Smart devices are all the rage, we have smart phones, smart cards and the like, why can’t we have smart keys? At some point in the future, smart keys that allow users to do much more than start their car and operate the alarm may be the norm. Naturally, the technology will first be seen on a luxury car.

NXP Semiconductors and BMW are teaming up to bring smart key technology to car buyers. The key prototype contains a contactless payment system along with personalized access control and other advanced functionalities.

Some recent reports claim that users taking advantage of wireless cellular modems to connect the Internet will be more common than users taking advantage of the current standard wired connections in a home. Before this will happen wireless broadband network coverage needs to become more robust and connections need to be faster.

To facilitate the faster connections NXP has launched what it claims to be the world’s fastest cellular modem called the PNX6910. The modem is powered by the Embedded Vector Processor digital signal processing core and can achieve downloads as fast as 150Mbits with uploads of 50Mbits.