![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/fuelsell.jpg\")
A
\n good example of the convergence of capitalism and technology in a consumer-driven
\n context is in battery technology.
\n While Moore’s Law has governed processing and storage, in the
\n arena of energy storage, no major innovations or performance enhancements
\n have burst on the scene since the advent of alkaline batteries over 20
\n years ago.<\/p>\n
So, according to conventional economic theory, with
\n more and more consumers buying more and more devices requiring more and
\n more
\n portable
\n energy, the dominant technological empires should devote an increasing
\n percentage of their research and development dollars in this area. Brilliant
\n young geeks and entrepreneurs should be creating startups to explore
\n and develop promising new technologies. Universities should be
\n encouraging research into new battery technology. Crackpot inventors
\n in third world metropoli and suburban garages should be trying to strike
\n it rich. One recalcitrant corner of technology cannot be allowed to restrain
\n the inevitable march towards full
\n functional connectivity – everywhere and all the time. Bottlenecks must
\n be removed.<\/p>\n
Recently, the intellectual fruits of this effort are Today brings the TOKYO Sanyo Electric, based in the western Japan city of Osaka, and International Fuel cell technology mixes hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity Of course, we realize that eventually all the power article analysis from Geekzone<\/a><\/p>\n Alkride article from the New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A good example of the convergence of capitalism and technology in a consumer-driven context is in battery technology. While Moore’s Law has governed processing and storage, in the arena of energy storage, no major innovations or performance enhancements have … Continue reading
\n starting to make it to the market. Last week we read in the New
\n York Times <\/a>about the amazing new Alkyride batteries from Panasonic
\n which promise more power for longer and at a lower
\n price.
\n They have been available in Japan for a year and will soon go on sale
\n here (what’s with the Japanese getting everything first? Just because
\n Panasonic is a Japanese company? Do we get new Ford trucks a year early
\n because they are made in the states?) <\/p>\n
\n news<\/a> that fuel cell technology has made it to the laptop
\n level.<\/p>\n\n
\n (Reuters) – IBM’s personal computer division and Sanyo Electric Co.
\n Ltd. said Monday
\n they
\n have teamed
\n up
\n to create
\n prototype notebook computer batteries using long-lasting fuel cell
\n technology. <\/p>\n
\n Business Machines Corp. (down $0.24 to $87.36, Research) of Armonk,
\n N.Y., said the prototype
\n fuel cell system can provide eight hours of battery life using replaceable
\n methanol fuel cartridges.<\/p>\n
\n and is considered a promising next-generation replacement for current
\n batteries
\n that
\n must typically be recharged every two to six hours.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n a person could need will be generated from a perfectly safe portable
\n nuclear reactor signet ring, or sucked Matrix-style from some sort
\n of Bio-electical converter hooked to your belly button, or broadcast
\n over some harmless and unused sector of the electromagnetic spectrum.
\n But until then, here’s hoping these are just the first few barrages
\n of an increasingly vicious "battery war" benefiting consumers.<\/p>\n
\n from Reuters<\/a> <\/p>\n