Verizon MiFi 2200 EV-DO hotspot leaks out, will sell like Canadian bananas

It's not quite as sexy as the brushed aluminum version we saw back in December, but these leaked images showing a Verizon-branded Novatel MiFi 2200 personal hotspot are certainly enough to get the blood pumping. If you don't recall the concept, the MiFi is a battery-powered EV-DO router the size of a credit card that can provide network access over WiFi for up to four hours on a charge. There's still a lot of details up in the air here, like how many devices can connect at once and the max data rate, but if this thing comes in anywhere close to its estimated $200 price tag we'd say a lot of those answers might not matter. Couple more pics at the read link.

[Eltorro @ Mar 30th 2009 5:33PM]

Canada has bananas?!?

[Richard @ Mar 30th 2009 5:36PM]

You spelled Canadia wrong. Everyone knows it sounds better with the i.

[James @ Mar 30th 2009 8:13PM]

I just think of it as americas weed friendly hat.

[Jorvay @ Mar 31st 2009 9:00AM]

We do have bananas in Canada, but they're metric bananas, so they're not compatable with the U.S. market.

[Chuckles McGee @ Mar 30th 2009 5:41PM]

Confusion. So this let's me connect my computer to the EVDO network using my wifi card? Or this lets me connect my non-wifi phone to Wifi over the EVDO network?

[uncjigga2k @ Mar 30th 2009 6:02PM]

Chuckles, this does the former, not the latter. It has an EVDO Rev. A modem built-in and you'd get a separate data plan. You press the power button, it instantly connects, and establishes a wifi hotspot. I believe you can use it with up to 5 PCs/wifi devices at a time.

[Evan @ Mar 30th 2009 7:49PM]

To people who think they are going to use this at home...

Its Verizon people! You will get 5GB/month and they will WTFRAPE you, both with speed throttling and/or jacking up your bill, if you try using this as your main internet connection. A few devices connected to this thing for the duration of its battery life could easily rack up 5gb of transfer. Unless they come up with some amazing new way of running their data service (and they won't) then this isn't that great.

I have Verizon and their network is great, but as a company, they will milk your bank account dry if you put too much strain on their data network.

[Joe @ Mar 30th 2009 5:41PM]

Could I use this to turn an iPod touch into an iPhone, but with a better network?

[Mike @ Mar 30th 2009 5:49PM]

verizon is hardly a better network, if you take into account how much they try to scam you daily.

the only thing they're good for so far is that they dont sue when you torrent stuff.

[Eltorro @ Mar 30th 2009 6:01PM]

I like Verizon. I've never had any problems with anything except the limited phone selection.

[MBN @ Mar 30th 2009 6:31PM]

Mike, he said "better network" not better company, two entirely different things.

[Yuriy @ Mar 30th 2009 7:42PM]

yes you could but you have limit 5G per month compare what you get from AT&T unlimited iPhone data plan. And there is not much visual difference. Specially when Verizon lose their 1st place to AT&T in quality service.

[Evan @ Mar 30th 2009 7:51PM]

Allow me to refer you to http://forums.crackberry.com/f71/verizon-wireless-3g-193351/

[Gojulas @ Mar 31st 2009 12:34AM]

@Yuriy

Last I checked, doesn't ATT's "unlimited" data translate to 5GB ANYWAYS? Well it does according to every unlimited iPhone user I personally know. At least VZW is honest about the cap, which mind you is only for DUN/Tethering. When they say unlimited, they mean unlimited. I have a BlackBerry on VZW and happily stream all sorts of media to my phone without any fear of capping, I also happily use TetherBerry for free tethering and they don't give a rats ass about that either.

I will be the first to say I bloody hate some of VZWs business practices, but I think 'scam' implies subversion or deceit. They don't seem to have a problem shoving the fact that you are getting the shaft and paying a premium in your face, and hell if I care because that nice little EvDO symbol is always lit on my phone, and I can do whatever I damn well please with my 3G.

[bkim @ Mar 31st 2009 9:12AM]

@Yuriy

AT&T's voice and data service are terrible in Chicago. I used to have Verizon and their network is solid. I rarely--if ever--had issues with Verizon's service. I was willing to pay more for the better service. I only switched to AT&T for the iPhone. I'd say at least half my calls get dropped at some point with AT&T.

I also have a Sprint USB EVDO device that I use with my laptop. I haven't done any serious testing, but it appears that Sprint's EVDO network is superior to AT&T's 3G network, as well. Anyway, long story short, I wish Apple and Verizon would have sealed the deal instead of Apple and AT&T. I'm actually paying more for voice/data service now with AT&T than I was with Verizon.

[Tracy in Cary @ Mar 30th 2009 5:50PM]

I don't know why you'd get excited over a $200 price tag. Even if they charged you twice that, the cost of the deivce will be dwarfed by the $50 per month X 24-month data contract they'll make you sign.

