If you want a mobile hotspot that will last all day, the MiFi Liberate is the device for you. Although it has some puzzling features, this is a device I wouldn’t mind toting around with me in case I need a connection on the go. Read more »
The next generation MiFi device from Novatel Wireless doesn’t just create a 4G hotspot for 10 devices for a few hours; it provides 11 hours of continuous use, has a touchscreen for configuration and doubles as a media server for smart televisions and other DLNA devices. Read more »
Amazon changed the game when it offered 3G access in its Kindle e-readers at no charge. That connection is great to have, but those who use it to browse the web won’t be happy: Amazon now limits that Internet on-ramp to just 50 MB per month. Read more »
In a new twist on old pre-paid data plans, WalMart and TruConnect have partnered to offer “Internet on the Go.” The service offers pre-paid 3G data in small buckets for use with a MiFi. The data you purchase never expires, so it’s attractive for occasional use. Read more »
Verizon’s new “Share Everything” plans use one bucket of data for up to 10 devices on an account. Instead of buying a data plan for each device, one monthly charge covers voice, messages and data to be shared. And it will likely save you money. Read more »
Verizon calls its line of LTE MiFis “Jetpacks” and one of the newest is the Novatel 4620L. I used one for a few days and found it to be a vast improvment over my old original MiFi, also built by Novatel Wireless. Read more »
T-Mobile is the per GB charges for its no-contract data plans.The overall price of the low-capacity one week plan is now rising to $15, but customers it provides 3x the amount of broadband. There is also a new middle-tier plan, making for three monthly plan options. Read more »
Windows Phone owners may want to connect their device to a computer and check for updates. I just did and found a software release that added the long-awaited Internet sharing feature for my HD7 handset. So now the question becomes: MiFi or handset as personal hotspot? Read more »
Introduced in 2009, Novatel Wireless’s MiFi sales topped the 3 million mark on Monday. The big number is no surprise because of the MiFi’s simplicity and utility: press a button and share a mobile broadband connection over Wi-Fi. Smartphones and software could mute future sales, however. Read more »
T-Mobile announced its first two smartphones capable of fully utilizing the operator’s 42 Mbps mobile broadband network. The carrier’s version of the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Amaze 4G were introduced along with a new 42 Mbps MiFi, the T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile Hotspot. Read more »
MiFi mobile hotspots aren’t new, but not everyone wants the two-year data contract that comes with one. TruConnect launched a new 3G MiFi on Monday for $90 that uses Sprint’s 3G network, doesn’t require a contract and costs $0.039 per megabyte; great for a Wi-Fi tablet. Read more »
Tablets and e-readers and connected electric meters … oh my! As device makers embed broadband into more gadgets, and consumer demand for ubiquitous broadband skyrockets, operators are realizing they aren’t in Kansas anymore and traditional financial metrics and ways of running their businesses won’t cut it. Read more »
AT&T is getting ready to launch its LTE network, and the first two devices that can use it have been introduced. One is a mobile hotspot, while the other is a USB data stick, but both should handle seamless transitions between 3G and 4G networks. Read more »
How does Verizon’s MiFi 4510L stack up on the carrier’s LTE network? Quite well, after my hands on testing that covered every connected activity I could think of. Aside from the faster network speeds, this MiFi has some nice upgrades over the prior 3G models too. Read more »
Comcast today announced that it will offer a 4G MiFi device, but what I found curious was that in the release about the device and Comcast’s Xfinity Wireless2Go product there’s no mention of the WiMAX protocol, an omission that’s becoming more common. Read more »
Virgin Mobile provides a MiFi option that doesn’t require a contract, ideal for use with your iPad. It even uses the same hardware as Verizon’s. Best of all this gives you access to a whole new network (specifically, Sprint’s). Too good to be true? Read more »
Only 7 percent of customers recently polled are interested in a mobile broadband data dongle, down from 20 percent just three years ago. Wi-Fi and the Mi-Fi are reducing demand for single-device data sticks, but smartphones with mobile hotspot capabilities show potential of a larger impact. Read more »
As mobile broadband subscribers are about to surpass those on wires, you’d think that sales revenue for Novatel Wireless’s MiFi would be up. But it’s not and it’s about to face challenges from an increasing number of smartphones that will double as personal mobile broadband hotspots. Read more »
Mobile hotspots, devices that share a mobile connection with other devices, will approach $500 million in revenue this year according to a report. This is a combination of the sale of mobile hotspot devices and the fees that networks charge for the service. Read more »
Notebook makers are still adding embedded 3G and 4G radios in laptops, but in a world of MiFi devices and Wi-Fi gadgets, does the embedded mobile broadband model still make sense? MiFi sales are up and consumers simply don’t want a data plan for every device. Read more »
