MTI Micro and Korean manufacturer NeoSolar said on Thursday they will build prototype ultra-mobile PCs powered by fuel cells.
The two companies said they will develop digital devices that use MTI Micro's Mobion fuel cells, which use liquid methanol cartridges as a fuel.
Dr. James Y. Yu, president of NeoSolar, showing off his company's Wibrain ultra mobile PC and the Mobion chip.
(Credit: NeoSolar)The development could lead to external chargers, snap-on attachments or devices with the Mobion fuel cell embedded in them, the companies said.
Fuel cells are being developed for a wide range of applications, from back-up electricity in buildings and data centers to transportation.
Rather drawing on tanks of hydrogen to make electricity in a fuel cell, MTI Micro's Mobion uses methanol. The advantage is that it's a liquid fuel that can be easily transported and store, say backers. The byproduct of using the fuel is water and carbon dioxide, in relatively small amounts.
MTI has signed on a partners to develop GPS devices and digital cameras that use its fuel cells.
Other consumer electronics manufacturers, including Sharp, are also developing direct methanol to fuel cell chargers.
Nokia N800 Internet tablet
(Credit: CNET Networks)Can't live without ultramobile access, great speed and free phone calls? Here's a great price and the answer to all your compulsions.
Listed elsewhere at almost $400, the does-it-all teeny Nokia N800 Internet tablet is offered at Buy.com at a reduced price. (With that Google checkout thing, it's even less.) Skype, surf, schedule and send e-mail. This lustworthy gizmo does everything but pick up the groceries. Oh wait, if you text your list to a grocery delivery service to get them to bring the food to your house, then yeah, it does that too. And it's not that much bigger than a deck of cards. Did I mention the pop-out Webcam?
So while you're avoiding the iPod Touch bandwagon, livecasting, chatting internationally for free, or whatever, heed CNET Reviews' Bonnie Cha and enjoy the N800's "integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for accessing the Web on the go...outstanding browser...sleeker design, gorgeous screen...VoIP support, instant messaging, RSS news reader, media player and dual expansion slots."
What: Nokia N800 Internet Tablet
How much: $239.99
Shipping: Free
Where: Buy.com (via LogicBuy)
When: Through unknown date
Click here for CNET's product review.
Some of us at Crave have never been huge fans of the so-called ultramobile PC (UMPC), but maybe that's because we have an aversion to gadgets with acronyms that sound like universities. Plus, there just seem to be so many reasons not to want them. But a new offering from Korean computer maker Raon claims to have dispensed with one of those black marks: battery power.
(Credit:
Raon)
It's been christened the "Everun" because its batteries can last from 7 to 12 hours, according to the company, depending on whether it's running a standard or enhanced pack. And no, it doesn't weigh 20 pounds either--in keeping within generally accepted UMPC heft and dimensions, it tips the scales at 1.01 to 1.10 pounds while measuring 6.7 by 3.3 inches and less than 1 inch thick. Other specs include a 4.8-inch widescreen, an AMD LX900 600MHz processor and a 60GB hard drive.
Battery claims are notorious for being hyped, of course, so Raon's marketing literature must be viewed with the requisite skepticism. But no matter what, the company promises to keep a lid on the Everun's prices, estimating that they'll fall "in the $600-$900 range." We still don't quite see where the UMPC fits in the evolutionary scale, but if prices keep coming down, it may be able to stave off extinction for a lot longer than we thought.
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