Posted by tourdemars to Technology at June 25, 2004 09:53 AM

A tiny prototype fuel cell the size of a thumb has been developed by Toshiba. The Japanese electronics giant said the methanol fuel cell could power a gadgets such as a digital music player for 20 hours. Fuel cells generate electrical power by catalysing substances such as hydrogen and methanol. Toshiba hopes that by 2005, the fuel cells could be used in handheld electronic devices instead of lithium-ion batteries.