October 18, 2005 | Back

Micro-Power Fuel Cells for Mobile Devices

Micro-power fuel cells, intended to power portable electronic devices such as cell phones, PDAs and laptop computers, will be the key technical and economic driver for the entire fuel cell market -- including stationary and automotive applications -- said Jim Balcom, president and CEO of PolyFuel.

The reason, said Balcom, is that the great engine that drives rapid technological progress is "true market demand." And of the three key segments of the long-awaited fuel-cell market, portable applications will be ready for liftoff first. Cost and performance of the technology are in line, volume distribution channels are already in place, and a huge, pent-up market demand is developing. Only regulatory issues -- principally the carriage of small fuel cartridges on airplanes -- remain an impediment, one that is widely expected to disappear within the next 18 months.

"According to recent published studies, portable device power demand is increasing three times faster than the rate of battery improvement," stated Balcom. "This gives rise to what we call a 'run-time gap' -- the difference in the demand for energy in devices like PDAs, smartphones, laptops, or MP3 players, and that actually available with contemporary battery technology. By 2010, the demand for energy is forecast to be four times that which is available."

> Source: PolyFuel
> Estimated price: N/A
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments

July 04, 2005 | Back

Motion Computing Launches Tablet PC

This one is so small we could probably call it a PDA! Motion Computing has just unvelied the LS800, the most compact tablet PC available running Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. The new slate tablet PC, approximately the size of a paperback book, is small enough to slip into a lab coat pocket or attach to a tool belt and is optimal for highly mobile professionals in industries including route sales and service, manufacturing and healthcare.

The LS800 has an 8.4-inch display, is less than 1-inch thick and weighs 2.2 lbs. The LS800 is among the first tablet PCs with the latest generation of Intel Centrino mobile technology, including the Intel Pentium M Processor Ultra Low Voltage 753 (1.2 GHz) and the Mobile Intel 915GMS Express Chipset. "Tablet PC adoption is continuing to demonstrate steady growth, particularly among vertical market buyers, many of whom require smaller form factor slates for targeted applications," said Leslie Fiering, vice president covering mobile computing at Gartner, Inc. "We anticipate that tablet PC shipments will double by 2008." Shall we bid our farewells to the traditional laptop now, or wait till 08?

> Source: Motion Computing
> Estimated price: $1,899
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments

June 06, 2005 | Back

Lenovo Writes the Next Chapter in Tablets with New ThinkPad X41 Tablet

Lenovo believes to have created the one tablet computer that doesn't compromise weight or function with its new ThinkPad X41 Tablet. Why, you ask? Well, they say that previous tablets required people and businesses to make a choice. Either they picked a heavy convertible -- including both tablet slate and keyboard -- or they picked a lighter tablet slate without a keyboard.

The ThinkPad X41 Tablet offers a writable slate, full-size keyboard, and is lightweight. It starts at 3.5 pounds and is 1.14-inches thin, so they may just be right.

> Source: Lenovo
> Estimated price: $1,899
> Date released/expected: N/A

Posted at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Email to a friend | Comments