Small is beautiful. Sharp says it is now offering what it describes as the world's smallest WLAN module. It is not only small--it also consumes less power than any other WLAN module currently available. The unit measures only 8.0 x 7.6 x 1.3 mm. When sending data, the module's power consumption is a mere 654mW. Moreover, power usage drops even lower, to 165mW, when the module handles inbound data. The drain on the battery in stand-by mode is an infinitesimal 0.3mW.

Sharp will begin shipping a sample next month. And, yes, the unit may be small, but the price tag is not: At $170, it is not likely that phone or camera manufacturers will be falling over each other to include it in their products.

For more on Sharp's tiny offering:
- see Mobile Magazine's report