Opower
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New study says charging the iPhone 6 only costs 47 cents a year
If you plan your charging schedule right keeping your iPhone 6 powered will only cost you US$0.47 a year. That calculation comes from Opower, a developer of software for utility companies. According to CNN Money the software provider has released a new study breaking down exactly how much a daily charge of the device costs. Here's how their math works out. Via CNN: Apple's (AAPL, Tech30) new iPhone 6 charges from 0% to 100% in 1 hour and 48 minutes, which is about 10.6 watt-hours of energy. Multiply that by 365 days in a year, and you get 3.83 kilowatt-hours. Multiply that by the average U.S. residential electricity price (12.29 cents per kWh), and you get 47 cents per year. This is a slight increase from the iPhone 5 which cost $0.41 a year to charge, but less than the Opower's estimate of $0.52 to charge the 6+ every year. Of course, these calculations fail to take into account the number of people who leave their devices plugged in all night while they sleep, but if you're cost conscious, consider charging your device before bed. You'll save money on your power bill, and leaving your phone unnecessarily plugged in isn't good for the battery. Kill two birds with one stone; your phone will last longer and you'll have more money in your pocket.
Facebook inks partnership with Opower, looks to socially compare home energy usage
Google passed, and Microsoft reckoned it had better things to do, but Zuckerberg's Castle is seemingly willing to pick up where those two left off. In what may go down as the strangest Facebook decision since the rejection of Valentina Monetta's video as best in the whole wide world, the company is launching a new social energy app that'll tap into technology from the National Resources Defense Council and Opower. Initially, the app will reach some 20 million households, and it's designed to help eco-curious Earthlings compile and benchmark usage data to see how their home stacks up against others. Within territories with utility participation, people can connect their utility account directly to the app to track progress and share energy saving accomplishments with friends. Unfortunately, the whole process looks rather manual for now, and privacy overlords will no doubt question the motives for requesting even more information from Facebook users; that said, it's totally possible to engage in the Opower tracking sans a Facebook account. To get going, give those source links a look.
Honeywell and Opower team up for cloud-connected smart thermostat
Normally we wouldn't get too excited about a thermostat, even a so-called smart one. But, unlike what normally passes for a "smart" home heating solution, Honeywell's upcoming touchscreen devices are going to be paired with some real brains courtesy of Opower. Details of the partnership are still a little thin, but we do know that customers will be able to program and monitor energy usage, not just from the thermostat itself but, via internet connected devices like smartphones. Opower will even provide suggestions for trimming energy bills. The first trials are expected to begin in the next few months through utility companies, but Honeywell eventually expects to offer the devices through broader retail channels. Check out the full PR after the break.
