Mobile/PDA About Us Advertise here


		User name	Password

		Not registered yet? Register here. Lost your password? Click here.

Browse by topic

News

Nokia drops fuel cell plans - for now

4 March 2005 9:28 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 8 comments

Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia has said it has dropped plans to develop mobile phones with fuel cells at least for a few years. The company has said the sector is not yet mature. Nokia's Matti Naskali said the firm had not abandoned the technology, saying: "Fuel-cell technology is promising and Nokia continues to follow it closely." A fuel cell is refilled like a lighter, instead of re-charged and would deliver more standby time increased power for resource hogging applications such as video.

Tero Ojanpera, head of Nokia's research centre, demonstrated a Nokia mobile phone running on methanol in 2004. The fuel cell combined the methanol with air to produce power. The prediction then was that it would take only about two years to see fuel cells in mobile phones. Although now several issues with the technology has dented the firms hopes. Methanol is in fact flammable so current air transportation rules prohibit its carrying on an aircraft without special packaging.

Motorola, Toshiba, Fujitsu, NEC and Hitachi are also researching fuel cells for mobile phones and some portable computers. Most people would laugh at this idea before thinking about the possible benefits of it. Imagine a Nokia phone with a battery and fuel cell. You can recharge the battery at home but what if you are somewhere where you can't recharge? Simply "re-fill" your phone and you are back up to full power again.

Source:
BBC News

Permalink to this article

Nokia and Motorola see growing profits (21 April 2005)

Nokia's Visual Radio headed for United States (19 April 2005)

Nokia and Microsoft to join forces in digital music (14 February 2005)

Shipments of mobile phones up 38% in Q4 (28 January 2005)

P2P filesharing on mobile phones? (16 September 2004)

« Previous news article
UK Internet pirates settle out of court with BPI

Next news article »
Last chance to get DivxToDVD for free!

Post your comment

Discuss this article!
squizzle (AfterDawn Addict) 4 March 2005 11:12
I don't really enjoy the idea of a flammable device being pressed up against my head. I already get yelled at for talking on my phone at a gas pump because "it has static charge built up and could explode." Imagine having a methanol container next to your head exploding. [ + quote]
Nephilim (Moderator) 4 March 2005 13:05
Sounds cool to me especially with camera phones - you could watch your dumb friend blow his head off in real time :) Fuel cells are actually quite safe. I've worked in the trades for seven years where they use Paslode fuel cell driven nailguns all the time with no problems. Got Indie? http://cdbaby.com Forum Rules! http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487 Uncle Booger's Bumper Dumper! http://www.bumperdumper.com/ [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4 March 2005 13:08
daemonzx6 (Senior Member) 4 March 2005 18:47
The idea of gas powered electronics almost sounds like a step back in technology... But I can see the benefits. [ + quote]
squizzle (AfterDawn Addict) 4 March 2005 19:37
soon everything will be a hybrid... NEVER BUY KHYPERMEDIA DVD-R!! Complete garbage. [ + quote]
ramu2000 (Member) 6 March 2005 3:52
its stupid to think that gas station can explode when u are talking to cellphone, never happened. Its a stupid myth, if u have seen myth busters and they tested that myth. AND the myth was busted. [ + quote]
squizzle (AfterDawn Addict) 6 March 2005 6:24
tell that to the lady that made me hang up my phone. [ + quote]
Nephilim (Moderator) 6 March 2005 8:37
Lol! Good one squizzle :) [ + quote]
squizzle (AfterDawn Addict) 6 March 2005 16:50
I've actually heard that from a lot of people. I'll believe it when I see it though. [ + quote]