certified
The newly released TCO Certified Headsets includes requirement on CSR to improve working conditions in factories. We have also introduced tough durability requirements with purpose to improve life length of the headset and requirements to improve the sound quality.
To us it is important to increased life length of a product since it contributes to a sustainable life style for both the user – that avoid health and safety problems, and the environment, that benefit from with less resources used and less E-waste.
Plantronics SAVI 700 Series is first with TCO Certified Headsets – a proof for a sustainable life style. Choose products with high quality and use them longer – Now it’s simple to choose headsets for a sustainable lifestyle, just choose headsets with the TCO Certified label!
Posted by Annika Overodder
Tags: csr, fair IT, IT products, makeITfair, purchaser, social responsibility, sr, sustainable IT, TCO Certified
Last Saturday May 7th, people all over Europe and around the world joined the European organization makeITFair’s international Make IT fair action day. The goal of the action day was to improve the lives of workers around the globe who are working long hours for poor pay to satisfy our constant demands for the latest electronic gadgets.
makeITfair is a European project focusing on the electronics industry, especially on consumer electronics like mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players. They want to let young people across Europe know about the labor abuses and environmental problems that are going on right now around the world – just to satisfy our demand for all the latest electronic gadgets.
Fair IT – a key factor for competitive advantage
It’s a very urgent issue that makeITfair is raising. But this is an issue that are relevant to all purchasers of IT products – not only young consumers. At TCO Development we daily discuss this issue with IT purchasers from private as well as public sector. Many organizations have understand that one of the key factors for their competitive advantage is to have ambitious goals on social responsibility which also includes good working conditions for the labor in the manufacturing process. The company’s policy on CSR is often reflected in their purchase specifications also for IT equipment, hence Fair IT is on the agenda for professional purchasers!
Certifications a way to influence the industry towards sustainabile IT
TCO Certified – a certification for ICT products designed for both usability and the environment, introduced in 2009 a criteria on proven commitment in social responsibility in the manufacturing process. The criteria was a first step and wasn’t particularly strict, but 1 in 4 IT brands didn’t work with these issues before and they had to start working on improving the working conditions in the manufacturing process in order to qualify for the TCO Certified certification. So by asking for TCO Certified products you can influence the industry towards sustainable IT. Next time the criteria document will be updated the SR criteria will be stricter. On TCO Development’s website you can read more about the criteria on social responsibility.
Posted by Birgitta Halvarsson
Tags: 3D, 3DTV, active eyeglasses, auto-steroscopic 3D, passive eyeglasses, visual ergonomics
TCO Development together with research partner Acreo has conducted the first comparison study under test laboratory conditions of the 2 major 3DTV techniques available to consumers today: Active and Passive eyeglasses 3DTV. In a few years from now we will likely be watching 3DTV without the need of glasses (Auto-steroscopic 3D), but today we need glasses and there is a divided opinion as to which of these 2 techniques delivers the best overall 3D experience. Therefore, TCO Development used its unique position to evaluate each of these technologies from the viewpoint of the user experience. The study confirms some important visual ergonomic differences and although it is an impartial study conducted during the ongoing TV brand conflict, we hope that the findings may guide you in your 3DTV choice. Read the findings from the study on TCO Development’s website.
Tags: outdoor IT work, seasonal depression, TCO Certified Edge, TCO Certified edge award, temperate latitudes
Does outdoor work during the winter season protect against depression and mood difficulties?
According to an article in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Health, by a Danish researcher group, their hypothezis was that at temperate latitudes, 1–5% of the population suffer from winter depression; during winter, mood difficulties tend to increase but may be alleviated by bright light therapy. Unlike indoor workers, outdoor workers are exposed to therapeutic levels of sunlight during winter. Outdoor work may protect against mood difficulties and depression. http://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3155
If this hypothezis turns out to be true, IT workers now have a good opportunity to use a laptop that is adapted for mobile, outdoor work. The new TCO Certified Edge award for Outdoor Readability in Notebooks will highlight leading edge Notebooks that offer high luminance as well as superior eco-design and image performance. Read more about this in our blog from the 24 of March , written by Stephen Fuller.
