“The player of the future " works 1000 hours with one litre
of methyl spirit. The CEATEC 2007 exhibition which is taking place these days in Tokyo will be rich in surprises. Japanese company Toshiba has already surprised the public with its new developments. While we have already reported a few of them, today we will talk about a multimedia player working on fuel. The most innovative model of this manufacturer, probably, will become the prototype of a multimedia player Gigabeat which is fed not with traditional batteries, but with fuel elements made on the basis of methyl spirit (methanol).

The player is equipped with an indicator which allows checking the amount of methanol which has remained in the fuel cell. Users can fill the "fuel tank” on their own, the socket is on the lateral side of the player. On the back side of the player there is a special tap for evaporating used methanol.

As per the statement of the representatives of Toshiba's Display Devices and Components division, 10 millimeters methanol fuel element suffices on 10 working hours of the player. Besides, from the company's side they say that methanol fuel elements are much more energy saving in comparison to usual alkaline batteries and in the event that such fuel elements are put on manufacture stream, they will be also cheaper.

As the portal Techon.nikkeibp.co.jp informs, the principle of work of the fuel element DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) is constructed under the production of electricity as a result of chemical reaction of interacting methanol, water and air. The development of the new power supply had been conducted during several years. As the Company said, the manufacture of the component could have been adjusted in the beginning of year, however from industrial use the company was constrained by the dearness of the manufacture, and also by the interdiction on methanol transportation onboard planes. At present these problems have been solved, that's why in the Company they hope, that soon the manufacture of fuel elements will go on an industrial level. The company plans to begin manufacturing of the new player in 2008. It is still necessary to add, that besides playing music and video, this “player of the future “is equipped with TV-tuner of 1seg. standard.

Except for the player, Toshiba also has shown special charger for the fuel element. In its principle of work the given charger reminds gas bags for refueling reusable lighters, only in this case methanol is used. Well, maybe, years through five refueling of a player will become the same ordinary phenomenon, as now it is the purchase of batteries…