Intel Haswell’s idle states reportedly won’t play well with some power supplies

Intel Haswell's lowpower state reportedly won't play well with cheap power supplies

One of the staples of Intel’s upcoming Haswell processor architecture is its support for lower-power idle states that can rival tablet chips in power consumption, even on the desktop. However, that may come with a big caveat for budget and custom-built PCs: certain power supplies might not cut it. VR-Zone claims that those idle states require as little as 0.05 amps of current, which could be too nuanced for older or cut-rate supplies that deliver power in bigger clumps. That might not be a problem for companies building complete PCs, but Corsair’s Robert Pearce tells The Tech Report that it may lead to a lot of motherboard builders playing it safe by disabling those specific modes by default. Many of us, in turn, would either have to buy a fresh supply or toggle the power-saving options ourselves. We’ve reached out to Intel to verify the truth, but it may be wisest to make a cleaner break from the past with any near-term upgrades.

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Via: TechSpot

Source: VR-Zone, The Tech Report

Rohm 5Wh hydrogen fuel cells power up smartphones, ready for the trash after one charge

Rohm 5Wh hydrogen fuel cells power up smartphones, ready for the trash after one charge

Rohm’s hydrogen fuel cells are meant to power smartphones and other mobile devices, but unlike other juicing-up solutions, the cells are only good for one charge. Rohm says disposable fuel cells can be made smaller and lighter than their multi-use counterparts, and as the only byproduct is hydrogen, the company is touting the cells’ eco-friendliness. The system generates electricity by using hydrogen that’s created by the reaction of a metal material and water. While the device we saw here at CEATEC is a prototype, Rohm may offer its recharging system as both a smartphone case and a USB-attachable juicepack. Each offers 5Wh and can fully charge a handset once. There’s also a 200W power generator, which certainly stretches the meaning of portable but can keep a laptop, LCD TV and a peripheral or two going for three to four hours. Rohm says its fuel cells will see a commercial release some time in 2013; for now you can get a sneak peek in our hands-on gallery below.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Rohm 5Wh hydrogen fuel cells power up smartphones, ready for the trash after one charge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New fuel cell keeps on going even once the fuel’s dried up

New fuel cell keeps on going even once the fuel''s dried up

Vanadium oxide seems to be the go-to guy in power storage right now. A new solid-oxide fuel cell — developed at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences — that can also store energy like a battery, also uses the stuff. In the new cell, by adding a VOx layer it allows the SOFC to both generate and store power. Example applications would be situations where a lightweight power source is required, with the potential to provide reserve juice should the main fuel source run out. The team who developed the cell usually work with platinum-based SOFCs, but they can’t store a charge for much more than 15 seconds. By adding the VOx, this proof of concept extended that by 14 times, with the potential for more lifespan with further development. Especially handy if you’re always running out of sugar.

New fuel cell keeps on going even once the fuel’s dried up originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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