Its critical component is an ingenious device that can cool the incoming air almost instantaneously.

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Microsoft also is continuing to test its own smartphone, although it isn't clear whether it will bring such a device to market, component suppliers said.

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So not only does the collar have to withstand enormous force but it needs to contain a GPS device, a cell component for data transmission, and battery power for a full year.

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It could be disruptive to companies such as Square, PayPal or anyone that requires a separate hardware component to be added to their mobile device.

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Microsoft announced that it is cooperating with component manufacturers to bring prices down for all Windows Phone device manufacturers.

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Last year, Dutch chip-maker NXP released a new type of mobile audio component -- the TFA9887 -- that allowed a mobile device to monitor its speaker system in real-time in order to max out volume without risking damage to the driver.

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