Toshiba To Show Laptop Fuel Cells at CeBit

war3rd writes "According to The Register, Toshiba has finally been able to build a fuel cell for laptops that they will unveil at CeBit next week. The fuel cells are expected to last approximately 5 hours and are compatible with existing lithium-ion batteries. Form factor remains the only issue. The trick is that they use the water by-product from the cell to dilute the methanol source as it enters the reformer, and are therefore able to store higher concentrations of methanol in the cell. My only concern is how quickly can they get this to market?"

Comments

SHOULD be ethanol

[nweaver]

If you want a fuel cell to be practically usable, you should make it run on 40% Ethanol, 60% water. That way, there is a commonly available fuel (Vodka) which can be easily purchased most everywhere in the US (outside Mormonstan at least).

If you can make the fuel cell deal with more impurities, you could also use Whiskey or Tequila or similar distilled spirits.

Re:SHOULD be ethanol

[SlightlyMadman]

Oh god, I'd never manage to refuel the thing to capacity!

"... And one fur the doktuuur ..."

On second thought, a laptop battery would be much more covert than a flask, for sneaking liquor into a club.

Re:SHOULD be ethanol

[Cruciform]

In Canada, 80% to 90% of the cost of a bottle of hooch is taxes. Vodka power would be bloody expensive. Then again, if you power the user with vodka as well, they're less likely to complain :)

Re:SHOULD be ethanol

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

I'm sorry sir, you must be 21 with 3 IDs to purchase fuel for your laptop.

Re:SHOULD be ethanol

[Kenja]

A two liter bottle of cheap vodka, some porno and three AOL cds. I don't know what you had in mind for tonight, but leave me out of it.

Re:SHOULD be ethanol

[DarklordJonnyDigital]

Warning: Do NOT drink your laptop.

I guess this is what they mean when they say alcohol is a Gateway drug...

New LAW the CUI

[nlinecomputers]

Coding under the influence.

Honest officer I was just fueling my laptop.

Re:More details?

[DuckDuckBOOM!]

Can you hook up a fuel tank and run it as long as the tank is kept full?

[snort] I just got a visual of some ubergeek with one of those stupid hats made to hold dual beer cans, two bottles of methanol in place, tubes running down to his laptop...

..actually, one can of methanol and one of beer wouldn't be bad. As long as you remember which tube is which.

Re:but how long will they last?

[cribb]

It's amazing that the poster of this story can't even read the article

you're new here, aren't you?

Re:Well, there goes the neighborhood

[Sgs-Cruz]

I've said it before, I'll say it again. No American (I don't mean the company, I mean the nation) airliner will ever be hijacked again (well, not EVER, but as long as living memories of 9/11 exist.) If a terrorist with a freaking AK-47 opened up on a plane, half the plane would still rush at him. And they'd probably win - it's hard to take down that many people with any kind of weapon, when those people have nothing to lose.

Let's get this back on topic. Realistically, can you really hijack a plane using a laptop fuel cell? "Everybody down, or I'm gonna bust this cell open, let the methanol evaporate for 20 minutes, and then light it, making a 'pop' noise that may be quite loud!". I think not. Of course, that's not to say that overzealous security standards won't let them on anyway, but I don't think they're a realistic threat to airline safety.