Apparently Epson is hoping that small is in, as the firm is pumping out yet another "world's smallest" object, and this time it's a wee-sized GPS module. Crafted specifically for tiny applications like mobile handsets, the S4E19863 measures just 7- x 6- x 1.28-millimeters and purportedly holds the title for "world's smallest GPS chip." Already available in NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 903i series, Epson has begun shipping these things in bulk, hoping to add GPS functionality to other miniscule handsets as well. Built to receive even the faintest signals indoors and out, the chip also boasts "3GPP-compliant positioning modes (MS-Based, MS-Assisted and Autonomous)" to offer greater compatibility across the board. Plus, we bet it's just a matter of time before these tiny positioning modules are up and running in some streamlined dog collar for the "anxious pet owner" crowd.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

We love ourselves a good back-and-forth battle between two competitors, and it looks like Thuraya is diving in the ring head first (and finally bringing the goods) to take on the highly-praised Globalstar. While the GSP-1700 sports a relatively slim, sexy design and weighs just 7.1 ounces, it has already become second place thanks to a pair of new satellite phones by Thuraya. The firm's SO-2510 (purely SAT) comes in at just 4.59 ounces, and sports a 4.66- x 2.09- x 0.74-inch enclosure, but still manages to include a 1.5-inch LCD, GPS / satellite services, USB connectivity, and a battery providing 2.4 hours of talk time (plus 40 hours in standby). The slightly larger (albeit GSM-equipped) SG-2520 rocks Tri-band capabilities, a 1.9-inch LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, 128MB of internal memory, an SD slot, and still manages to hit the scales at just 6 ounces. Both phones are listed as "coming soon," but we're a bit more inclined to believe it this time around with all the buzz hovering over its main competitor.

[Read - Thuraya SO-2510, via MobileWhack]
[Read - Thuraya SG-2520, via MinistryOfTech]