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March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite wearable platform offers 5G RedCap, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 6.0, built-in AI accelerator

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite is described as the “world’s first Personal AI wearable platform”, and features an NPU for on-device AI delivering up to 12 TOPS of performance at low power, supporting 2B parameter models. It delivers up to 5x single-core CPU improvement and up to 7x faster GPU compared to the previous-generation Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 Wearable Platform while offering up to 30% more battery life for multi-day battery life, thanks to a 3nm architecture. The new Snapdragon Wear Elite platform also supports fast charging with up to 50% charge in under 10 minutes. Snapdragon Wear Elite specifications: CPU – Up to 2.1 GHz GPU Qualcomm Adreno 3D GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.2, and OpenCL 2.0 APIs 2.5D GPU co-processor clocked at up to 500 MHz ISP – Qualcomm Spectra AI accelerator – Qualcomm Hexagon NPU; up to 12 TOPS of AI performance; support for up tp 2B […]

March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 15 Comments

pureLiFi Bridge XC Flex delivers gigabit broadband internet through windows (made of glass)

pureLiFi Bridge XC Flex is a consumer-installable solution designed to be installed on windows (the ones made of glass, not Windows operating system!) in order to provide up to 1 Gbps broadband internet to the home. The solution leverages LiFi data transmission using invisible infrared light combined with up to 25W wireless power transfer for fast, cost-effective broadband deployment that does not require any cabling. It is comprised of indoor and outdoor units compatible with a wide range of window types, including single, double, and triple-glazed panes, as well as energy-efficient Low-E coatings. pureLiFi Bridge XC Flex highlights: Data Rates – Up to 1 Gbps, full-duplex, symmetrical Power – Up to 25W delivered from indoors to outdoors Installation – Self-install in minutes using weather-proof Gecko tape; high tolerance to misalignment CPE Compatibility – Accepts any Ethernet input from CPE: 4G/5G/mmWave FWA, fibre ONTs, private 5G, satellite, and more Security – […]

March 3, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Nordic Semi nRF93M1 IoT modules offer LTE Cat 1bis cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi location capabilities

Nordic Semiconductors introduced the nRF93M1 LTE Cat 1bis IoT modules at Mobile World Congress 2026 with up to 10 Mbps downlink and 5 Mbps uplink, as well as built-in Wi-Fi location capabilities. Two variants will be offered: the nRF93M1-LABA supporting LTE bands for Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and the nRF93M1-LACA supporting a wider range of LTE bands and certifications for worldwide deployments. Nordic Semi nRF93M1 specifications : LTE Cat-1bis modem with 3GPP Rel. 14 support 617-2690 MHz LTE FDD and TDD band support Power Class 3 (23 dBm) Support for (e)UICC/eSIM (SGP.32 IoT) and Software SIM (SoftSIM) framework Data rates – Up to 10 Mbps downlink and 5 Mbps uplink Peripherals – High-speed USB, UART, IOs, coexistence interface, etc… Secure firmware updates via nRF Cloud Location services using Wi-Fi scanning and cellular eCID location Power-saving features – eDRX, PSM, and Nordic proprietary optimizations Certified for global and regional operation (GCF, […]

February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Iridium 9604 3-in-1 IoT module integrates Iridium SBD satellite service, LTE-M cellular connectivity, and GNSS positioning

Iridium Communications has just unveiled the Iridium 9604 3-in-1 IoT module with support for Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) satellite service, LTE-M cellular connectivity, and GNSS positioning. Solutions relying on satellite, cellular, and/or GNSS positioning are typically implemented using three different chips or modules. For example, the earlier Iridium Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit relies on an Iridium 9704 module and a u-blox GNSS module, but the Iridium 9604 module implements everything into a single 26 x 16 mm package, saving up to 60 percent or more in board space and lowering the costs of the final product. Iridum 9604 specifications: Iridium Short Burst Data 340 bytes mobile-originated 270 bytes mobile-terminated Global LEO coverage Cellular LTE-M (CAT-M1) Global band support Carrier certifications FirstNet certification in the US GNSS – GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou Antennas Iridium/GNSS antenna LTE-M antenna Host interface – Single interface (not specified, likely UART or SPI) Dimensions – 26 […]

December 12, 2025December 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

nRF9151 SMA DK development kit offers cellular IoT, DECT NR+, and 5G NTN satellite connectivity

Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF9151 SMA DK development kit is designed for building IoT applications using LTE-M/NB-IoT cellular IoT, DECT NR+, or 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) satellite connectivity. The development kit offers three ways to connect a SIM card, namely a NanoSIM card slot, an MFF2 SIM footprint for eSIM or software iSIM, and a 10-pin SIM connector. It also includes two SMA connectors for GPS and LTE antennas or lab equipment, multiple current measurement connectors, and Arduino UNO headers for expansion, notably the nRF7002 EK for adding Wi-Fi 6 locationing capabilities. nRF9151-SMA-DK specifications: Wireless System-in-Package – Nordic Semi nRF9151 CPU – Arm Cortex-M33 @ 64 MHz Memory – 256KB RAM Storage – 1MB flash Connectivity Multimode LTE-M/NB-IoT/NB-NTN modem with DECT NR+ support and GNSS. 700-2200 MHz LTE band support. Power Class 5 20 dBm Power Class 3 23 dBm 1.9 GHz and 915 Mhz DECT NR+ band support Security – Arm […]

August 21, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Snapdragon W5+ and W5 Gen 2 wearable platforms gain NB-NTN satellite support

Snapdragon W5 Gen2 features NB-NTN satellite

Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ and W5 Gen 2 are new wearable platforms adding NB-NTN satellite support for emergencies to the Snapdragon W5+/W5 wearable platforms introduced in 2022, and found in various WearOS smartwatches and the Beacon W5 SoM. The W5+/W5 Gen 2 platforms still feature a 1.7 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 processor, an Adreno A702 GPU, an AON QCC5100 ML co-processor (W5+ Gen 2 only), MIPI DSI and MIPI CSI interfaces, cellular connectivity, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS, and optional NFC support. The main changes are NB-NTN support, an upgrade to 3GPP Rel 17 with Cat 1Bis, a 20% (or 30% depending on where you read) smaller RF frontend, and 50% more accurate GPS in urban or deep canyon areas. Snapdragon W5+/W5 Gen 2 specifications: SWS5100 SoC CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor @ up to 1.7 GHz GPU – Qualcomm Adreno A702 @ up to 1 GHz with OpenGL ES 3.1 API […]

June 2, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

u-blox ZED-F20P triple-band GNSS module provides 25Hz RTK/PPP-RTK with centimeter accuracy for drones and robots

The u-blox ZED-F20P is a high-precision, triple-band GNSS module designed for fast-scaling applications, such as drones, ground robots, and other dynamic platforms. It supports L1/L2/L5 bands and delivers centimeter-level accuracy using RTK and PPP-RTK correction methods. Designed for low power consumption and fast convergence, the ZED-F20P operates at 25 Hz and integrates various security features, making it suitable for lightweight and mobile platforms. It is fully compatible with the existing ZED module footprint and UBX protocol, allowing easy integration and upgrade paths within the ZED portfolio. The module works with the ANN-MB2 all-band antenna and supports u-blox’s PointPerfect Flex and Live correction services, offering rapid, base station–free accuracy in challenging environments. These features make this suitable for applications like robotic lawnmowers and autonomous aerial systems. u-blox ZED-F20P specifications: Storage – Internal Flash for firmware GNSS receiver u-blox F20 engine (672-channel) GPS – L1C/A, L2C, L5 QZSS – L1C/A, L1C/B*, L2C, […]

December 19, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Iridium Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit supports Arduino programming, integrates with Blynk IoT Cloud

Iridium Certus 7904 Satellite IoT Developer Kit is a compact Arduino-programmable devkit with satellite connectivity, a microSD card for data storage, USB and LiPo battery power support, and various expansion options designed for IoT and M2M applications. Featuring a pre-provisioned Iridium Certus 9704 module, the developer kit also supports expansion headers and connectors for Adafruit FeatherWing modules, Arduino Shields, Qwiic/STEMMA QT modules, and Arduino I2C (ESLOV) add-on boards. We have written about several Iridium satellite solutions over many years, but I think it’s the first time we’ve come across an easy-to-use Satellite IoT development kit programmable with the Arduino IDE and with Blynk IoT Cloud integration. Iridium Certus 9704 Satellite IoT Developer Kit specifications: Iridium Certus 9704 Module Max Message Size – 100 KB including images & soundbites through IMT (Iridium Messaging Transport) service Command Interface – JSON-Based Serial Protocol for REST (JSPR) Interfaces – Serial data; SPI; GPIOs; GNSS […]