Wi-Fi to Go, No Cafe Needed
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
But imagine if you could get online anywhere you liked — in a taxi, on the beach, in a hotel with disgustingly overpriced Wi-Fi — without messing around with cellular modems. What if you had a personal Wi-Fi bubble, a private hot spot, that followed you everywhere you go?
Incredibly, there is such a thing. It’s the Novatel MiFi 2200, available from Verizon starting in mid-May ($100 with two-year contract, after rebate). It’s a little wisp of a thing, like a triple-thick credit card. It has one power button, one status light and a swappable battery that looks like the one in a cellphone. When you turn on your MiFi and wait 30 seconds, it provides a personal, portable, powerful, password-protected wireless hot spot.
Fantastic. Now, build this into all computers and have it connect to satellites rather than cell towers, then we’re talkin’ internet off the grid.
Very, very cool indeed! Liking the idea of the simplicity and ease of use. Currently I have a 3G dongle just in case, but it is a bit of a faff to use.
Hope this takes off over here!
Given our lack of cell coverage where I live this solution, while a step in the right direction, means little to me. I want satellite coverage, then I’ll be happy. I doubt I’ll see it any time soon.
And, I would like this to work globally (without ridiculous roaming charges), not just in the US :-)
Absolutely. I agree completely. In all seriousness, I’d be willing to pay a premium for this kind of service.