While “green” technology has often been used as much as a marketing catchphrase as a legitimate way to save the planet, it’s undoubtedly an increasingly vital part of the focus on consumer electronics in the future.

With the number of products being made every year, and the degree to which so many are considered “disposable,” the sooner products can be both more energy-efficient and made of safer, recycled materials, the better.

That’s why, right off the bat, we’re happy about the Sony Vaio Eco VPC-W212AX. While it’s largely the same Vaio W Netbook we have reviewed previously (more on that in a bit), the Eco’s opalescent chassis is made of 20 per cent recycled CD and DVD cases, while the carrying case it comes with is made with recycled soda bottles containing PET plastic. The paper instruction book has been digitised, leaving only a small quick-start pamphlet tucked into the attractive and useful case.

Even better, the Vaio Eco VPC-W212AX doesn’t even come packaged in a box: it comes inside the shrink-wrapped laptop case itself, which is a somewhat brilliant decision. Doing away with box packaging and offering a free case in one fell swoop is a move we’d love to see
manufacturers of all portable gadgets adopt. And, to Sony’s credit, the Eco Series Vaio W isn’t any more expensive than its existing W line, and looks awfully attractive with its nearly iridescent finish. From an ecological standpoint, the W Eco Series is a thumbs-up.

From a Netbook standpoint, the Vaio W is still an expensive Atom ultraportable. Starting at $480, the Vaio Eco VPC-W212AX does come with a new Atom N450 processor and a 250GB hard drive, but so do many new Netbooks, and often at cheaper prices, although this Eco Series edition with its increased specs does come in at $20 less than the original Vaio W we reviewed. This Vaio W does have a higher-res 10.1-inch screen than many other competitors, but you’ll have to decide for yourself whether a premium-priced Netbook is for you, ecological considerations notwithstanding. Regardless, this is a direction we’d like to see all laptops take in the future.