Smart Strips Going Mainstream

Last month I wrote about the Smart Strip and my experience with it. The problem is, the product is not offered by a mainstream manufacturer and therefore doesn't have the visibility to take off. Well, now Belkin is offering up its own version. However, unlike the Smart Strip, the Belkin Conserve ($50 MSRP) doesn't automatically shut off power to unused devices--it requires that you flip a switch (or use a supplied remote control) to turn off power to selected devices. So for my money I still like the SmartStrip. Still, having Belkin in the game means broader adoption of this power-saving technology over the long haul. Don't believe me? Wired featured it in this month's printed issue (sorry, couldn't find the article online) and it won an award at CES 2008. The Conserve won't be available for purchase in the US until this summer.