SAN RAMON, CA — In the past week, the company that aims to eliminate mountains of e-waste and bring energy efficient power supplies to gadget-owners around the world has made several big steps forward.
First, Green Plug announced a partnership with Imagination Technologies to incorporate that firm's innovations into next-generation versions of Green Plug's Power Processor and Load Processor, the two hubs of the Green Plug technology.
Green Plug has developed a method for enabling power-consuming gadgets to reduce their energy use by communicating with the power supply about when it has fully charged and no longer needs to draw power from the socket, or to shut off power when the device is no longer in use.
The Green Plug is also designed to be universally interchangeable, so that individuals will no longer need several -- or dozens -- of different cables and plugs to charge their devices. Widespread adoption of the technology will remove untold millions of pounds of e-waste from landfills, as chargers no longer need to be discarded with outdated technology, and manufacturers no longer need to include power supplies as standard additions to gadget sales.
The partnership with Imagination will help speed this adoption: the companies explained that the Greentalk Load Processor that will be developed through the partnership can allow for smart technology integration into consumer electronics (CE) for very little cost.
"Imagination removes a big obstacle for CE device manufacturers," Frank Paniagua Jr., Green Plug's founder and CEO, said in a statement. "The GLP makes it easy to turn on the functionality necessary for products to work with smart, universal and reusable power adapters. We are delighted to gain access to Imagination's innovative META processor IP and extensive ecosystem via this new agreement."
Also in the past week, Green Plug announced the first adopter of the Greentalk power adapter: PURE, a digital radio manufacturer, will allow its devices to accept power from smart power adapters like Green Plug's technology. In addition, PURE will offer customers the option of purchasing a Greentalk-enabled power adapter with its radios.
Further expanding its potential reach, CNet News last week reported that Green Plug was working together with WiPower to develop Greentalk power for wireless charging, making universal charging a technology with even broader appeal and potential.
In an article published late last year, GreenerComputing contributor Sarah Fister Gale profiled Green Plug in a roundup of green power supply technologies, and also conducted a podcast interview with Green Plug CEO Frank Paniagua.