Fuel cells for small electronic devices

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

The article in question

Toshiba introduces fuel cell prototypes for audio players
Press release; Jessie Shen, DigiTimes.com [Friday 16 September 2005]

Toshiba today announced that it has developed two prototypes of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units for mobile audio players. One features an output power of 100mW for flash memory-based digital audio players and the other offers 300mW for hard disk drive (HDD)-based digital audio players.

The 100mW unit, 23x75x10mm in size, can power flash-based players for approximately 35 hours on a single 3.5ml charge of concentrated methanol, claims Toshiba. The 300mW unit is 60x75x10mm in size and delivers sufficient power to keep an HDD-based audio player running for approximately 60 hours on a single 10ml charge, said the company.

Toshiba's DMFC features a passive fuel supply system that is suited to smaller fuel cells and use with a concentrated methanol solution. Fuel cells usually mix methanol with water in a concentration of less than 30%, a dilution that supports generating efficiency but requires a fuel tank that is too big for portable equipment. Through durability and reliability tests with the new units, Toshiba will accelerate technology enhancements to support integration of DMFC into commercial products, which are expected to hit the market after 2007.

I don't know whether this will catch on, but it's a really cool idea. I get the impression that consumers are getting fed up with short battery life as handheld devices become more complex.

[The Grim Squeaker]

The problem with hydrogen is:
A) Recharging (hydrogen is not very available now)
B) Setting up a hydrogen economy, (Chicken and egg)

3) Apparently the cell makes some heavy players.

[AMX]

The problem with hydrogen is:...

Did you even read the article?
DMFCs use methanol (CH3OH), not hydrogen (H2).