What it does

Black is the new green. At least, when it comes to green search engines. You might have noticed when Google went black in solidarity with Earth Hour. Cities across the world did the same. It wasn’t just a publicity ploy, there’s actually a logic behind so-called black or dark search engines. Take Earthle, for example. Earthle is one of the latest in the green search engines craze. Earthle comes with a black background versus a white one. The idea is that running a black background will save 15 watts per use which amounts to about 3000 megawatt hours a year which is roughly a savings of $75,000. Simply put, the black background saves money and energy. Earhle runs using Google so the search results are the same as Google’s.

In their own words

“Earthle was created with the idea in mind that if we as humans ALL join together and make the smallest of changes in our daily lives we can have massive impacts on saving Mother Earth. If humans around the world were to start using Earthle it would save an estimated 750 Megawatt-hours a year.”

Why it might be a killer

Earthle is a great concept. It provides a way to save energy and money and save the earth little by little. It provides the same search results as Google.

Some questions

What makes Earthle different from other green search engines? Is the amount of money and energy saved truly what they say it is? Where does the saved money go? What’s the catch?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Black is the new green. At least, when it comes to green search engines. You might have noticed when Google went black in solidarity with Earth Hour. Cities across the world did the same. It wasn’t just a publicity ploy, there’s actually a logic behind so-called black or dark search engines. Take Earthle, for example. Earthle is one of the latest in the green search engines craze. Earthle comes with a black background versus a white one. The idea is that running a black background will save 15 watts per use which amounts to about 3000 megawatt hours a year which is roughly a savings of $75,000. Simply put, the black background saves money and energy. Earhle runs using Google so the search results are the same as Google’s.

In their own words

“Earthle was created with the idea in mind that if we as humans ALL join together and make the smallest of changes in our daily lives we can have massive impacts on saving Mother Earth. If humans around the world were to start using Earthle it would save an estimated 750 Megawatt-hours a year.”

Why it might be a killer

Earthle is a great concept. It provides a way to save energy and money and save the earth little by little. It provides the same search results as Google.

Some questions

What makes Earthle different from other green search engines? Is the amount of money and energy saved truly what they say it is? Where does the saved money go? What’s the catch?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

If you are looking for some cool icons to spruce up your webpage but either don’t have the artistic skill or the time to design them for yourself, then Icojoy can take care of it for you. Icojoy offers good deals on icon sets along with a number of free downloadable options as well. Some of the key categories of sets available include: Education, Transport, Weather, Malibu and a number of others, making Icojoy your one-stop icon shop. Sets start at $29 and all major online payment forms are accepted. If you want to check out the free stuff, go to the blog section of the page where there is a wide variety of downloadable material.

In their own words

“IcoJoy products are stock icon sets which are ready for use. If you're looking for high quality and affordable icon designs you are at the right place. All products available in our catalogue are ready for immediate download. We make icons for any taste and color. It's well known icons play a very important role in the user interface and are essential for the success of your company. Currently there are 6853 icons in our catalogue.”

Why it might be a killer

As more and more people design their own webpages and blogs, there is an increasing need for quality icons. Icojoy, has nicely designed icons which are easy to buy, making this site one that could become chosen by large segments of the population.

Some questions

Will people choose to pay for icons or will they either design them themselves are download them for free? Perhaps Icojoy could consider offering more free icons and increase the third party advertising on the page to pay for it.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Earth Day may be over but actually, every day is Earth day right? Keep up your green habits by using ClimateGift. This search engine/news portal allows you to support eco-friendly organizations each time you click on an ad. The first time you enter the site, you’ll be asked to pick one of three organizations to support. You’ll also get updates and news from which ever site you’ve chosen. ClimateGift can also be set as your homepage. There are tabs for news and tools, the latter of which features a calculator, horoscopes, flickr pictures, weather forecasts, and map search among others. You can add tabs and content, selecting from entertainment, health, music sports and games among others.

