OK....I read this on Betanews and I found it very interesting. I for one would like to know the logic behind fuel cell powered phones - 'refillable like lighters' by methanol.
I consider myself very open minded - but I can't see the logic behind it. For one, I don't have methanol sitting in my house and I certainly won't remember to buy it as needed to fill my cell phone (and don't think I'd really want to) vs. like, 100 outlets all begging to be used by my cell phone's charger. Secondly, I don't like the idea of walking with a lighter to my ear for 20-45 minutes - I'm sure the concept is completely different and safe, but I can't shake the idea that lighters can blow up with a real big bang and nasty consequences...don't quite like the thought of something like that pasted onto my ear. Finally....assuming we will have readily available bottles of methanol to fill our cell phones up, again, I prefer outlets all over my house, other peoples houses, school, work, the library than either carrying around a bottle of cell phone gas, or going to a cell phone gas station to 'fill er' up'.

The way it works is much like that hybrid car that was brought out by some company (Ford?). The "new age" cars use fuel cell power. I'm sure it is 100% safe, but I can see this being used as a terriost device. What's wrong with normal powered phones ?!

lol at Neo's comment.

As for the idea, i think its because people are complaining that the current power supplies dont last long enough, although i must admit i have no such problems with my phone, it lasts a good 3-4 days before i have to charge it and even then that only takes 1-2 hours to recharge.

I think it's also because some of the new generation phones that will come out soon require a lot more power due to there features, if i read right somewhere there is a phone being designed that recieves Sky Digital, Internet enabled, Plays and stores upto 3 full length films, video/photo camera enabled....o and it makes calls. all those features are great but i bet good money that a lot of those features require a large amount of power to function and mobile phones just dont have that power capacity at the moment, that is why they are on about this new power supply....also i dont think it'd be like a gas cannister refill, that's not practical enough.

According to the news report, that's what they said....that the phone would be refillable like a lighter. That's what got me down that whole imagery of walking with a little lighter to my ear.
That answers my question however. I didn't think of phone's really needing more power.
I don't think I'd ever want to sit there and watch 3 movies on even a screen as big as a sidekick's much less a smaller screen. But I suppose a practical application would be for listening to MP3s or maybe PDA functions. So instead of carrying a cell phone, pda and mp3 player, the cell phone would suffice. That's technology for ya' I suppose.
My phone's supposed to last 4 hrs on a fresh, charged battery and Motorolas are supposed to last 7 hours. If current 750mah batteries last this long, why can't they just make a more powerful lithium solution, than go the way of methanol?

because our "cell phone generation" thats comming behind us will likely all have brain cancer by the time their 40. I dont wanna have to go to the store or phone provider and have to put 5 bucks down to refill my cellphones fuel..thats so stupid.

Exactly. I find it silly to have to go to any kind of store to have my cell phone 'refilled' so I can use it.

Can you really imagine that...
Can i have....2 packets of cigarettes, a packet of matches, 4 cans of beer o and a refill for my mobile phone please?

How stupid are you gunna sound!! lol

MartMoz

Well with a nice combo of cigarettes, matches, beer and a gas can, i wouldnt like to be around you after you come out of that store

*Boom* lmao

next thing you know these cell phones will double as lighters as well.
allow me to demonstrate...

Person1: yadda yadda yadda
Person2: blah blah blah
Person1: hold on, i gotta light my smoke
*Person1 takes the phone from the side of their head to light their cigarette, then carries on with the conversation*
Person1: okay, where were we? oh yeah, blah blah blah...

yes, i'm quite bored at the moment

I REALLY REALLY hope they find something else....