Sprint Overdrive hands-on

If you were worried that packing WiMAX into a MiFi-like device would end up bloating it by a thousand percent, we're very happy to report that you'd be wrong. The Overdrive's only marginally bigger than a MiFi and takes on a diamond-cut square shape (as opposed to the MiFi's rectangle) while adding a monochrome LCD up front that can be triggered on by touching (but not pressing) the power button. Other than that, you've got a micro-USB port, a microSD slot... and, well, that's about it. For something designed to slide into your pocket, we'd have it no other way.

Sprint Overdrive hands-on

[schmidt1985 Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:03AM]

Now if I could just get some 4G

[jarobusa Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:09AM]

Once we have 4G in SLC, Ill be buying this.

[Fir3lord Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:15AM]

can i get 4g already shesh

[WestleyP Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:15AM]

Once they have 4G in Florida there will probably be 2 more generations.

[Jeremiah Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:17AM]

Disappointing.

[HurricaneDC Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:20AM]

It's like offering a Ferrari without wheels. How about rolling out 4G to DC? Silicon Valley? I mean christ, Baltimore and Philly aren't exactly hubs of tech (DC isn't, but its suburbs have a solid biotech industry).

[esposimi Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:41AM]

What's the microSD card used for? Mini NAS add-on? That would be totally sweet if that is what it's for.

[NWIFSER Posted Jan 7th 2010 2:05AM]

You know... the sprint ads on engadget for this say it does indeed support 4G. Somebody clue me into whats goin on here?

[clodester Posted Jan 7th 2010 2:27AM]

@(Unverified) WiMAX = 4G. The Overdrive supports WiMAX, therefore, it is a 4G device.However, if 4G isn't available in your area it'll fallback on Sprints 3G EvDO network.

[Oli D Posted Jan 7th 2010 5:26AM]

I thought that it was on someone's thumb in the first picture, what a let down.

[Dapke36 Posted Jan 7th 2010 6:00AM]

I do like the screen. However, past battery life and signal strength, I don't see much use for it.

[trisomy21 Posted Jan 7th 2010 6:08PM]

@Dapke36 I do like my hands. However, past eating and building things I don't see much use for them.

[johnnygs Posted Mar 21st 2010 8:34AM]

@trisomy21 I do like penis. However, past waste elimination, procreation and "recreation" I don't have much use for it.

[vVv Posted Jan 7th 2010 6:13AM]

Does it roll for initiative?

[rph718 Posted Jan 7th 2010 10:24AM]

@vVv

+5 outdoors, -2 indoors.

[HektikLyfe Posted Jan 7th 2010 12:24PM]

I'm a little freaked out by the Penguin fin hand model.

[boe Posted Jan 7th 2010 4:37PM]

Sprint actually held a press converence to anounce they will over 4G coverage in about a dozen of the 30,000 US cities throughout the US? Or to put it another way .04% of the US has 4G coverage - stop the presses!

Where the hell are any decent phones for Sprint. No iphone, no HD2, no nexus, no TG01... What the hell are they smoking at Sprint?

[Ryujin Posted Jan 7th 2010 5:55PM]

@boe
if i get WiMax in my area i'll just carry this thing in my pocket and have my Nexus(when I buy it)\PSP\Labtop with skype

[hermex Posted Jan 8th 2010 1:16PM]

4G is here in Portland, in the form of Clear, and guess what? I don't know a single person who uses it. Although I am in the middle of three towers, I can't get a signal in my apartment. Even the installation guy admitted that people say it works great as long as your outside, in the open, but once you go inside, it sucks. Maybe it's just Clear WiMax in Portland that sucks, but the future is here, and it's still crappy.

[JustonWestern Posted Jan 8th 2010 3:01PM]

Any word on whether this one allows you to share Wi-Fi to other devices when the Overdrive is connected to your computer via USB? I believe that was always one of the knocks against the Mi-Fi.

[will2 Posted Jan 11th 2010 6:31PM]

@JustonWestern - completely agree... if its marketed only thru carriers, its functionality will probably be 'locked and crippled', so helpful if Sierra Wireless will publish their specs on that, if it is a TRUE MODEM + ROUTER, and if it's functionality is not restricted when using wall-socket power as in the Novatel MiFi

[will2 Posted Jan 11th 2010 6:28PM]

@justonwestern - completely agree... if its marketed only thru carriers, its functionality will probably by 'locked and crippled', so helpful if Sierra Wireless will publish their specs on that, if it is a TRUE MODEM + ROUTER, and if it's functionality is not restricted when using wall-socket power as in the Novatel MiFi

[will2 Posted Jan 11th 2010 6:38PM]

Good there is a potential improved successor to the Novatel MiFi after nearly a year. However, as should be clear from all the press announcements this last 6 months, the future of 4G is LTE not WiMax, so useful to know if Sierra Wireless have a LTE version in the works, and if they have imporoved on MiFi 54Mbps by adopting 802.11n

[Dellibedaboss Posted Mar 4th 2010 6:42PM]

@will2 Mannn I dont care what the future of 4G is, lol I just want 4G NOW! and Sprint(/Clearwire) can do that for me today. I also read that a Clearwire rep stated that a small firmware upgrade to the towers is all thats needed to convert WiMax to LTE! Purchasing that 3G/4G Overdrive right now...

Sprint, WiMax, 4G FT-MF-W!!!

[Sivartis Posted Jan 12th 2010 1:22AM]

That is damn sexy. Wow. I wish we had 4G in LA, I'd never have left Sprint to get my iPhone...

[Goldfish Posted Jan 13th 2010 1:10AM]

Sprint should just kill their voice network and just focus all their resources on next-gen data services. I bet we would get a lot more people buying wifi phones without data and having one of these.

[Libertyforall Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:50PM]

So can it do BOTH 3G/4G for even MORE bandwidth? ;-)

[johnnygs Posted Mar 21st 2010 8:34AM]

@trisomy21 I do like my penis. However, past waste elimination, procreation and "recreation" I don't have much use for it.