03-23-2004, 07:00 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
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Hitachi Fuel Cell PDA
Hitachi has announced plans to ship a Fuel Cell powered PDA sometime next year. Unfortunately, shipping may be rather expensive if the device is anything like the prototype shown above. One word that springs immediately to mind is "gargantuan", followed closely by "huge", and perhaps "hernia".
According to Hitachi, the beast can last for about 5 hours with the current fuel cell.
What do you think? Would you buy something larger than today's Pocket PCs if you could get it with a fuel cell?
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03-23-2004, 07:02 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 634
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5 hours is all you get for having to carry around that beast? No way. I'll take a spare battery with me and get the same 5 hours on my iPAQ.
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03-23-2004, 07:02 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 63
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Not me... A key factor is the whole portability bit. Why have a Pocket PC that doesn't fit in your pocket?
__________________
um, Moo
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03-23-2004, 07:13 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 400
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Wasn't the whole concept of the Fuel Cell so we could have more power in the same size package? What size battery could you fit into a beast that large and how long would it last?!?
:roll:
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03-23-2004, 07:25 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
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Well, here's a couple things I don't get...
a) Generally, the FAA frowns on highly combustable materials being brought onto a plane...unless Hitachi's figured how to make methanol safe.
I can already hear the arguement at the ticket counter...oh, don't worry, sure its methanol in a small easy carry, almost bomb like, form...its for my PDA!
b) Get my new fancy Hitachi PDA from UPS pop in the fuel cell...woohoo! instant power....5 hours later....oh crap...just used it all up...guess I'll have to put aside for a week while I order a case of these things so I'm never lacking power.
Its not like I can go to Target and pick one up you know...because each manufacturer will make their own fuel cell design so we have to buy their's.
I'll admit I haven't been following the fuel cell in PDA advances as of late...but they're trying to move us from a rechargeable battery to a 1 time use fuel cell right? That in and of itself makes the fuel cell wrong for PDA's. Swappable batteries are a much better solution. IMHO
(Or are their going to be standard Fuel cell sizes, like batteries AA, AAA, C, D, etc.)
 opcorn: (wanted to use it before it was voted off)
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03-23-2004, 07:25 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 56
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Anything bigger than my 4150 is too big! That thing looks like a 50's TV.
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03-23-2004, 07:41 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 476
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I am also confused by the entire fuel cell concept...
A basic premise of chemistry is that combustion produces two main chemical byproducts - water (as a vapor) and carbon dioxide. This would seem to be an inherant weakness of fuel cells - at least to me.
Using a fuel cell powered PDA in a closed space - like a car - for an extended period you would risk oxygen deprevation or carbon dioxide poisoning - wouldn't you???
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03-23-2004, 07:43 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 974
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Does it come with the optional shoulder strap? :lol:
Good grief would you look at the size of that thing?
Ah - Nope would not increase the form factor (size) How about using it to power my car so I can get away from the high cost of gas?
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03-23-2004, 07:45 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 28
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Re: Hitachi Fuel Cell PDA
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pat Logsdon
One word that springs immediately to mind is "gargantuan", followed closely by "huge", and perhaps "hernia".
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Not to mention ugly.
Will this be for sale at Toys R Us? :?
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03-23-2004, 07:46 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 634
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Re: Hitachi Fuel Cell PDA
Quote:
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Originally Posted by SoAlive
Will this be for sale at Toys R Us? :?
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I think it will go straight to Overstock.com :wink:
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