Mobile phone charging

There's a make of charger called Xqisit which switches off when you remove the phone from the cradle. A brilliantly simple idea that will save the energy wasted when chargers are left plugged into the mains. I hope power supplies more generally can follow this lead.

The system works by a simple switch. Here's a Nokia compatible model:
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/16651.htm

and here's a Sony Ericsson:

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/16659.htm

While I was searching for this I discovered that "After the Chinese government recently mandated micro-USB as the future national standard for mobile phone chargers, OMTP (the Open Mobile Terminal Platform), the forum whose members include Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG, announced that micro-USB will be the future common connector for the mobile phones." http://www.connectedinternet.co.uk/2007/09/23/mobile-phone-charger-one-is-enough/.

http://www.onlinereview.org.uk/blog/blog-2007-09-24-1337.htm says "The Manufacturers that will be using the new micro USB are companies like LG, Nokia and Samsung. Mobile operators such as Vodafone, Orange, 3 and T mobile have also joined declared a consensus [sic] as well. Apple and Sony Ericsson however will not be changing their charging system."

Dimmable energy saving light bulbs. Good Energy Shop

http://www.goodenergyshop.co.uk/details.asp?id=39

Energy saving light bulbs with fixed dimming levels achieved by turning a standard light switch on and off in a particular way ("switch dimmable") have been around for some time, and there are some available here, but this is the first place I've seen ones compatible with a normal dimmer switch.

The Good Energy (on line) shop is worth a look around though at the moment quite a bit of it is "coming soon".