[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Unless it comes to butane (or methanol, or even hydrogen) being pumped to people's houses, this use of fuel cells to replace rechargeable batteries doesn't make all that much sense. If you're going on a trip to a place without electricity, or on a long flight, then a fuel cell could come in handy. Otherwise, who would rather go to the store and buy a new fuel cell (or have it refilled) when it runs out? Suppose that you could buy a big tank of butane, but it seems much easier to just plug a cord into an electric outlet.

[null and void]

Given that a few ml of butane would run a laptop all day, a can you could hide in your fist is a couple month’s supply.

Recharging is no more difficult than sticking a pencil point into a Cherrio, and takes seconds.

[kenth]

[Wonder Warthog]

"Otherwise, who would rather go to the store and buy a new fuel cell (or have it refilled) when it runs out? Suppose that you could buy a big tank of butane, but it seems much easier to just plug a cord into an electric outlet."

I would think you could refill it just as you would any re-chargeable butane lighter, from a larger can of butane currently sold for exactly that purpose (i.e. refilling cigarette lighters).

[JerseyHighlander]

Think in terms of developing countries bypassing much of the outdated centralized infrastructure development the West went through, and jumping directly to new technology, much like how diesel generators and cell phones rolled out through the third world.

One butane distribution depot per county, one local merchant per village, all those MIT $100 laptops and wireless routers fueled by Butanes cells instead of Chinese knock off diesel generators.