fuel-cell
fuel-cell

DoCoMo Presser: Notes from the Future

DoCoMo Presser: Notes from the FuturePresident Nakamura faced the Tokyo press on September 30 and did… not too bad a job. In a wide-ranging presentation followed by Q&A, he covered fuel cell R&D (commercialization after FY 2006), Softbank’s moves to obtain 3G spectrum (vacating the spectrum tomorrow “cannot be done”), and Big D’s global strategy (with a dual-mode GSM/W-CDMA handset, you can access both). Nakamura also talked about churn, competition with KDDI/au, and the possibility of abandoning pre-paid services. A post-fall IR Roadshow program that’s not to be missed.

FOMA 3G Fuel-Cell Announced

DoCoMo, Inc. announced today the joint development of a prototype [.jpg image] micro fuel cell for 3G FOMA handsets. The prototype, manufactured by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., is expected to greatly extend FOMA handset usage time once it goes into commercial production. The prototype has the same basic specifications of other FOMA handset rechargers and will be compatible with all FOMA handsets. Further development of the prototype is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2005.

Fuel-Cell Mobile Phones for Digital TV

KDDI has teamed up with Japanese mobile-phone manufacturers to develop a fuel-cell-powered phone equipped with functions for receiving terrestrial digital TV broadcasting. KDDI has signed joint development agreements with Toshiba and Hitachi. Although the two manufacturers will develop fuel-cell-equipped mobile phones separately on the basis of their own technology, they will use the same user interface that includes the fuel inlet.

KDDI: Fuel Cells in 2007; Where's NEC?

The Nikkei reported on Saturday that KDDI aims to commercialize fuel cells for keitai using Hitachi and Toshiba technology by 2007; this is supposed to be at least two years behind claims often made by Japan’s mobile-phone leader NEC that it will have fuel cells ready for commercialization for mobile phones by next year at the latest.

Fujitsu Develops High Capacity Micro Fuel Cells

Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of a new fuel-cell material technology that enables the use of 30% methanol – highly concentrated methanol – as a fuel source, as well as a prototype power unit that incorporates the technology. This technology enables much higher power capacities for passive micro fuel cells and realizes longer runtimes for mobile devices such as notebook PCs, PDAs and mobile phones.