Days or weeks of power on your laptop or tablet PC? It may soon be possible according to two recent patent applications by Apple indicate the company is looking at developing a hydrogen fuel cell system to complement the rechargeable batteries in a “portable computing device” – which could refer to Apple’s range of mobile iDevices, its MacBook range of notebooks – or both. The applications say the technology could potentially power portable electronic devices for “days or even weeks,” which would be sure to silence critics and users who have long complained about the poor battery life of not just Apple’s, but all mobile computing devices.
On one of Apple's patent applications it is stated that its fuel cell design would be capable of both providing power to and receiving power from a rechargeable battery, which "eliminates the need for a bulky and heavy battery within the fuel cell system, which can significantly reduce the size, weight and cost of the fuel cell system." Such a system could also offer instant refueling by swapping in a full fuel cartridge instead of waiting by an electrical outlet until a battery recharges.
The two patents were published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on December 22, however they were both filed earlier. "FUEL CELL SYSTEM TO POWER A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE" was filed on August 3, 2010, and "FUEL CELL SYSTEM COUPLED TO A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE" on April 28th of this year.
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