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Battery technology is poised for a breakthrough.
One of the most common complaints against mobile working is that mission-critical applications cannot yet be trusted on devices that go 'dead' after only a few hours' use. But Japan's competitive battery developers think they have hit upon a solution. What's more, the answer is said to be environmentally friendly.
In December, Japanese electronics giant Hitachi told the world that it plans to launch a range of handheld computers powered by 'fuel cells', rather than conventional batteries, in 2005.
But Hitachi and its partner Tokai, a maker of disposable cigarette lighters, face a race to be the first to market. Other manufacturers rushing to develop fuel cell-powered devices include Toshiba and NEC, while Japan's biggest mobile network operator, NTT DoCoMo, is believed to have pre-ordered many fuel cell powered devices.
The difference is that Hitachi is working on a personal digital assistant (PDA) battery while NEC and Toshiba are developing fuel cell-powered laptop computers.
Fuel cells work by combining either hydrogen or methanol with oxygen to create energy.
Hitachi, which first demonstrated its fuel-cell system at the March 2003 CeBit electronics trade show in Germany, says it has produced a prototype fuel cell cartridge the size of a standard AA battery. This early version is capable of providing power for between six and eight hours of use but Hitachi hopes to be able to extend that life from hours to days after refining the design.
Fuel-cell technology, which produces only water and carbon dioxide as by-products, is promoted as a green alternative to traditional alkaline and nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries.
