There’s little doubt you’ve heard the buzz about the iPad today. Apple made the announcement of the next big thing in consumer electronics, and detailed the specs for the iPad. While you can grab all the info you need about it over at Apple, there are several great green features we want to highlight…plus point out a couple things we are still waiting to see.
1) LED-backlit display
While rumors abounded that Apple would choose OLED display technology for the device, there were issues with finding suppliers for the larger screen size. But beyond that, the choice for an LED-backlit LCD display is smart in that it is more energy efficient than OLED. This means a longer battery life per charge, which is highly desirable. However the display does use IPS technology for higher image quality, which requires a brighter backlight, thus consuming more power.
2) Up to 10 hours battery life
Nice! For a device with this size screen and capable of so many tasks, getting as much as 10 hours of battery life is great. It’s about 2-3 hours better than the average netbook. It doesn’t hold a candle to the Kindle and e-readers, but then again, it’s far more than just an e-reader in the first place.
3) High quality battery
The iPad has a 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that uses “Apple’s advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology” to create a battery that can be recharged up to 1,000 times while maintaining 80% of its original charge capacity over the typical 5-year lifespan. That makes for a fairly hearty battery (which is good because it’s built in, so you have to take the device in if you want to replace it).
4) Skips the toxins
As to be expected with Apple products, the iPad has arsenic-free display glass, mercury-free LCD display, is BFR- and PVC-free, and has a recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure. Greenpeace will be happy about that.
READ MORE: What Does Apple’s iPad Tablet Really Mean for Our Society?
What We Want to Know About Apple’s iPad:
1) Updated Product Environmental Report
Apple has yet to add a product impact report on the iPad to their website. We’re eager to find out more about the details on green(er) design.
2) Updated Recycling Program Information
Apple hasn’t yet added the iPad to its recycling plan online. And we’d also like to know more about how much of the device is recyclable. This is a great opportunity to beef up the company’s commitment to recycling as a whole, and we’re wondering how the iPad will contribute to e-waste.
3) Packaging
The packaging for the device looks relatively compact, but we’re still waiting to find out more specifics. Packaging is a big area where companies can cut down on waste, not only for the materials used in the packaging itself, but also in fuel consumed in shipping.
All in all it’s a game-changing device and while far from perfect when it comes tosustainable design – or even pushing into new areas of sustainability in its features like using recycled aluminum or glass for the casing – it still hits a few sweet spots. We’re hoping new versions will only be more and more eco-friendly.
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