In a bid to grab new customers, Sprint’s Virgin Mobile USA is now offering prepaid unlimited mobile broadband service for $40 per month with no contract. That compares to Verizon’s new prepaid plan at twice the price with a 5 GB limit over 30 days. Read more »
Nearly 17.3% of Europe’s PC-based broadband connections are using some form of high-speed wireless broadband. In North America, mobile broadband accounts for just 7.1% of the total number of connections, but by 2015 this will change to 34.8 percent (or 42 million subscribers) by 2015. Read more »
Traveling internationally can be expensive when it comes to data plans. Each country has different requirements and different pricing, and roaming charges are exorbitant. Xcom Global is now offering the daily rental of a Novatel MiFi 2372, and the rate includes unlimited data in 21 countries. Read more »
We told you about the Bell Mobility recall of the Novatel MiFi 2372 due to the potential for batteries swelling and causing serious problems. We just received word from Rogers that it too is recalling the MiFi 2372 for the same reason so contact them ASAP. Read more »
Novatel MiFi 2372 owners have been notified by Bell Mobility that a potential danger exists due to swelling batteries and a recall has been issued. The issue is considered serious enough that Bell Mobility shut MiFi accounts down yesterday to prevent the usage of the MiFi. Read more »
Novatel Wireless today has announced the securing of a trademark for the MiFi name for its brand of wireless hotspot devices. Brand awareness is certainly important, but customers also need to understand the value brought a MiFi device, which shares a data connection with five devices. Read more »
While global sales of mobile broadband devices are up 55 percent in 2009, there’s was a surprising drop in sales of personal hot spots — a reported decrease of 28 percent from 2008. Two key reasons are the likely driving force behind the lower sales numbers. Read more »
Verizon is coaching sales staffers to encourage consumers to pick up Apple’s iPad and connect it to its network via a MiFi. It’s an expensive proposition for users, but it’s a reminder that the MiFi will be a powerful tool as more tablets come to market. Read more »
It’s definitely iPad Mania, with information about the new slate from Apple everywhere you turn. Steve Jobs dashed the hopes of those wanting to tether the iPad to the iPhone. That won’t stop me. I will be tethering my iPad from day one. So can you. Read more »
Sprint’s Overdrive isn’t going to be the only game in town when it comes to sharing 4G WiMAX with multiple devices. Novatel Wireless tested it’s new MiFi prototype and it offers great speeds. Will more and faster 4G devices bring bandwidth caps sooner? Read more »
Working outside the office is a staple for the home worker, but it can be a refreshing change for anyone. Having a work break is vital to stay fresh, but it can be combined with simple techniques to turn it into a productive work session. Read more »
Because I hail from Massachusetts, where our politicians are famous for being against something before they are for it, I’ll just state this: I was dead set against another data plan for wireless Internet before I was for it. I pay $70 a month for my […] Read more »
Millions in the northeast U.S. are under blankets of snow that have shut down many cities. Although trapped in the home by the storm, the use of mobile tech can make that experience easier with proper planning. Here’s how to weather the storm with tech. Read more »
The Palm Mobile Hotspot feature can be a boon to the mobile worker if connection speeds are good. While my initial testing showed slow speeds, further testing has determined the cause is not the Palm technology. Read the post and help me with a fix. Read more »
One exciting new feature of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus is the Mobile Hotspot support. The ability to use either phone like a MiFi is certainly appealing, as long as it works well. Unfortunately, it looks like it might not. Read more »
When two hundred journalists got together recently for an “un-conference” on the future of journalism, it was hardly surprising that the results were documented, minute by minute, through notes, wikis, photos, audio, video, blogs and an amazing number of tweets. The organizers approached me to develop […] Read more »
For Novatel, the maker of cellular modems, the introduction of the MiFi wireless router has added a little shine to a fairly unglamorous business, while also insulating the company from the loss of a major customer during the most recent quarter. But will the MiFi luster […] Read more »
Novatel Wireless said this week that it will open up its MiFi router to developers who want to build applications for the popular gadget. This means tech companies can build software that will run on the credit card-sized Wi-Fi router that uses Verizon’s or Sprint’s 3G […] Read more »
Verizon will start selling the MiFi 2200, a nifty, credit card-sized 3G router this Sunday, May 17th. It’s definitely worth checking out, especially if you use more than one device on the go. The MiFi is a pocketable, battery-powered combined 3G modem and Wi-Fi router that […] Read more »
Have a MacBook that is a hottie, literally? Today’s laptop computers, from the 1.6 GHz MacBook Air on up, have more performance than most of us need, but the downside is heat. When I first reviewed Targus’s Chill Mat product nearly four years ago, it was […] Read more »
