In technology news, NEC says it has succeeded in the development of a mobile router that enables seamless broadband communication from high-speed mobile vehicles such as train and cars through the employment of wireless LAN and a third-generation (3G) cellular network. The company hopes to use the research to develop projects that allow uninterrupted voice and data communication even on high-speed moving objects.

In product news, it's been a slow month. Among the few notable announcements, Peak Technologies has announced a new radiofrequency identification (RFID) product and services suite, called Peak Compliance, that lets consumer goods manufacturers and distributors to quickly meet retailers' RFID compliance requirements. The suite's three modules are Peak Compliance Express, Peak Compliance Mobile, and Peak Compliance Gateway. Each module includes software, hardware, lab services, professional services, and support to generate and manage Electronic Product Code (EPC) RFID tags in a standalone environment or integrated into an existing database or business system. Peak also provides EPC-compliant RFID tags that meet customers' specific requirements.

Also, Wireless Valley plans to introduce a new capacity- and traffic-planning capabilities for its EnterprisePlanner and LANPlanner wireless network design products. The new design capabilities will let users predict and plan their wireless networks based on the environment, the number of users and even the applications they will be using, the company says.

In other product news:

• Trust Digital has released version 2005 of its wireless LAN security software, which provides policy-based security for data on mobile devices. The company claims that Trust Digital 2005 is the only product on the market that meets the U.S. government's FIPS 140-2 validated encryption criteria for every popular mobile device platform, including laptop PCs.
• Funk Software has released its Odyssey security client for Intermec Technologies' 700 Color series of handheld devices, as well as the CK30 mobile computer and the CV60 rugged vehicle mount terminals. Odyssey Client permits a secure connection to 802.1x-based WLAN and wired networks and supports multiple 802.1x security types over all platforms, ensuring compatibility in any network environment. With the addition of Odyssey Client, Intermec devices support all of the most current EAP security standards, as well as Cisco's LEAP. Similarly, Fortress Technologies' wireless security gateway, secure client software and access control server now support Intermec's CN2 and CK30 mobile computers and CV60 rugged vehicle mount terminals. Intermec customers can implement Fortress Technologies' AF2100 wireless security gateway to further ensure protected communication between Intermec wireless computers, users and the company's network infrastructure. The Fortress Secure Client permits only authorized Intermec mobile computers to communicate with the network, thus denying access unauthorized devices.
• Sprint is offering companies Sprint Mobile Business Assessments, which provide a four- to eight-week look at a company's mobile assets, policies, strategies, services, usage, and costs to determine an overall mobility strategy. Sprint says its recommendations will not depend on the use of Sprint products.
• Bluefire Security's wireless-access management products now support Palm OS versions 5.4.5 and 5.2.1, which drive the latest versions of the Palm-based devices, including the Treo 650 and Treo 600.

In hot-spot news, Citizens Wireless will deploy Flaron's Flash-OFDM technology in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford, Va., to business and residential consumers, state universities, and local public safety and security organizations. Flash-ODFM is similar to the forthcoming WiMax technology in that it permits hot zones that can extend for several city blocks to many miles, depending on the topography and building density.

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