http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/ Engadget Comments for Toshiba crams a fuel cell into PMP concept http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 3rd 2007 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
Seriously I'll stick with batteries thank you.]]>Oct 3rd 2007 5:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 3rd 2007 10:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 3rd 2007 10:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
Really? I heard it was going to be called "Portapuddle" (tm).]]>Oct 3rd 2007 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 3rd 2007 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
Have you ever seen a DMFC in operation? The amount of water that gets evaporated is incredibly small. This won't cause "sweat hands" or puddles. In fact, in most DMFC designs, the majority of the water is actually recirculated to keep the membrane hydrated, which is an essential aspect of the operation and longevity of the fuel cell.

And kjb434,
No, DMFCs can only run on methanol. Currently, they're the only type of fuel cell being investigated for handhelds. Other fuel cells (SOFC, MCFC) can run on a variety of fuels, but these are large, stationary units for power plants and the like. Besides, the fuels being looked at there are usually natural gas and reformates, not gasoline.]]>Oct 3rd 2007 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oh Andrew, do we really have to resort to putting /sarcasm at the end of our posts?


*jumps up and down waving flags with the words "incoming joke" written on them*]]>Oct 4th 2007 12:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 4th 2007 11:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
Form the description given, it sounds like you have to go out and buy more methanol every 10 hours. How is this efficient of convenient? Honestly, I would rather this thing run on AAs, because they are much cheaper and easier to find than a canister of methanol. In addition, like someone else said, you don't have to worry about the bomb sniffing dogs in airports barking treed on your PMP if you're toting batteries, but last I checked, methanol was a flammable liquid, not too cool since airports are so paranoid they are trying to limit mothers carrying bottles of *baby formula* onboard.

This seems like technology for technology's sake, which isn't so bad on it's own, but is simply not as practical as say, a rechargeable or replaceable battery.

Nice try Toshiba, but I'm just not feeling it.]]>Oct 3rd 2007 1:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
As for your other concern... the idea is certainly not that you would have to "fend for yourself" to find methanol. Any company developing the fuel cells and not developing the logistics for distributing the fuel isn't seeing the whole picture. It's just like the hydrogen fuel cell cars being developed. Noone's saying that the current fuel supply is the way things will remain. Someone will establish the methanol distribution. Now, as for 10 hours per methanol canister, that's not really the vision either. The unit itself may only hold enough methanol for 10 hours of playback, but there's nothing saying that your canister will only hold 10 hours of fuel. Fuel cells have that advantage over batteries- the size of the fuel compartment doesn't limit you as long as you continually supply fresh fuel.

Also, as for the number 10 hours itself, remember that fuel cells are still a developing technology that haven't made it very far beyond the prototype stage. There is still a lot of development and improvement to be made. By the time these are largely commercial, that number should jump up a bit.]]>Oct 3rd 2007 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/Oct 3rd 2007 3:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/toshiba-crams-a-fuel-cell-into-pmp-concept/
P.S - you thought sony batteries blowing up were bad, just wait till you see these things in action.]]>Oct 3rd 2007 6:55PM