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Filed under: Peripherals , Misc Want to attract attention (and the police) every time you answer your cellphone in public? Then perhaps this build-at-your-own-risk Bluetooth handgun handset project is for you. As far as DIY mods go, this one looks to be simple enough (if somewhat time-consuming), with it involving nothing more than stuffing a disassembled Jabra Bluetooth headset into a suitably realistic-looking airsoft gun, which apparently fits just right so that the trigger operates the call start/end button. If you're still on board, you can find all the necessary details by hitting up the link below. [Thanks, Elijah] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , Verizon Wireless While we can't imagine there are many bottles of champagne being broken over it, Verizon's much touted open network initiative finally has its first device: a modem that helps monitor the contents of large storage tanks. It is part of SupplyNet Communication's Prophet line of devices, and makes use of Verizon's network and SupplyNet's own TankLink service to send out an urgent text message before the tank runs dry. Not exactly the most exciting device to be sure but, as MocoNews points out, it is just the type of thing that Verizon had in mind with the initiative, which it hopes will help bring in revenue from all sorts of unexpected sources. [Via MocoNews ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , LTE We're still waiting for our little ol' 3G femtocell around these parts; only Sprint has put any serious effort into bringing a unit to market with its Airave from Samsung, but even they're restricting it to just a couple markets at this point (lame). Be that as it may, the Femto Forum -- an industry group promoting the tech -- is already pushing ahead into the LTE and WiMAX realms with the hope of being "ready from day one." To that end, it has teamed up with the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance to make sure everyone's on the same page about how femtocells can and should be use in 4G networks. That's all well and good, and we're definitely glad these guys are on top of things, but can we just pause for one hot second and get a few more 3G cells in customers' hands, please? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , Sony Ericsson , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , UMTS , HSUPA In case you couldn't tell , Sony's getting down at CommunicAsia. Next up from Singapore is a fresh pair of HSPA USB modems, the MD400 and GPS-packin' MD400g. Both sticks pull double duty as a M2 / microSD card reader, but it's not like we haven't seen that functionality tossed into similar units already . Nevertheless, these buggers support 7.2Mb/s download and 2.0M/bs upload speeds and feature a swiveling antenna to complement the built-in one, a retractable USB connector and compatibility with Windows and OS X-based machines. SE tells us that the currently unpriced duo will be available worldwide in Q4, with the biggest decision to come when choosing between Exquisite Ebony and Lustrous White. Gallery: Sony Ericsson pops out MD400 / MD400g HSPA USB modems Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , HSUPA , LTE 3G is so Monday . Today, NXP Semiconductors is getting down with the "world's fastest high-bandwidth cellular soft modem," which will obviously be aimed at smartphones, MIDs and other handhelds thirsting for WWAN. Notably, the PNX6910 supports multi-mode LTE / HSPA / UMTS / EDGE / GPRS / GSM capability, and it's reportedly capable of achieving data transfer rates of 150Mbits down and 50Mbits up. To put things in perspective, NXP suggests that users could download an "entire HD movie in less than 7 minutes," though we're not sure what constitutes an "entire movie." Oh, and before you get too excited in here, you should probably know that the chip won't even be available until Q2 2009 at the earliest. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals , Misc Look out, Bluetooth -- Ozmo Devices has its eyes set squarely on you. Okay, so maybe this whole thing isn't as adversarial as advertised, but there's no denying that the aforesaid company's latest initiative will target the exact same devices that BT is embedded within now. Ozmo has announced a partnership with Intel at Computex that will extend the latter company's Cliffside WiFi Personal Area Network (PAN) technology to "low-power devices." Essentially, WiFi radios that suck less juice nowadays would take on dual roles -- accessing WLAN networks and doing the duties typically reserved for Bluetooth -- which would enable devices to have one less component stuffed within bulking things up. As of now, there's been no takers on the design, but word on the street has Belkin already testing the approach out for kicks and giggles (or maybe something way more serious). [Via DailyWireless ] Read - Ozmo Devices' press release Read - WiFI PAN explained Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments