Updated Verizon Network Extender gets FCC blessing

Sprint got FCC approval for an EV-DO-capable version of its Airave femtocell back in April -- and now, it's Verizon's turn. As you might expect, this is the same Samsung-sourced unit that we saw back in January at CES, which was expected to launch in the second quarter. It's a little late for that, but not by much -- and FCC approval is typically a good sign for these sorts of things. Besides the addition of 3G data, the new model should support up to eight simultaneous connections (versus the current model's four). Enough to justify an upgrade for current owners? Probably not, but a nice refresh for anyone on the fence about whether they really need an extra bar or three of signal strength at the home or office.