Water-powered cellphone

Forget about lithium-ion batteries – 2010 could be the year that heralds water-powered cellphones. Samsung has successfully developed a micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator that is powered by just water alone. Apparently the water and metal in the handset will react whenever it is turned on, producing hydrogen gas that is then supplied to the fuel cell where another reaction with oxygen in the air will generate power. This negates the need for methanol to produce hydrogen, which is the common route other fuel cells take whereas Samsung’s version requires nothing but water. Each micro-fuel cell can generate up to three watts of electricity, making it suitable for use in small, mobile devices for up to 10 hours.