Toshiba readying laptop fuel cell for 2008

The Associated Press reports that a methanol fuel cell for laptop computers that Toshiba Corp. has been showing off at conventions for years is being targeted for sale in Japan sometime in 2008, quoting a researcher in charge of the project.

The cell, which would add a substantial 5.5 pounds to the laptop's weight, would need to have its methanol replaced with a cartridge, each of which adds about 7 hours of battery life, said researcher Tomoaki Arimura of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.

Methanol inside the cartridge would react with oxygen and a platinum plate to create electricity. The computer would then vents carbon dioxide and water in the form of humid air.

No price has been set on the fuel cell unit, which could come as an attachment or part of a laptop.

Another methanol fuel cell under development could power such things as Toshiba's gigabeat media player and wireless headphones, Arimura said. Both those versions would apparently require a user to pour in methanol manually.

The cell appears roughly on par with one shown recently by Samsung, but larger and heavier than one being worked on by Neah Power Systems (see Real laptop fuel cell power breakthrough?)