Greener Gadgets Preview: Recompute

Another vote-getter in the Greener Gadgets Design Competition is Recompute, a sustainably-designed computer. The case is made of corrugated cardboard instead of multiple materials. The manufacturing process is non-toxic and only three major electronic components are included: a motherboard with processor and memory, a power supply and a hard drive.

To keep with the low-environmental impact of the Recompute, users can utilize keyboards, mice and other hardware from old computers by connecting them to the eight available USB ports.

Finally, the Recompute is made to be disassembled without tools so that the parts can be recycled appropriately and easily. The Recompute aims to be a fully sustainable computer from manufacturing to recycling at the end of its life. Best of all, it's a working computer. Tomorrow we'll find out if the audience thinks it's worthy of the grand prize.

via Greener Gadgets

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Unreal
written by bbm, February 26, 2009

Talk about style over substance.

The toxic parts of computers (mercury, lead, etc) are not the plastic cases. The toxins are in the circuit boards, hard drives, etc, as well as the byproducts of manufacturing.

Amazing that people unquestioningly fall for greenwashing in this way.

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written by bigspudd, February 26, 2009

i hope someone has good fire insurance.
one dead fan, and away she goes.

Computer in a box
written by John Rowell, February 27, 2009

I could toss my computer's components into a cardboard box too ... but that wouldn't make it green.

dumb
written by Space, February 27, 2009

as if the metal case was the polluting part of a computer...

Ridiculous
written by KenZ, February 27, 2009

As noted by all above, total fire hazard. This is ridiculous.

Quite
written by Ted, February 27, 2009

I'm glad to see the comments. The fact that this idea is getting votes frankly cannot speak well of the competition.

But please tell us... how exactly is the manufacturing process "non-toxic"?

Quite
written by Ted, February 27, 2009

I'm glad to see the comments. The fact that this idea is getting votes frankly cannot speak well of the competition.

But please tell us... how exactly is the manufacturing process "non-toxic"?

Say..
written by Ted, February 27, 2009

Maybe the site needs double-click protection for the comments..

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written by MD, February 27, 2009

Cases made from old ammunition cans and Lego blocks are way cooler...!

How much electricity does it use?
written by Carl, February 27, 2009

So far, every "green" general purpose computer fails to disclose the amount of power used, and ability to use sleep/standby. Making the computer case from bamboo or cardboard makes little difference, but $500 in electricity
does (based on real measurements of a laptop vs desktop).

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written by Lisa, February 28, 2009

My cats already have cardboard scratching posts. Wonder how long this would last in my home?

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written by bill, February 28, 2009

Aluminium cases are also recyclable.

-1

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written by lol, March 02, 2009

lol green fags this sucks your stupid asshole nigger asshole nigger nigger hole ass

GREENS FUCKING SUCK LOLOLOLOL

GO SUCK A TREE OFF YOU HIPPIE FAGGOTS AND LEAVE US NORMAL PEOPLE ALONE.

NOBODY GIVES A SHIT ABOUT YOUR BULL. LOLOLOL

ASDASDASDAS1298E129313

TERRA REID BOOB JOB1 319239
DASD

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written by TheDude, March 02, 2009

Hey I think the next Presidential Candidate just spoke up!!!!

Why?
written by Andy, March 03, 2009

Quite simply the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my life. It is unfathomable how someone could actually try to push this as a practical and "green" product.

Non-toxic? Really? And since when is an aluminum case not recyclable?

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written by Ryan Dowty, March 04, 2009

A computer case isn't just for encasing the components inside. They should be made of metal so that RF signals (radio frequencies) don't get inside the computer and cause interference. RF isn't going to completely destroy your computer, but would cause data sent inside your computer to lose packets of information. Which in turn slows down your computer.

As a nerd, I love the easy access to the inside of the computer part of it though!

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written by ZK, March 04, 2009

The combustibility point of cardboard from heat is 800 degrees F. That is why you can cook a frozen pizza in your oven on the disc of cardboard that it comes on and it doesn't catch on fire. If the case was to catch on fire it would be because an internal component caught fire first. The case would not catch fire from ambient heat of the electronic parts...and there is an abundance of ventilation for the parts that they never get hot. The green aspect of the design has to do with the amount of effort used to make a computer, less effort (energy, labor, resources, etc) the more sustainable. Yes the electronic components have toxic heavy metals in them, and must be recycled properly, however because current case design makes component removal difficult it is NOT done. The end result is that most of it ends up in the land fill causing other problems. Sustainably reaches further than power consumption and the ability to be recycled, it is a holistic approach in the manufacturing, use and disposal of an object.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbnttF6Uz9k

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written by KenZ, March 04, 2009

ZK,

Yah, understand that cardboard doesn't just spontaneously combust, but computers made with metal casings catch fire currently (not the metal part, obviously), which is why there are flammability standards, including direct flame exposure tests, REQUIRED for electronic devices and their housings. The proposed solution demonstrates a complete and profound lack of understanding of product development, requirements, consumer products testing procedures, and basic product liability.