In their own words

“ClimateGift.com is an ePhilanthropic project of Search Engine Corp, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ClimateGift.com is a search engine and portal for Internet users that works 24/7 to help provide funding for partner environmental organizations.

Our climate is changing and scientists will support that this change is likely the result of human activities over the past few decades. We have identified a diverse group of organizations that are committed to help protect the earth’s environment for future generations to come.”

Why it might be a killer

ClimateGift is actually one of the more versatile green search engines out there. It is very well designed and gives users plenty of options. It works as well as iGoogle as a homepage, however, it is for a good cause, unlike the former.

Some questions

Will more organizations be added to the fold, giving users more options to choose from? How is the site itself funded?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Earth Day may be over but actually, every day is Earth day right? Keep up your green habits by using ClimateGift. This search engine/news portal allows you to support eco-friendly organizations each time you click on an ad. The first time you enter the site, you’ll be asked to pick one of three organizations to support. You’ll also get updates and news from which ever site you’ve chosen. ClimateGift can also be set as your homepage. There are tabs for news and tools, the latter of which features a calculator, horoscopes, flickr pictures, weather forecasts, and map search among others. You can add tabs and content, selecting from entertainment, health, music sports and games among others.

In their own words

“ClimateGift.com is an ePhilanthropic project of Search Engine Corp, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ClimateGift.com is a search engine and portal for Internet users that works 24/7 to help provide funding for partner environmental organizations.

Our climate is changing and scientists will support that this change is likely the result of human activities over the past few decades. We have identified a diverse group of organizations that are committed to help protect the earth’s environment for future generations to come.”

Why it might be a killer

ClimateGift is actually one of the more versatile green search engines out there. It is very well designed and gives users plenty of options. It works as well as iGoogle as a homepage, however, it is for a good cause, unlike the former.

Some questions

Will more organizations be added to the fold, giving users more options to choose from? How is the site itself funded?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

If you can’t get your fix of news from around the world on your TV, Livestreamingnewscameras.com can help you by giving you access to over 150 channels of live streaming news from the US and around the world. Channels are visually represented in an easy to recognize way, meaning that it will only take you seconds to find the channel that you are looking for. Along with the availability of multiple channels, LiveNewsCameras also has a live moderator who answers real-time chat questions and can help by letting you know what channels to watch and what is currently going on. With an impressive channel selection and the ability to watch in full screen, LiveNewsCameras is worth checking out the next time you want to know what is going on in the world or right in your own backyard.

In their own words

“LiveNewsCameras.com brings together the resources of journalists around the world and makes live streaming video easy to find and use on your computer. As of today, there are nearly 150 channels of live streaming video here - that number is growing every day.”

Why it might be a killer

People will enjoy the interface and the fact that all channels are clearly labeled and easily recognizable. The addition of a moderator helps to set this site apart from others as it helps give increased cohesion to this site of more than 150 channels by guiding users to the most important news.

Some questions

What is their business model? There is absolutely no advertising on the page and it is completely free to watch the channels. Will they be embedding ads directly into the channels in the future? Also, some of the channels are not live all the time and perhaps they should develop a better system so that people can tell what is on at any given time.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Searchgreener is one of a number of new search engines that promises to help save the environment while you search. The engine used is Google Custom Search so you will get the same quality search results you are accustomed to but be able to save the environment at the same time. Instead of using the typical white background screen, Searchgreener uses a black screen to cut down on energy use. Along with reduced energy usage, Searchgreener will also use all profits made from your searching to buy carbon credits which hopefully should mean that your carbon footprint is greatly reduced simply by using the search engine. So, Searchgreener gives you all the same functionality as Google but helps you make a difference at the same time with little inconvenience to you.

In their own words

“Any and ALL profit made will offset search emissions. Still after reduction every search you make will result in emissions so this is our pledge to you: any and ALL profit from your searches on searchgreener will buy carbon offsets, 100%! We will buy approved carbon credits in renewable energy to offset what you can’t reduce.”

