Abstract: A housing has a bud portion abutting an elongated stem portion. The bud portion is to fit within an ear. The bud portion has a primary sound outlet at its far end that is to be inserted into an outer ear canal, and abuts the stem portion at its near end. A speaker driver is inside the bud portion. Electronic circuitry inside the housing includes a wireless communications interface to receive audio content over-the-air and in response provides an audio signal to the speaker driver. A rechargeable battery as a power source for the electronic circuitry is located inside a cavity of the stem portion. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method of operating a telecommunication network to route a first phone call, from a caller to a channel of a free position of a plurality of positions at a selected destination of a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, and for connecting a second phone call from the caller to a second channel of the same free position to create a multi-channel data call is disclosed. The selected destination is one of a plurality of destinations selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number. Each of the plurality of positions is associated with a discrete telephone number. A plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls are established for the call. An additional data rate discriminator is established for a data call corresponding to a requested data rate for the calling party. A database is accessed in response to receiving the common telephone from the calling party for obtaining a destination number for data calls.

Abstract: An expendable oceanographic sensor apparatus is deployed from an airplane or a ship to make oceanographic observations in a profile of the surface-to-ocean floor, while deployed on the floor, and then a second profile when returning to the ocean surface. The device then records surface conditions until on-board batteries fail. All data collected is stored and then transmitted from the surface to either a satellite or other receiving station. The apparatus is provided with an anchor that causes descent to the ocean floor and then permits ascent when the anchor is released. Anchor release is predetermined by the occurrence of a pre-programmed event.