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Hitachi Readies Fuel Cell for PDAs
Anuj Jain writes "The Register is reporting that Hitachi and Japanese cigarette lighter maker Tokai will ship a direct methanol fuel cell system for PDAs in 2005. The prototype has already been built. The two companies believe they can develop the prototype into a device the size of a AA battery. Hitachi first demonstrated its fuel cell system back in March. NEC is also known to be working on a similar system of its own, as is Toshiba. Unlike Hitachi, they are targeting the notebook computer market. In October, Toshiba showed off a PDA-sized version of its fuel system that can recharge a mobile phone. Another article here. Light on details, but cool photo in the Reg article!"
Ethanol stores more chemical energy, is easier to make, easier to come by in a pinch (cheap vodka anyone?), and is much less toxic than methanol. Why the hell aren't they using ethanol?
sufficient fuel to power a handheld device for six to eight hours.
That's meaningless! Give me some hard data! What's the voltage, the peak and average current ratings, the amp-hours? Can it blink a handheld LED for 6 hours, or run a 400Mhz ARM core with a backlit color display for 6 hours? Is the power density higher than an LiIon battery of the same size? How much does it cost? Can it be refilled in place without turning off the device?
Seems to me that if this was actually signifigant progress, they'd be telling us all this.
Even if the amount methanol in these AA size cells poses no risk, I still think manufactures should consider changing the changing the name of the devices to something other than "fuel cell"; If, for no other reason, than to quell the paranoia of the litigation prone public and the sensationalist press.
It's a sad state of affairs, but PR and marketing can make all the difference to the acceptance of a nascent technologh.
To what should they change it?
Booze Battery?
Vodka Wattsa?
Gin-erator (or En-Gin)?
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