One of the more intriguing launches is a product called Divide from Enterproid that aims to separate Android devices into two segments–one filled with information and business apps managed by an employer and the other half free to house a customer’s personal information. Initially Divide will run only on Android models, though Enterproid also wants to bring the product to Apple iOS and Windows Phone 7 devices.

“We’ve witnessed a sea change in mobile technology in recent years, and yet enterprise mobility has lagged behind, as companies have been forced to make difficult choices between the security and control of older mobile platforms and the power and functionality of newer platforms like Android and iOS,” Enterproid CEO Andrew Toy said in a statement.

The business side of a Divide device has IT-friendly features like security, access control and enterprise email, messaging and browsing, while the personal side is open, allowing full access to apps and browsing. Although users can switch between the two profiles with the touch of a button, no data is allowed to move from one side to the other, ensuring the business side can’t be compromised, Enterproid said.

Research In Motion said earlier this year that it plans to offer BlackBerry Balance, a similar feature, on upcoming BlackBerry devices.

Another company presenting at Demo, Guardly, is also looking at how mobile can help with security. However, in its case, the security in question is the physical safety of its owner. The app allows people to simultaneously contact both emergency services and neighbors or relatives at the touch of a button.

Toronto-based Guardly said it hopes to have an iOS version available in Apple’s App Store by next month, with BlackBerry and Android versions planned later.

“Guardly is the first mobile personal safety service to give subscribers access to two safety networks at the same time,” said Guardly CEO Josh Sookman said in a statement “Our vision is to complement the existing 9-1-1 infrastructure and ensure that Guardly users are reached as soon as possible by their personal safety network and authorities in the event of an emergency.”

Both a free and premium service will be offered, Guardly said.

Other mobile launches include an updated version of the News360 app with iPad support, more news sources and greater integration with social networks as well as Orange’s On VoiceFeed, an improved iPhone voice mail app that Mobilized wrote about on Sunday.

EcoATM took the stage earlier today to talk about its kiosk for buying back used electronics, such as cell phones. The company noted that 500 million electronic devices are sold in the U.S., with only a small percentage being recycled, resulting in three million tons of e-waste going to landfills each month.

The company’s kiosk (see photo above) can identify a device, check how well it is working, value the device and offer the cash to consumers. A working iPhone 4, for example, could generate as much as $300. Regardless of how much is paid, EcoATM also promises to wipe customer information from the device. CoinStar is among the company’s backers.

Update, 10:50 a.m. PT: Just moments ago on the Demo stage, Enterproid was awarded the $150,000 Qprize from Qualcomm, as evidenced by the very non-mobile payment below.

Greenpeace learned that Wednesday, when Apple chief Steve Jobs published an open letter addressing its indictment of Apple’s green practices. “Apple has been criticized by some environmental organizations for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products, and for not aggressively or properly recycling its old products,” Jobs wrote. “Upon investigating Apple’s current practices and progress toward these goals, I was surprised to learn that in many cases Apple is ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors in these areas. Whatever other improvements we need to make, it is certainly clear that we have failed to communicate the things that we are doing well.”

Indeed. Especially to Greenpeace, which didn’t even
bother to actually measure toxins in Apple’s products. According to the Statistical Assessment Service, Greenpeace used Apple’s labeling to determine which chemicals are present in its products and then used the precautionary principle for those chemicals’ toxicity to calculate its green score. “In other words,” explains STATS, “if a study has shown that a chemical causes some damage in rodents, the precautionary principle dictates that one must assume the chemical is a risk to humans, no matter what the quantity, or the likelihood of actual exposure, or the mode of action, or the weight of countervailing evidence. If we applied the precautionary principle to vegetables as Greenpeace does to computers, we’d have to ban tomatoes and lettuce, as the naturally occurring caffeic acid is a carcinogen in rodents at high quantities.”

Nice, eh? It get’s better. According to the EPA’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, Apple’s products are among the most environmentally friendly in the PC world. Which is not to say that the EPEAT is the best gauge of green standards, just that there exist data points that don’t support Greenpeace’s accusations against Apple. Anyway … green tech is obviously an important issue, and it’s wonderful to see Apple make a public commitment to environmental action like this–regardless of its inspiration.