Beyond batteries: Long-lasting fuel cells are the future of mobile power

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FS Owner
Whether you're talking on a cell phone, listening to tunes on a media player or typing on a notebook, it's a good bet that the device's battery won't last as long as you'd like. However, that will change over the next few years, as fuel cells designed to power mobile gear start to become common.

In particular, direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) will deliver as much as 10 hours of power using a thimbleful of methanol -- that's two to three times the life of current laptop batteries. Better still, when a fuel cell runs out of power, you don't have to find an AC outlet and wait for a battery to recharge. Rather than taking the plug-and-wait approach, you'll either refill the tank from a larger canister or simply insert a new, full reservoir. You can run your mobile gear as long as you have methanol to satisfy the fuel cell's thirst.

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View Full Article: Computerworld
 
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