Toshiba Corp. prototyped a portable media player incorporating a direct methanol fuel cell. This half-sized media player was exhibited at CEATEC Japan 2007 as a reference presentation.
Unlike other similar players, in this player the company has integrated the player and fuel cell blocks together. According to a company official this prototype came close to becoming an actual product.
Methanol is the only fuel which is used in the cells. The player has an indicator that enables users to check the remaining amount of methanol fuel. Users can fill the fuel tank from the side face of the console.
Fuel cells are not like regular batteries. Fuel cells consume reactant, which must be replenished, while batteries store electrical energy chemically in a closed system. Electrodes within a battery react and change as a battery is charged or discharged, but, a fuel cell’s electrodes are catalytic and so quite stable.
This player from Toshiba Corp. has a built-in 1seg tuner and allows continuous 1seg playback for approximately 10 hours.
If you like the player and would like to have one for yourself, then wait till 2008, when the company plans to launch the product.
