Gadgets to help you save energy costs - as seen on World News Now.

Here's the ABC video of the entire Engergy Saving Gadgets spot:

http://abcn.ws/GL6cCu

With gas prices ever climbing, is there an app that can help me find the cheapest gas near where I am? The answer is “yes, there’s an app for that!” Since I don’t own a car, I figured I’d ask people who drive a lot. So I asked taxi drivers, chauffeurs and friends what app they used to get the best price. Shockingly, the most given answer was: “There’s an app to find the cheapest gas? I have to get that!”  Yes, there are several apps, so I asked those who used an app, which one they like best. The most given answer was GasBuddy. It’s a free app, and it’s available for iPhones and Android devices. Gas Buddy is ad sponsored, but the ads are in a little bar at the top or the bottom of the app, and they don’t interfere with the information on the screen. You tell Gas Buddy where you are by entering your location or zip code, or just hit the “find gas near me” button so it can use the device’s GPS. In a few seconds you will get a list of local gas prices. You can select how you want them ranked; distance, price, etc. You also tell the type of fuel you want, regular, premium, midrange or diesel. You’ll find info on the Gas Buddy website as to how you can report local gas prices and win prizes. That’s how Gas Buddy gets the latest prices, from people who are out there buying gas. Gas Buddy is often the #1 App in Travel on iTunes.

www.gasbuddy.com

A Learning Thermostat, that knows when you're away!

Your thermostat at home controls 50% of your energy costs! According to one study, 90% of programmable thermostats are rarely or never programmed. The Nest Learning thermostat learns to programs based on your life and needs. As you program it manually the first week, it analyzes your energy needs and starts adjusting them automatically. So how much energy might we be wasting with our heating and cooling systems? Turns out, it can be a lot. The EPA says a properly programmed thermostat can cut 20% off your heating and cooling bill. But to program it right, we have to give the thermostat an exact schedule: lower the temperature at 8 AM, turn it up when we get home, lower it again when everyone’s in bed, etc. The problem is, our lives don’t go according to schedule: we leave for the weekend, go out to dinner, stay up till 1 AM. So programming athermostat right is almost impossible, which is probably why up to 90% of programmable thermostats aren’t programmed correctly or at all!  That why you should read about the Next Learning Thermostat. It can run your house heating and cooling, and if you like, you can check what it’s doing and control it via smartphone, tablet or computer! It can evene sense when no one is home and adjust the heating or cooling to save you energy. High tech looks and high tech operation.

www.nest.com

Okay, where's the "on/off" switch?

Many electric gizmos and gadgets today don’t have an on/off switch. They’re made to stay on in low power mode ready to wake up when you wake up. But, a lot of the electronics and appliances around your home use electricity even when they’re not in use. Yes, that’s what has been dubbed ‘vampire power’ sucking up your dollars as it wastes energy as it drives up your electric bill. I like LED tube lights, but they come with an on/off switch either. Belkin has solved the problem with the Conserve Power Switch. It completely shuts off power—including standby power— to your electronics and appliances with the flip of a switch, to help you save energy. It’s like unplugging—without having to unplug – and replug when you want to use it again. The Conserve Power Switch goes into the outlet first. Then any device – with a standard two or three prong AC plug goes into the switch. Now you have a fully functional on/off switch. But wait, there’s more! There’s also a built in pilot light. It glows as a reminder that the device is on. The Conserve Power Switch itself uses no power when not in operation, so standby power is eliminated. Under $7. (Strange, but the $6.99 price on the Belkin website is the lowest price I could find. It was about double that when I looked on Amazon!)

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=552818

The amount of power consumed by your entertainment system when you're not around, is not entertaining!

Did you know the standby power consumed by your entertainment system when it's not in use is costing you an estimated $76 a year? (What you save will depend on what your electric company charges per Kwh.) This stand-by power has often been called “vampire” or “phantom” power. Vampire power is pretty apt – it sucks your energy while you sleep! Entertainment systems are typically the biggest energy drains in the house, consuming energy 24/7. The Belkin Conserve Smart AV Auto-Off Surge Protector Power Strip can help you save energy and money. It lets you control power to 6 devices with your TV's on/off button which reduces standby power automatically. When you use your remote to turn off your TV's power button, this device will turn off DVD players, gaming consoles, receivers, subwoofers and other equipment automatically. Two outlets stay on for devices that need continuous power, like DVRs. It's under $30.

http://belkin.com/conserve/

Another way to stop vampire power in its tracks!

You may not have noticed, but when you unplug your phone because it’s charged, your charger does not go off. Just feel the plug next time, BEFORE you recharge your phone. If it’s nice and warm, it’s been sucking up power while doing nothing. That won’t happen with Mushroom GreenZero. This Eco-friendly charger offers the greenest and most efficient way to charge mobile devices. It immediately starts charging when connected to a device with low battery levels when you press the green “mushroom” button. Then the Mushroom GreenZero Charger will automatically shut off when charging is complete so there’s zero standby energy consumption. When a folding AC plus, it’s lightweight, compact design and an integrated cable reel make charger ideal for travel and portable use. When it become available in May, there will be three models. One for USB-connected portable devices such as tablets, cameras, and cell phones; another with an embedded microUSB cable for Android and other smartphones; and a third model that includes an Apple 30 pin cable for iDevices.  Each model will retail for under $30. Available (starting in May) at:

www.Bracketron.com