Mi(y) Mi-Fi with Wi-Fi - Awesome little device.
I have had a Verizon Wireless MiFi Broadband Router for about weeks now and felt it was time to share my real world experiences and thoughts on the device. In three words: IT IS GREAT!
What is it? It is basically a Verizon Wireless EVDO card in a small casing that acts as a Wi-FI Router and allows for 5 simultaneous devices to connect to it.
How does it work? The MiFi is like any other router on the underside of it you will find a SSID and a WPA Security key so you can connect any of your devices to it via wi-fi. If you dont have a device with wi-fi y ou can plug it into your computer via usb and use the VZAccess Manager software to gain connectivity.
How big or small is it? Simply put it is the size of a Kit-Kat bar.
Battery Life? I charged it fully for testing purposes and connected my blackberry 8900 and iPhone 3g to it. My commutes are usualy about 4 hours round trip per day and thus this was the best way to test the device. I enabled streaming stock quotes on the blackberry and browsed using my iPhone for the entire time to really put it through its paces. Real world is after heavy usage about 5 hours of battery life. This will of course change based on coverage areas and the such.
Speed? This is where the MiFi shines - I must say I was impressed. Since there is no easy way to do a speed test from a mobile device I simply connected my laptop to it via wi-fi and did 4-5 speed tests in different locations to make them as accurate as possible. The average speed is about 1.75mbits down and close to 800kbps up. Impressive to say the least...especially in remote parts of New Jersey and while moving in a vehicle. (Someone else was driving :-))
I am no stranger to mobile connectivity. The MiFi is a truly amazing device and its size alone makes it a MUST BUY! The ability to have wi-fi on all mobile devices via EVDO and not having to worry about connecting cards and cables is truly AMAZING.
Why then does it get a 4/5 - Simple - No unlimited data plans mean we have to keep our eyes on our usage and we may go over if we are not careful...especially because its so easy to get connected.More detail ...
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