Apps are only a few years old, but have taken the mobile phone and tablet worlds by storm. They are not only fun, cheap, and useful, but they're also a green technology. They allow much lighter IT equipment to use the Internet, accomplish work, and entertain us.

What Are Apps, Anyway?

Apps are software widgets that you usually download onto a phone or PC. They are add-ons that extend the functionality of your mobile phone, tablet computer, or PC beyond its basic repertoire. They often use the Internet in some way but eliminate having to use a web browser. Most apps are games and entertainment, social networking tools (like Twitter), informational feeds for a specific topic area or a specific news source, or business and productivity tools like email that fits your particular devices' screen.

Apple's App Store, was the original and is now the largest app store. It has well over 400,000 apps to choose from. Android Market, Google's app store, is second with something over a quarter million apps. Microsoft also has an apps Marketplace, where users of Windows Phones and PCs can get their favorite apps, though with a smaller number of apps currently available. There are rumors that Microsoft will release Windows 8 along with a full app store with greater use across the board for desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone users, but so far, it's just speculation.

Why Apps Are Green

Apps are green in much the same way as cloud computing is regarded as green. Apps rely on Internet infrastructure a good deal and can use lighter IT infrastructure to accomplish the same work. Because they're mainly used on mobile phones, they help save electricity because mobile phones use far less electricity to access the Internet than PCs.

According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the average cell phone draws 3.68 watts of electricity per hour while charging its battery. Laptops use 15 to 30 watts of electricity per hour when plugged in and in use, and approximately 50 watts per hour when they are charging. Desktop computers and monitors use on average five times more electricity than laptops. That's a huge energy savings when people can use a more streamlined device, like a cell phone, to access services, perform office functions, and work on-the-go.

Green though they may be, they don't seem to help that much with information overload. I'm searching for a good way to keep track of all the apps proliferating on my different devices. Anyone have any suggestions? Or is there a great app for that?

Also, read more about some of the cool green apps out on the market, to help you and your organization be more Earth-friendly.

Photo: Jorge Quinteros