EcoBox, IceWear- Japanese Tech
You have your beautiful new iPod nano, and you’ve heard all of the fuss about the insanely scratchprone body, screen, and controls. What are you to do- which case should you get?
Well, we went all the way to Japan (not really) to find the IceWear (sold in the US under the Tunewear label). Iodata has made an excellent case that adds almost no weight or size to the mp3 player, while protecting it fairly well. They use transparent silicone, which makes it attractive, durable, and easily cleanable to boot. It’s not cheap (silicone usually isn’t, the IceWear will run you around $20), but it is one of the best iPod nano cases on the market- sleek, easy to use, with full access to controls and ridged edges for grip and shock protection.
On a very different note, Iodata also makes the “Ecobox”, a tiny sensor that detects when you have left your seat, waits a set number of seconds, and can turn off your screen or computer. Then, when you come back, it turns it back on immediately- easier than moving the mouse or tapping some keys, and eco-friendlier than simply waiting ten minutes.
It may not sound particularly useful, but offices burn a ton of energy simply by leaving the computers and monitors on. In addition, the device allows a centralized network-based system that can tell when you arrived to and left your machine. Of course, a network admin could just check access logs, but this is a pretty nifty feature nonetheless.
We found the software a cinch to install, and though the device is a little picky about distance and angle, once properly configured it worked like a charm. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find an American distributor for this product, so you’ll have to rely on translation if you want your own Ecobox. Don’t let the English scare you- “when being being on the register, when ON, being absent” simply means… well, we’re not sure exactly, but it’s eco-friendly.