[viper @ Mar 30th 2009 7:28PM]

Because if you are like me and time warner will not provide you with broadband so I am forced to buy it from clearwire at a higher cost this might be a new venue because vzw is in more places

[Jason @ Apr 1st 2009 5:30PM]

What is the practical use for this, or why is it so exciting? I'm not criticizing. Just curious. It's only a battery powered router right?

[uncjigga2k @ Mar 30th 2009 5:59PM]

A colleague and I demoed one of these on a train not too long ago. We had both our laptops connected with some light surfing, and I had my ipod touch streaming Pandora from NYC to DC. I think this will be pretty popular for ipod touch fans.

[waterwagen @ Mar 31st 2009 9:55AM]

Agreed. Not doing a lot of calling personally, the main thing I don't like about my touch is the lack of data anywhere, particularly for looking up maps or streaming from Pandora/Slacker in the car. If this thing is as portable as it sounds, it could be an easy to use solution to that problem. Just toss it on the seat in the car and I'm good to go for streaming music, etc. on my iPod. Plus the connectivity for my laptop of course. An interesting product.

[Mr. Q @ Mar 30th 2009 6:04PM]

I'm going to get one to go along with my new Tag Meridiist. And my USB rocket launcher.

[Brad @ Mar 30th 2009 6:09PM]

I see what you did there...

:D

[spif @ Mar 30th 2009 6:08PM]

OK, so when do we get a version for Sprint?

[spif @ Mar 30th 2009 6:08PM]

Never mind, here's my answer:

http://www.intomobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sprint-leak1.jpg

[MBN @ Mar 30th 2009 6:33PM]

Thanks for the link. That's great news!

[matt @ Mar 30th 2009 6:14PM]

Or just spend €15 on Joikuspot/WMwifi router. Uses your existing data allowance, handy if you have unlimited for £5/Mo.

[Clyde Berry @ Mar 30th 2009 6:27PM]

What are them fancy "E"s and "L"s you're using? We ain't got none a them where I'm from..

[Franky G @ Mar 30th 2009 6:27PM]

Now if FiOS could only make their wireless routers better...

[Warren @ Mar 30th 2009 6:34PM]

Confused... So - in theory - I could ditch Cox Internet and buy this thing...and pay a lower monthly fee for internet - but it would come from EVDO which is then broadcast in my home as WiFi - to which all of my normal WiFi devices can connect...?

[Tim Rosencrans @ Mar 30th 2009 6:34PM]

and remember folks thats $59.99 for the first 5 GB and $1250 for the next.

or $.20 just for this page.

And $42 to watch the Photoshop User TV podcast, actually I think can get Matt and Dave to come to my house for that much...or at least Dave.

[Gene @ Mar 30th 2009 6:39PM]

I still don't see the point...at least for US carriers....sure...we know the technology exists...had has existed for a while now....but the service for it....well...it's like having an awesome car but nowhere to run it.

as long as the stupid 5GB/month limit exists, it will continue to be mediocre (especially since there's no unlimited data plan on 3G/EVDO/etc. in the US)
so among 5 ppl, it will be 1GB per person per month....I can do that in less than an hour easily.

[Tim Rosencrans @ Mar 30th 2009 6:48PM]

download 3 HD movies from itunes and your first (and last no doubt) bill will be $1544.00 with activation. Thats $4.85 per minute for HD.

[spif @ Mar 30th 2009 6:58PM]

For most people I'm not sure what this offers that you couldn't do by getting a 3G phone and tethering. But for those of us with EDGE+WiFi phones on T-Mobile, who don't want to wait for 3G to come to our area and then also have to upgrade our phone, and who also happen to have a 3G data plan on a CDMA carrier (Sprint) for our laptops, and don't want to switch our phone to Sprint for various reasons... this is a perfect fit. Besides which, who doesn't want to be a walking 3G internet hotspot? It's certainly a way to be popular under certain circumstances :-)

[bk00 @ Mar 30th 2009 8:05PM]

I reckon that you are quite the nerd.

[Noire @ Mar 30th 2009 8:44PM]

Awesome, i've been wondering when more info on this would come out!

[bjsguess @ Mar 30th 2009 9:45PM]

What good is mobile broadband when you can't use it because of caps? 5GB is nothing unless you just email and do light web surfing.

[TechHead @ Mar 31st 2009 1:03PM]

The most data I have ever used in 1 month over the past 3 years with a Verizon Smartphone / Blackberry was 297 mb, which is a paltry 6% of the 5 GB cap, so I don't think this would be a problem. This device is not intended to be downloading 5 HD movies per month or constantly using, however it should well suffice for those of us who prefer to remain with Verizon due to the quality of their network and have mobile iPod Touch access!!!