Though 4G is a ubiquitous topic of discussion at CES – referenced in keynotes by Intel and Microsoft as well as the “what’s cool?” conversations, there’s precious little in terms of product to either showcase or help define the product here at the show.  Sprint, which is the first and thus far only cell carrier to offer 4G in the US – though for data, not talk – appears to be the only company to launch a new 4G device here, and it’s pretty nifty.

The Sprint Overdrive allows you to create your own personal Wi-Fi hotspot on-the-go.  The tiny box draws down the 4G signal and disperses it through five USB ports – essentially a mobile router.  And Sprint claims the 4G speeds are up to 10x faster than 3G.

It has 15MB of onboard storage.  It also has GPS capabilities tied to a Google Maps.  “It’s great if companies want to get a camera on one of their trucks.  They can put a camera on it and track the location,” a Sprint rep suggested.  The device has 16 MB of onboard storage, three hours of battery life and 36 hours of standby.

Though 4G is currently limited to fewer than 15 US markets, Sprint expects to be in just under 100 markets by the end of the year, when phones should begin to hit the market.  And the 4G gear falls back to 3G when the higher bandwidth isn’t available.