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ZTE Sprint International Mobile Hotspot does CDMA in US, GSM abroad
We love mobile wireless hotspots, and we especially love when they work internationally -- which until today, has left Sprint's CDMA/WiMAX devices out of the mix. This latest variant gives some love to the world traveling crowd, however, with domestic support for EVDO Rev A, and international support for GSM/GRPS/EDGE as well as WCDMA/HSDPA/HSUPA. There's no word on what you'll expect to pay for your data abroad, but Sprint does include an "unlocked SIM" in the box, along with international power adapters. A built-in display indicates battery life and connectivity, so you know when the device is ready to beam the web to up to five WiFi devices on CDMA, or a single device while roaming on GSM. Available now, the hotspot will run you $50 after a $50 rebate and with a two-year contract, provides a range of up to 130 feet, and can pump out a wireless signal for up to four hours (sadly WiMAX is not supported). Jump past the break for the lowdown from Sprint.
Iridium AxcessPoint turns your satellite phone into a mobile hotspot
Hello there traveler. Have you discovered that you sorely miss being connected to the internet while wandering the desert or adrift at sea? Sure, you could buy a satellite modem, but after dropping a cool grand on a satellite phone you're probably not looking to break the bank just to check your e-mail. Iridium's new AxcessPoint may be just what you're looking for. Sure, the $200 asking price for this deck-of-cards-sized device isn't exactly chump change, but it's far cheaper than other solutions. Simply plug it into a compatible Iridium phone and you've got an instant mobile hotspot. Yes, the speeds are going to be of the sub-dialup variety and you'll have to fork over $1 for every minute of data used, but it's a small price to pay for being able to check your latest Groupon offers while floating in the middle of the Sargasso Sea. Check out the PR after the break.
Xcom Global opens LAX service center, the jetset get data without borders
We've sung Xcom Global's praises to the heavens before, and that's because it's made our always-on internet addiction an easy fix abroad. Well, prepare to add the international wireless convenience to your list of last minute carry-ons. Announced today, the company has opened its first satellite service center at Los Angeles' LAX airport, bringing unlimited roaming data to US-based travelers starting at $12.95/day. The rental MiFi Hotspot units, available prior to boarding, come packaged with an Unlimited aXcess plan, and can feed up to five of your data-hungry devices. So, if you're headed out on that next Eurotrip, or just a terminal-bound refugee from Krakozhia, you might want to give this internet lifeline a whirl.
Three announces UK's first 21Mbps HSDPA+ hotspot for September arrival
Live in the UK and have a burning desire for faster internet while on the run? Excellent, because Three is taking an important step forward with the announcement of its new Huawei E586 MiFi. It's a mobile hotspot that supports 21.1Mbps HSDPA -- a first for the British market -- and is designed to complement the network's current upgrade of its equally brisk HSPA+ network. The device is slated for a September arrival and features a charging cradle that's designed to keep you in business beyond the stated 4.5 hour battery life. Additionally, an OLED screen on the hotspot's face displays information such as your data usage, current connection speed and password. Pricing hasn't been announced for the little one, but if we've piqued your curiosity, just follow the break for the full PR.
Xcom Global's Euro SIM solves your European data conundrum: $13 per day, works in 40 countries
Say it with us: Hallelujah! It's a problem that BMW European Delivery owners (not to mention gap-year backpackers and generic business travelers) have had for eons, and while the EU seems to have the whole "one currency" thing under control, the lack of a "one data plan" has continued to break the backs of connected travelers. No more. Xcom Global -- the company that revolutionized the art of staying connected abroad -- has just done the same thing for those planning their next Eurotrip. The newly-launched Euro SIM enables US-based jetsetters to rent a single device that'll provide unlimited data access in a staggering 40 nations across the pond. Everywhere from Iceland to San Marino is covered, including 20 extra countries that weren't covered even last week. Folks can pick up a MiFi for $14.95 per day (and yeah, that covers all 40 countries!) or a USB WWAN model for $12.95 a day, and if you happen to scoot over to a locale in Europe that isn't covered, you'll still be able to get online at a cost of one cent per KB. Hit the source link to find out more, and ping your best friend's travel agent to set those long-backburnered plans in motion.
Virgin Mobile announces new Broadband2Go plan, doles out 500MB for $20
Having an exclusive plan all to yourself deserves bragging rights -- just ask Virgin Mobile's ZTE Peel. When introduced last month, the Peel came with a brand-new monthly option that offered 500MB of data for $20, earning the envy of its broadband brethren. Starting today, Virgin Mobile is changing course to offer this plan on the network's other Broadband2Go devices, the Ovation MC 760 USB and MiFi 2200. What's a bit puzzling here is that this new plan will be simultaneously offered next to Walmart's deal -- which doubles the capacity to 1GB for the same monthly fee. Confused? Us too. Anyway, if you're still interested, look for the new plan to go live at 10 AM ET.
Comcast launches Xfinity 3G / 4G MiFi for $25
Comcast teamed up with Clearwire to bring WiMAX to the masses a couple of years ago, and now the company is jumping on the bandwidth-sharing bandwagon by offering a mobile hotspot. It's the same Novatel 3G/4G MiFi from Sprint that's been putting internet access in our pockets for a month, only this one sports an Xfinity badge and cheaper price tag. While the Now Network version costs $80, Comcast's Internet 2go customers get the device for $25 on a one-year contract. Plus service is only $40 a month for the same Clearwire coverage that costs $50 from Sprint. Sounds like a winning WiMAX combination to us.
