Plus, as mentioned, the new Nest is trilingual and compatible with a broader range of wireless devices including all Android tablets including the Kindle Fire.

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The third phase, underway today, is about connecting a broad range of mobile devices and wireless sensors.

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Since it had its roots in the cell phone industry, it was expected that Bluetooth phones would flood the market, creating millions of "wireless hubs" that would host a range of connected devices and offering a gateway to the Internet for even more millions of products without cellular radios.

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Freescale makes embedded chips that go into a range of applications such as automotive electronics, wireless transmission devices and consumer appliances.

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But FHSS lives on in today's mobile phones: it is the basis of Bluetooth, a short-range wireless protocol that is used to connect handsets to other nearby devices.

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Dr. Lee is a leader in the field of computer chips for wireless technologies such as mobile phones, short-range wireless devices, and global positioning systems (GPS).

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As he nears retirement, Chambers, 63, is trying to establish Cisco as the go-to place for a wide range of technology products and services that help power the Internet, run data centers, deliver video and connect wireless devices.

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