Tech support service seeks to green-optimize your PC

How can you run your PC in the most green-efficient way possible?

Tech support company iYogi (based in Gurgaon, India, with offices in New York) this week is introducing a service called Green PC that optimizes the energy usage of desktops and notebooks.

iYogi President Vishal Dhar said the service does three main things: assesses your system to analyze the settings and current energy usage; advises you on how to tweak the settings based on your typical usage patterns (remote vs. connected, all day vs. just occasional evenings); and then applies the settings.

If you’re already an iYogi support customer, the service is free. If you don’t use its support services, Green PC will cost you $9.99 as a standalone service. (iYogi’s annual support subscription is $99.99.)

Dhar said iYogi has also set up a Green PC site with information to help consumers at all stages of the green tech purchasing process. The Before-You-Buy section outlines some stats, such as the fact that a laptop typically uses five times less power than a desktop, or that video cards can use up to 100 watts when they’re being called upon for one of the most advanced gee-whiz 3-D graphics games. Once-You-Own provides tips about how to optimize your settings, and Ready-To-Dispose includes information (gleaned from vendors where possible) about how to recycle or otherwise get rid of your old PC. (Although if you read the Green PC blog on the site, you’ll find out why one green computing expert thinks recycling is the stupidest way to dispose of your old PC.)