No More Batteries, Just bring a Flask

By Ethan Lee on October 22, 2009

Toshiba is rolling out their first device charger based on fuel cell technology. The device, called Dynario, is a “direct methanol fuel cell” which is a fancy way of saying that it charges iPhones and other gadgets with alcohol.

The device goes on sale in Japan (of course) at the end of October and buyers will need to drop over $300 for the device and about $35 for a set of refueling “cartridges” which are 50 ml bottles of methanol. The device, which holds 14 ml of fuel, will charge two cell phones on a full tank.

Why would you want to carry around a charger the size of a book that runs on highly volatile methanol? We’ll have to get back to you on that one.

The good news is, that early adopters can drop their money on the device, charge a few cell phones and then have enough methanol left over to either get extremely intoxicated (5 ml), go blind (10ml), or commit suicide (100 ml).

Give it up for new consumer products that double as a do-it-yourself death kit.

Submitted by Soccer Dad (not verified) on Oct. 22, 2009.

Uh, okay. I'll go right out and buy that one. Maybe even fly out to Japan to get an early release then I can drink the charging juice on my flight home and cause an international incident in the air.

Submitted by Sometimes I get rich...quick (not verified) on Oct. 22, 2009.

Well...i'd like to say that this article is a little inaccurate in talking about alcohol...there is no alcohol involved...only methanol. Other than that, seems like a good article/opinion piece. I'd like to point out that in the future, the idea is not to have these clunky "death kit" bottles, but rather to have safe plastic cartridges that connect to a device. Refer to Viaspace's DMFCC subsidiary for a better idea of where this market is headed. Have a good day and thank you for the read.

Submitted by The Prof (not verified) on Oct. 23, 2009.

Guy, Methanol, or as it's known Methyl Alcohol, it one of the purest forms of alcohol. It's definitely not for drinking, like gasoline isn't for drinking. But that doesn't stop it from being abused by hobos around the world. You can rub the stuff on your arm and get intoxicated. Drink it and you're talking to Jesus.