Hitachi Fuel Cell PDA

[Pat Logsdon]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://handhelds.engadget.com/entry/1758766121032866/' target='_blank'>http://handhelds.engadget.com/entry...58766121032866/</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040322_fuelcellpda.jpg" /> <br /><br />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".<br /><br />According to Hitachi, the beast can last for about 5 hours with the current fuel cell. <br /><br />What do you think? Would you buy something larger than today's Pocket PCs if you could get it with a fuel cell?

[piperpilot]

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.

[MasterOfMoo]

Not me... A key factor is the whole portability bit. Why have a Pocket PC that doesn't fit in your pocket?

[Sslixtis]

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:

[dorelse]

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.)

:popcorn: (wanted to use it before it was voted off)

[Techtoys]

Anything bigger than my 4150 is too big! That thing looks like a 50's TV.

[Dave Potter]

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???

[possmann]

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?

[SoAlive]

One word that springs immediately to mind is "gargantuan", followed closely by "huge", and perhaps "hernia".

Not to mention ugly.

Will this be for sale at Toys R Us? :?

[piperpilot]

Will this be for sale at Toys R Us? :?

I think it will go straight to Overstock.com :wink:

[omikron.sk]

Oh my god! Is that a POCKET PC? And I don't think I want to take care about my PDA power more than just recharging it every day.

[CTSLICK]

"What do you think? Would you buy something larger than today's Pocket PCs if you could get it with a fuel cell?"

ummmmm...no. I'll compromise somethings but not size. And the payoff needs to be far better than battery power

[xakk]

Five hours out of that thing? Hell, I average about 6 out of my Axim, and it's a quarter of the size. That looks like it should be under the hood of a car somewhere!

-Xakk

[omikron.sk]

Will this be for sale at Toys R Us? :?

I think it will go straight to Overstock.com :wink:

On the overstock.com I've found 15 (!) Palm OS handhelds and only 1 Pocket PC. :D

I know this is not about topic, but it's a nice fact, isn't it?

[xendula]

What about the environment? How is that a step towards a cleaner future?!?

And show me the pocket this "pocket" pc fits in, please :roll:

[xendula]

How about using it to power my car so I can get away from the high cost of gas?
High what?! Please, we pay almost 6$ per gallon here! :frusty:

[thunderck]

Larger shirt pocket please... This thing better be bomb proof at that size...but we all know that is not the case. Not in that cute package. :roll:

[piperpilot]

To have a shirt pocket big enough to fit that bad boy in, you would have to be the Jolly Green Giant :wink:

[dmacburry2003]

I would rather have a fuel cell for my laptop than for my Pocket PC.

And as for the size 8O

[thunderck]

However I am glad to see someone taking the first step. I'm sure more apeal will follow. I do wonder how many first adoptors this unit will have. Could be the makings of a rather flat adoption curve.

[HTK]

With something this big I could almost carry my desktop with a car battery

[disconnected]

It looks like an early April Fool's Day joke.

Most PDAs seem to come with replaceable batteries now, and for long trips I have one of the Data-Nation powerpaks, which uses 4 AA batteries. It has the great advantage of not being permanently attached to the PDA, it can use rechargeable batteries for economy, or, in a pinch, you can just buy more AA batteries anywhere.

[quidproquo]

That might be a nice concept for a LAPTOP... but not a PDA. The size really kind of ruins the mobility factor.

And I don't think they will be able to call that a Pocket PC! Maybe they could call it a not-quite-as-big-as-a-desktop-PC... but certainly not a Pocket PC... :wink:

[ctmagnus]

According to Hitachi, the beast can last for about 5 hours with the current fuel cell.

wtf? I can get more than that with my standard battery. And it's microscopic compared to this thing.

[cmchavez]

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040322_fuelcellpda.jpg

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?

Two words: Heck No! :lol:

[T-Will]

Ooh ooh! I can't wait till we get fuel cell watches!

[Lynn]

What a concept! If I connect my hp 2215 to a car battery, I can leave it on ALL the time, and never miss another alarm. Its about the same size, and I can drop my health club membership, since I will get plenty of exercise carrying my Pocket PC.

[rugerx]

I have been looking for a new boat anchor. That will do nicely.

[gorkon280]

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.)

:popcorn: (wanted to use it before it was voted off)

Wish I could rememebr the article and where I saw it, but I think the FAA has already approved fuel cells.

[Aerestis]

To whoever mentioned: Water shouldn't be a big deal in fuel cells. For the size of the battery (And I know it seems huge) the amount of water isn't too significant. It's enough that if it escaped the unit, it could get your handheld wet a bit, but the units are designed to retain their byproducts I believe.

I'm not a genius when it comes to fuel cells, but I think it might be possible to make a... sort of refreshable cell unit instead of constantly replacing the unit. And keep in mind here that many people go two weeks without recharging, so the extra few hours is an extra week for them. We're just sort of weird and have too much time on our hands, which we spend draining our handhelds of batteries.

The fuel cell isn't a brilliant step forward for the environment. I'm not clear on why they are bothering yet, because the production of methanol as well as hydrogen happens through a process which isn't great for the environment. It's a good idea for laptops, because the amount of energy saved and time gained is significant. But here you have a device that is only lasting about thirty five percent longer. It should be at least fifty percent.

I hope that fuel cell technology improves, because it's a great idea. But currently our Lion units are very durable, last a long time as hardware, stand up to weird charging routines, so on, and provide power long enough between each charge.

So yeah, I don't think we're ready for it. I wouldn't get it unless it lasted longer, around eight hours maybe?

Sorry if I gave information that's wrong, I'm still in highschool and I'm not even taking chemistry or electro chemistry. But I think I am on the right track, because I spend a bit of time reading about 'green' energy.

[jizmo]

People hate the whole fuel cell concept to start with, the performance still lacks big time, there are environmental issues and after few years of development they come up with this .. portable device.

I really wouldn't like to be the project leader in this venture :roll:

I won't get started about the fuel cells again, but my slim laptop gives me four hours of poisonless worktime, and I'm pretty happy with it. Really.

/jizmo