Why it might be a killer

We are constantly being told that we will all have to make sacrifices in order to save the planet but the fact of the matter is that there are a number of small changes that we can make to make things infinitely better. All concerned citizens should make searchgreener.com their homepage as it will help the environment without inconveniencing us at all.

Some questions

Will they really use all profits to buy carbon credits or will the people behind the engine pay themselves hefty salaries beforehand? Which of the numerous green engines will come out on top?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Green Terroir is another green search engine. It is a side project of Green Consensus, an environment-focused non-profit organization. All of the profits made from this search site go to land conservation efforts and carbon offsets, which users can learn about by exploring the “projects” link on Green Terroir’s site. Green Terroir is powered by a non-modified Google Custom Search, and is linked to Google news and image links, Wikipedia, Facebook, and various email systems. It is unique in comparison to other green search engines in that green sites have not been preselected for users’ searches, and searches are not modified.

In their own words

“Green Terroir is a project of Green Consensus. Green Consensus is a nonprofit organization that particpates in land trusts and offers several services including carbon neutral web hosting, agribusiness consulting, and technological support for social entrepreneurs and fair-trade cooperatives. Using this website makes an immediate contribution to the well-being of our planet. The profits from this website go exclusively to land conservation activities and carbon offsets. The more you use the website, the more money we can use to retire land and purchase carbon offsets.”

Why it might be a killer

Green Terroir is a search engine with a social purpose. Not only is the information provided valuable, but the proceeds support environmental causes, an act that users will undoubtedly support. The quick links and straight-forward search capability give Green Terroir the potential to be saved as users’ homepage.

Some questions

Would displaying the fact on the homepage that all proceeds generated by the website go to environmental purposes attract and hook more dedicated users? What other online networks should Green Terroir become a part of to increase reach? What can Green Terroir add to entice site visitors to save the site as their homepage?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

News aggregators are nothing new. There’s been an influx of them flooding the internets in the past year or so. Now there’s a Canadian offering to add to the list. It’s called MediaScrape and it’s from Montreal. MediaScrape hasn’t had much coverage until recently when it received it’s third or fourth round of funding of $3.2 million. MediaScrape has an oddly BBC-like look to it, and offers the usual in news aggregation: a headline ticker, latest news videos, news divided into categories (tech, business, politics, entertainment, environment etc) as well as a Google map to browse news from around the world. You can subscribe by registering. Get the RSS feed and enjoy news 24-7. It’s free.

In their own words

“Broadcast your world”

Why it might be a killer

MediaScrape offers an interesting aggregator from Canada. It’s got all the perquisite features of a good news aggregator and it’s fairly easy to use.

Some questions

Why the BBC clone? Why is the site not as slick for some much funding?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Green Link Central is a green-focused, Google Custom Search-powered search engine aimed at connecting site visitors with the best green products, services, news, and information available online. Green Link understands that many people are interested in adopting a green lifestyle, but starting the process can be difficult. With that in mind, this website serves as an easy-to-use hub for users searching for specific green-related topics. All websites filtered through the Green Link site are hand-picked by humans, hence ensuring that they all are legitimate and will be of value to site surfers. Helpful links, such as “top searches,” “articles,” and “shop online,” provide site users with even more information on leading a green life.

In their own words

“Green Link Central is developing a topic-specific network of Websites to provide consumers and businesses a convenient, one-stop place to find everything green. Every Website on this search engine has been hand selected by our editors to provide you with high quality search results.”

Why it might be a killer

Green Link Central provides quality output of knowledge on living green. New users will find this site to be straightforward, centralized, and informative. The simplicity of the site, combined with amount of information, will potentially hook users and keep them coming back.

Some questions

How may Green Link Central further engage and interact with their audience to further link them to the green lifestyle? What partnerships could Green Link explore to spread the word about the site and living green? What features can the website add to enhance the experience users have?

Updates


 » original news