Standby. Over And Out?

Halloween's over, but HotHardware is still worried about vampires. Vampire devices, that is. Lots of electronic components draw power even when they're turned off, or in standby or sleep mode. Trying to help us save some wasted electricity,  Fujitsu Siemens have introduced monitors that consume no electricity when they are in standby mode.  How do they do it? 


A relay cuts off the mains power whenever the video stream stops; capacitors store enough charge to flick the relay back when the signal returns. Solar panels provide enough power to maintain zero consumption mode for up to five days, after which you have to press a regular power button to bring the machine out of standby.

The technology is ready for TVs and can go into any computer monitor, according to the vice president of peripherals at Fujitsu Siemens, Rajat Kakar

The company has applied for six patents covering the technology and the first monitors using it will go on sale next spring.

There's an audible click when the screen is re-energized, common with any relay device, but other than that, there is no change in performance. Less is more. More pennies in your pocket, that is. No information on how many extra dollars you'll have to give to Fujitsu/Siemens to put those pennies in your pockets, though. Umm... Stand by for more information.

Tags:  Stand, Stan, and