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.

Forget that "world's smallest" hokum -- how's about the world's largest? One particular Chinese man took on the challenge by constructing a fully functional cellphone some 620 times bigger than the handset that served as inspiration. The final result weighs in at 48-pounds, towers 3-feet up and has absolutely no qualms sending / receiving calls, text messages or browsing the internet. Unfortunately, the homegrown handset does require an AC outlet to function, and the real kicker is the omission of a vibrate function. Still, we bet the speakerphone is killer.

[Via textually]

Unlike Brickhouse Security, we won't go so far as to call this thing "invisible," but when placed in the ear, all but the most eagle-eyed among us are likely to overlook it. The elaborately named Secret Service Invisible 2-Way Micro Headset comes with an easily hidden wireless transmitter that plugs into any mobile with a 2.5-millimeter audio output. Once rigged up, the wearer can have someone listen in on conversation in a room while also receiving input from said listener. Unfortunately, this likely Jack Bauer-approved gizmo demands a practically ludicrous $649.95, so it looks like we'll be sticking to brute force and walkie talkies here. Check out a demo video after the jump -- but be sure and kill the speakers first, alright?

[Thanks, Tony M.]

Just last month we heard that there were some 2.68 billion mobile accounts currently active in the world, but a new study by Informa has found that there are actually 3.3 billion subscriptions. This number is somewhat significant considering that it's approximately half of the world's population, but alas, not half of all Earthlings actually own a cellphone. Researchers found that 59 countries had mobile penetration over 100 percent, suggesting that some individuals actually accounted for numerous mobile subscriptions. Sure, the figures here could be picked apart in a myriad ways, but why not just raise your handset to commemorate hitting the big three point three? You are one of them, right?

[Image courtesy of W3]

We've already seen Hitachi launch the "world's slimmest" LCD TV today, so it's rather fitting that Sharp comes through and delivers what it calls the "industry's thinnest" mobile display. Granted, we've known this ultrathin 2.2-inch wonder was coming since April, but it's always reassuring to see plans actually emerge from the drawing board. Nevertheless, this wee unit measures in just 0.01-millimeters thinner than a 1.9-inch version that AU Optronics was touting earlier this week (that's 0.68-millimeters for those keeping score), and it features a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, 320 x 240 (QVGA) resolution, 176-degree viewing angle and an eight-millisecond response time that should be suitable for mobile TV viewing. Regrettably, there's no sign of an actual release date, but those browsing the aisles at FPD International 2007 can reportedly catch it up close and in person.

[Via Akihabara News]

Go on, pick your jaw up off the floor -- this isn't that staggering, now is it? Considering all those cellphones that have been sold here recently, and the plethora of folks who just refuse to ditch that landline, four billion total phone lines seems just about right, truth be told. According to the International Telecommunications Union, our planet is now home to about "1.27 billion fixed lines and 2.68 billion mobile accounts," but the total number of people represented by these data is much less clear. Notably, the study found that "61-percent of the world's mobile subscribers are in developing countries," and further added that China and India were greatly to thank for reaching the milestone. And just think, there were less than 1 billion lines combined across the globe just 11 years ago.

[Image courtesy of OwlRecruitment]

And you thought forking out five grand for the very first Nokia E90 Communicator was impressive. In the name of charity, "Keep A Child Alive" to be precise, an anonymous bidder pledged a whopping $100,000 in order to acquire the "first iPhone sold" (at least the first one at Apple's SoHo location), two Jawbone Bluetooth headsets, and a pair of round-trip airplane tickets and VIP passes to the Black Ball in New York City later this year. Reportedly, the pricey handset will be "personalized with a voice mail greeting and presented by Alicia Keys" to the generous winner on October 25th, but we wonder if the bidder would be willing to shell out a few more Benjamins to eliminate the excruciating wait.