Hydrogen fuel cell-powered MOTOSLVR L7 prototype gets pictured

Right around a month ago, we heard that Angstrom Power had managed to stuff some of its sophisticated hydrogen fuel cells into a MOTOSLVR L7. That prototype, friends, is what you see about. Unfortunately, we're no closer to realizing when this stuff will actually escape the proverbial beta stage, and for whatever it's worth, we're also no closer to feeling absolutely safe with one of these next to our melon (though existing alternatives don't have the greatest track record either).

[toppgun @ Feb 16th 2008 2:02PM]

I want one

[Rik @ Feb 17th 2008 1:03PM]

Me too! I got an N95 but I want one just because it's fuel cell powered!

[cmonkey @ Feb 16th 2008 2:10PM]

Um, you do realise the exploding cell phone story out of Korea was false, right? The man was actually killed by getting run into with a forklift, though the phone did explode.

The Ghana story was also a hoax, http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp

The story from China I can't find a definitive answer on, but judging by the fact that the guy was welding at the time, I imagine there were some external factors involved.

Way to spread the FUD, Engadget.

[cmonkey @ Feb 16th 2008 2:15PM]

Also, I thought it might be useful to add that these fuel cell cell phones are methanol powered.

Methanol, while flammable, is also far more stable than a lithium ion battery.

[Joners @ Feb 17th 2008 6:08PM]

Erm... What about the story from the UK.

The one that was reported on the Daily Source Code, Adam Currys podcast...

Where the phone blew up and set fire to the carpet. And possibly was in part responsible for Nokia recalling all those batteries last year.

Oh and that guys whos ipod nano popped in his pocket whilst he was working in an airport.

Just thought that i would mention it.

[Raheem @ Feb 16th 2008 2:12PM]

What does this mean for battery life?

[Jagannath A @ Feb 16th 2008 11:05PM]

it would be counted in days and weeks instead of hours

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Feb 16th 2008 2:13PM]

These stories are all hoaxes. C'mon guys. Don't spread nonsense.

[Nick @ Feb 16th 2008 2:25PM]

hydrogen fuel cells are perfectly safe, its too bad thats its a common misconception because people relate hydrogen with "exploding" and the Hindenburg. If it wasn't safe, there wouldn't be the large push for the technology in so many fields including the automotive industry.

[bob @ Feb 17th 2008 3:04AM]

Nazi science sneers in the face of hydrogen.

[Alexander @ Feb 17th 2008 3:49PM]

Not only that, if the FAA says Fuel Cells are safe to use on airplanes--they must be really safe.

Too bad you still can't use your phone on the plane. HA!

[Chris @ Feb 16th 2008 2:51PM]

If they're going to use all their time and money making a hydrogen phone, why make a crappy old SLVR?

[martin @ Feb 16th 2008 3:25PM]

to be fair the slvr is a piece of shit.

[telepheedian @ Feb 16th 2008 4:08PM]

They probably picked the SLVR because it's a thin phone, it could also be that Motorola helped out here, it looks good on their image when someone makes a hydrogen fuel cell powered version of one of their phones.

[BigD145 @ Feb 16th 2008 3:29PM]

Stop prototyping. We know the tech already works, so start producing and selling.

[Brandon @ Feb 16th 2008 3:43PM]

Does it blend?

[telepheedian @ Feb 16th 2008 4:08PM]

Old joke, scary imagery.

[Reader @ Feb 17th 2008 2:46AM]

Holy crap, someone successfully pulled off a "will it blend" joke. You win Engadget, Brandon.

[Taylor @ Feb 16th 2008 4:35PM]

Man, these would be perfect for rural Africa. Everyone's always fighting over the few available plugs in town. PLEASE SOMEONE COME OUT WITH A CELL PHONE WITH AN INTEGRATED SOLAR PANEL!!!!!

[Alexander @ Feb 17th 2008 3:54PM]

Umm... Roll your own? It's not like solar panels are expensive anymore.

http://www.siliconsolar.com/Build-Your-Own-Solar-Panel-Kits-p-16188.html

You would be fine with the 5w panel for a cell phone. You would get the bigger ones, and charge up a bank of 12v batteries so that you could run an inverter off of it.

For well under $500, you can have an entire village run off of solar power.

[Taylor @ Feb 17th 2008 8:25PM]

@ Alexander

It would be nice if it were as easy as you make it sound.

I carry lots of portable solar power everywhere I go for all my AV/communications gear. But I can't get solar power into every village in Africa. But I can encourage those making solar cell phones and point out the financial benefits to an entire continent of marketing potential who are rarely considered.

[(01) @ Feb 16th 2008 6:58PM]

So what happens when the battery on one of these explodes? Just saying... :-)

[Alexander @ Feb 17th 2008 3:54PM]

There is no battery. Well, a tiny one. But mostly it's a FuelCell (FC) and that is what makes most of the power.

[Andrew Hillman @ Feb 16th 2008 9:55PM]

Cool IDEA!

[bob @ Feb 17th 2008 3:08AM]

Hmm....ThinkPad version?

And to appease the fanboy gods, I suppose the MBA could use with some extra battery life...

[Killer @ Feb 17th 2008 9:15AM]

@Nick

"a common misconception because people relate hydrogen with "exploding" and the Hindenburg."

You're right Nick, people need to realized that the Hindenberg went up into a blaze not because of Hydrogen, but because of an engineering flaw. The paint and material used to make the ballon that housed the hydrogen was extremely flamable. Most of the fire were those materials and most of the Hydrogen (being lighter than air), escaped the ballon without combusting.

Hydrogen is one of the safest fuel, as long as you don't put it in a bomb cylinder and add a little plutonium. You'll be fine.

[Killer @ Feb 17th 2008 9:26AM]

@Nick

"a common misconception because people relate hydrogen with "exploding" and the Hindenburg."

You're right Nick. People need to realize that the Hindenberg disaster, was not caused by Hydrogen at all. It was caused by a fatal engineering flaw. The entire shell that housed the Hydrogen, was made of combustible materials and paints. When the materials caught fire it engulfed the entire shell. In fact most of the hydrogen didn't even combust because of Hydrogen being lighter than air, it escaped the shell without burning.

Hydrogen is one of the safest fuels. As long as you don't put it in a bomb cylinder and add Plutonium. You'll be fine.

[Frankenstein Black @ Feb 17th 2008 1:38PM]

NO MOTO! Fuel cell power is cool but you must INNOVATE! And lead like you did with the DPC 500 (original flip phone circa early 90s). What happened to you? You're slipping now and its not a good look. Need a shot in the arm or a kick in the creativity ass?

Ok here goes: Touch screens are all the rage now and understandingly UNLIKE all the others, you don't want to follow in n00bish footsteps (i.e. Apple's). So Barcelona is over and we have seen it all (almost). The Elephant in the room is casting a large shadow and know one sees it. What is this I speak of? SMALL DEVICES, BIG SCREEN! Ask me about my prototype of this device (http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/efc_device.jpg) and the associated patent pendings. So stop trolling for phone devision buying partners and NOW LETS GET GOING!!!

[Badonkadonk @ Feb 18th 2008 11:55AM]

People here realize that Angstrom is not part of Moto, right? They're separate companies? Angstrom was showing off FC-based Palm 650's too down at CES. Likely they (Angstrom) chose the SLVR because it was the slimmest candybar phone at the time they started development. No doubt they're working on variants for the Pearl or BJ2 or some other such thin phone for more demos.

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