oEFA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency	
Air and Radiation
6202J
EPA 430-N-94-010j
August 1994
Energy Star Computer Program
EPA POLLUTION PREVENTER
Star Bytes
Making Energy Star
More User-Friendly



Star Bytes is a monthly
newsletter from the EPA
Energy Star Computer
Program to communicate
ideas and developments
affecting Energy Star
computer partners and allies
and their products. We
welcome your comments.
Energy Star Current
Energy Star Partners Update
Computer and Monitor
Category: 327
Printer Category: 44
Allies: 129
Controlling Devices: 19
Energy Star Product Update
Ktore than 2,000 Energy Star
products are listed on the EPA
database of compliant
products.
As the number of Energy Star products
entering the market continues to
increase. EPA has experienced a steady
rise in the number of hotline calls
from consumers. This article shares
many of the comments and questions
we receive about power management
to provide you with feedback from
users and their reactions to different
Energy Star designs.
More and more computer users are
aware of the energy-saving
capabilities provided by their new
Energy Star PCs. However, we
receive numerous calls from users
who become frustrated trying to
activate the power management
settings. Although manufacturers
easily comprehend the CMOS
setup screen in the BIOS, it is not
something that most computer
users ever access. In fact, most
users we speak with on the phone
do not even know what a BIOS is.
One way manufacturers can help
make things easier for users is to
ship systems with the power
management features already
enabled. (EPA suggests default
times for the PC of 10 to 30
minutes.) Enabling power manage-
ment before shipping eliminates
this step as another setup task for
users, and it will also help to
increase the number of buyers who
use the feature.
Some users may also want to
adjust the preset times for systems
that arrive with the power man-
agement feature already activated.
It is helpful for these consumers to
have an easy mechanism for
changing the settings. Many
manufacturers have implemented a
Windows-based power manage-
ment ICON that the user can click
on to access the power manage-
ment menu. (It is now possible to
link Windows-based icons to the
BIOS setup menu—ask your BIOS
vendor.) Based on the systems we
have seen, this option makes it
much easier for the typical
consumer to manipulate the power
management feature.
EPA has created an Energy Star*1
logo in ICON form and has
prepared a pop-up screen that
explains the Energy Star Program.
Partners can install this on their
DOS/Windows systems to help
educate users about the program.
IDEA: The icon and associated pop-up
screen can be preinstalled into the
Windows "Start-Up" group so that
users will learn about the power
management feature the first time
they turn on their new PCs.
For your copy of the ICON on disk,
call the hotline at 202 233-9114.

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Volunteers Needed
Several electric utilities and
research organizations, acting as a
consortium, are interested in
preparing case studies on possible
savings from Energy Star equip-
ment. We're looking for organiza-
tions that have just purchased 10
to 20 Energy Star PCs. If you know
of potential candidates, please call
us at 202 233-9114.
Debuting In Magazines
This Summer...
EPA is launching a campaign to
increase logo recognition and
consumer demand for Energy Star
products. Watch for the EPA
Energy Star advertisements
appearing in computer trade
magazines and business publica-
tions this summer and fall.
Just the Fax
Energy Star Fax Line
(Call our automated fax-back system
24 hours a day to fax yourself updates
on current Energy Star partners,
qualified products, and other program
info): 202 233-9659
Hotline for any questions:
202 233-9114
Fax: 202 233-9578
continued from p. 1
Related Notes:
•	If your power management
function is dependent on a
proprietary software utility, this
utility should be shipped with
your Energy Star systems
(preferably already installed in
thePQ.
•	While the "sleep" mode must
occur automatically, we have
noticed that some creative
companies also have imple-
mented a hot-key or special
button that instantly initiates the
sleep mode. This is a nice extra
option for users since, in
addition to waiting for the
regular sleep mode to begin,
they also can push the key or
button to immediately activate
sleep mode when they leave
their desks for meetings.
Information is the Key
Some Energy Star Partners are
finding that educating their users
about power management features
can eliminate many phone calls to
technical support lines from users
with simple questions. Adding
information to owners manuals or
including fliers in the packaging
helps users realize the energy-
saving capabilities of their ma-
chines.
If you have suggestions or innova-
tive practices that have enhanced
the user-friendliness of Energy Star
equipment, please let us know and
we'll share them with other
partners.
Show the Logo
As EPA's Energy Star ad campaign
gears up through the summer, we
urge partners to use the Energy
Star5*4 logo on their own advertise-
ments and promotional materials.
Using the logo will help consumers
interested in purchasing efficient
equipment easily identify Energy
Star products.
Remember to include the dis-
claimer—whenever the logo is
used. If you have questions about
the proper application of the logo,
please refer to the Logo Usage
Guidelines (call the hotline for a
copy), or fax a draft of your ad to
us at 202 233-9578.
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