updated 04:55 am EST, Tue January 24, 2012
Powertrekk first to market with portable fuel cell
The Powertrekk portable fuel cell charger, that first surfaced as a working concept will become available this Spring for $229. The device is the world's first solution of its kind and offers instant charging for mobile devices over USB. The Powertrekk uses water to create hydrogen, which is then converted into electricity making it particularly useful for trekkers and users on field trips without ready access to another source of electricity.
The device doubles as a portable battery pack and fuel cell. It uses a 1600 mAh Li-ion battery as a "buffer," while the fuel cell itself is rated at 1000mAh, providing a useful mechanism for staying in touch when outdoors. To generate power, users add a Power Puk at $12 each, into the fuel compartment and then fill the water compartment with around one tablespoon of water.
Once the puck is depleted, the mobile charger will go into shutdown mode when the Puk is then discarded (presumably not in the great outdoors). Each Puk is good for 4 watt-hours. Each depleted Puk is 100% recyclable, though not biodegradable, while the by-product of the fuel-cell process is a small amount of water vapour. The portable battery pack, or "buffer," can also be recharged via a computer or directly from a wall socket.
The Powertrekk is compatible with a wide range of devices that can be charged over USB.