Unlike other portable power sources, which store energy in batteries, the Nectar runs on butane. When a user plugs his phone into the Nectar’s USB port, a replaceable butane cartridge releases fuel into the cell. As fuel passes over a ceramic membrane, oxygen ions pass through the surface, which generates a current. The process can run as hot as 1,830°F, so the engineers built a network of insulating silicon-nitride tubes to keep the Nectar’s exterior cool. Once the butane cartridge is empty, users can recycle it. After Lilliputian launches the Nectar in May, the company plans to focus on broader fuel-cell applications, such as building cells into laptops and other devices—pushing AC adapters ever closer to obsolescence.
LILLIPUTIAN SYSTEMS NECTAR
Dimensions: 4.6 by 3 by 0.9 inches Safety: TSA-approved Price: $299 ($10 per extra cartridge) Available: May
