Development of Notebook PC & Fuel Cell Unit Set

"Fuel Cell Notebook PC"

Tokyo, October 19, 2004 --- NEC Corporation and NEC Personal Products, Ltd. today announced development of a notebook PC and fuel cell unit set, which will be exhibited from October 20 - 23 at "WPC Expo 2004" (1*).

This model enables optimum control of the fuel cell in response to start up / shut down and loading of the computer, as well as fuel volume and density, through the adoption of an independent control system within the fuel cell. As a result, a PC, which operates with a fuel cell as its main power source, is realized.

The new fuel cell boasts an output density of 70mW / cm², which achieves a reduction in power materials of 20% as compared with NEC's conventional model (2*). In addition, NEC's own, unique packaging technology realized miniaturization of the power unit by 20 % in comparison with the conventional model (2*). These developments result in the achievement of a slim, fuel cell unit, on which the main body of the PC is set.

The development of the prototype was aided by a project for developing technologies and products applying nano-carbon technology, jointly organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of 4,906 billion yen (approx. $47 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.

***

Notes:

1*:	As this model is still a working prototype a date for commercialization has not been established.
2*:	This data is in comparison with that of the prototype announced on September 17, 2003.

NEC Press Contacts:
In Japan

Diane Foley / Susumu Sakamoto NEC Corporation d-foley@ax.jp.nec.com / s-sakamoto@ah.jp.nec.com +81-3-3798-6511