Those phone companies have encroached on cable's turf by entering the pay-TV business and are positioning themselves to offer a "quadruple play" of services that includes landline phone, high-speed Web access, cellphone, and video.

WSJ: Comcast, Time Warner Cable in Wireless Talks

The latest generation of Opticom gear does away with infrared in favor of a combination of cellular radio and Global Positioning System links, which can pinpoint a vehicle's location and speed.

FORBES: Greening the Traffic Lights

The devices help pilots avoid "terrain" by coupling global-positioning technology with flight data on speed, altitude and other readings, and a database containing the topography of the planet.

FORBES: Cockpit Fight