Cellular Wireless Router
Novatel MiFi 2200 Cellular Wireless Router
Being unconnected is becoming less and less of an option for everyone now, not just road warriors. Unfortunately the experience is still usually enabled by cellular modems: cumbersome, power-hungry, and generally for a single user, and isn’t Starbucks tech support a pleasure if everything isn’t working properly?
But now there’s the Novatel MiFi 2200 cellular wireless router. Maybe you can see where I’m going. About the size of a short stack of credit cards, it creates a Wi-Fi cloud with a 30-ft/9.1 meter range, usable by up to five people. It’s rechargeable, which means no power cord. It’s wireless connectivity, which means no wires or hard-connection hassles. Turn it on, just leave it in your bag or your pocket, and multiple devices are connected. Security? Others can share your signal only if you share the password. Excited? Me too.
Internet signal is via Verizon’s 3G (high-speed) cellular data network and the $60/mo. plan gives you 5 GB of data transfer. The device itself is $100 with two-year contract, after rebate. Roughly four hours of continuous heavy usage by one user supposedly; a charge *should* last you about a day. Available from Verizon in the US in mid-May. Digital Media Minute is waiting for a demo model to review. But we’re not begging. Very much. We’d make time, really…