Xcom Global's international MiFi rentals getting cheaper, Eurotrips making a comeback
No sense in beating around the proverbial bush -- we're huge fans of Xcom Global's business model, and frankly, we're saddened that every single nation in the world isn't yet included in its list of supported countries. For those hearing the name for the first time, you'll be doing yourself a solid by catching up with our review of the service, which enables jetsetters to rent MiFis or USB WWAN devices for international destinations before taking off. The end result is an always-on data connection for a reasonable fee (read: no roaming), and it looks as if those fees are about to shrink in the coming months. The company has informed us that it'll be previewing "membership pricing" starting next month, giving consumers the ability to pick up a MiFi for $14.95 per day or a USB WWAN dongle for $12.95 per day. The real story, however, is this: second MiFis for two-country itineraries will no longer incur an additional fee, and if you're setting out on a bona fide Eurotrip, every MiFi beyond that will ring up as a flat $30 fee regardless of trip length. We're told that the pricing scheme will be fully revealed in June, and that it's a permanent endeavor as opposed to a trial run. Membership itself will also be free, and while we're still holding out hope that Xcom can nail down a global MiFi solution, these pricing tweaks will certainly make it easy to nation-hop while across the pond.
AT&T's MiFi 2372 gets DLNA update, streams media even without 3G connectivity
Novatel 2372 MiFi owners could always stream tunes from the web, but now they can do it from microSD -- after downloading Maintenance Release 1.0, that is, which finally brings DLNA server functionality. DLNA support means your mobile hotspot can share music, video and other content to devices over the network from an inserted flash card, even when the router can't serve up 3G -- especially useful on AT&T devices, which, you know, tend to suffer from occasional network congestion and data caps. The update also includes a new Customer Care Widget and a more intuitive MiFi OS web interface, so even average consumers might be able to configure one of these without consulting tech support. Sounds like a win for everybody.
ZTE Peel 3200 joins Virgin Mobile's broadband bargain bin
If you own an iPod Touch, you know that finding a wifi hotspot in the outside world is more precious than gold. How much would it be worth to have such a treasure with you all of the time? Virgin Mobile thinks it's worth $100, the cost of the quietly-launched ZTE Peel 3200. If the name sounds familiar, that's because Sprint has been offering the 3G mobile-hotspot-in-a-case since November. The only difference between the two -- aside from the logos -- is the number that follows the dollar sign. Compared to Sprint's $80 offering, Virgin's model tragically demands a larger share of your wallet than its twin brother, and only offers one prepaid plan of 500 MB per month for $20. That's not too shabby if you're a casual user looking for a bargain, but it certainly isn't ideal for those of us data guzzlers who voraciously download every Engadget podcast. And we almost forgot the important part: the Peel will only fit on second and third-gen iPod Touch models, so take a quick glance at your device to make sure it's compatible before you click that "buy now" button. [Thanks, Eli]
Verizon brings out LTE-riding MiFi 4510L, asks for $100 on a two-year contract or $270 without
We saw this little guy back at CES in January and then last month heard it wouldn't be long before it started retailing around the good old US of A. That day has now come, with Verizon officially kicking off sales of its first LTE MiFi device, the 4510L. It's not cheap, at $100 on contract (with a $175 ETF, to boot) or $270 when bought by its lonesome. Still, if you can afford it, this Novatel-produced gadget will turn the nearest Verizon airwaves (4G or 3G, it can handle both) into familiar 802.11b, g or n WiFi signals, which your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or LAN rig can then gobble up with gay abandon. It's capable of serving as a mobile hotspot for up to five devices at a time, and promised LTE speeds range between 5Mbps and 12Mbps on the downlink and 2Mbps to 5Mbps when uploading. Check out the press release after the break or the source link to get your own. P.S. -- Verizon has also tweeted a promise that it'll be launching LTE service in "a mess of new cities and towns" on Thursday.
T-Mobile's 4G Mobile Hotspot going on sale April 13?
Well, well. Android Central got a hold of a leaked document revealing that T-Mobile's 4G Mobile Hotspot, the first of its kind for the carrier, is slated to go on sale April 13th. We're inclined to believe it, since T-Mo just confirmed that the LG G2x, also named in the doc, will indeed go on sale April 15th. Alas, if you've been waiting for more info about the pricey, Honeycomb-powered T-Mobile LG G-Slate, you can keep holding your breath: all we know is that it's coming "soon."
Sprint launches Novatel MiFi 3G / 4G mobile hotspot
This one's been floating around since way back in December, but Novatel's new 3G / 4G MiFi is now finally available from Sprint -- albeit only via direct ship, Sprint retail channels will get it on April 17th. It will run you $79.99 on a two-year contract, and comes packing Novatel's rather novel MiFi OS, which is actually a stripped-down version of Linux that lets you take advantage of various widgets and applications. It's also GPS enabled, and has a microSD card slot that allows for up to 32GB of shared storage. Full press release is after the break, and you can check out a few early reviews of the device at the more coverage links below.
Novatel's 2372 MiFi gets DLNA certified, can serve up some beats with those bytes
The humble MiFi from Novatel has, in various guises for myriad carriers, saved our bacon on repeated occasions at press events, feeding up sweet connectivity when 3G USB modems were few or ineffective. Now it can make that bacon sizzle, too, receiving DLNA certification and becoming a little media streamer. Content loaded to the MiFi's microSD card will now be served up to any compatible media player, receiver, or computer, which includes watching movies on iPads and Xboxes and PS3's. Oh, my! It remains to be seen whether existing 2372s will be upgradeable to support DLNA or whether it'll be new devices only, but the company has said that AT&T will be the first carrier to offer the service. So, there's something to look forward to, T-Mobile subscribers.
Samsung, Novatel LTE mobile hotspots said to be hitting Verizon any day now
We haven't heard much about these since Verizon first showed them off way back at CES, but Phone Arena is reporting that a launch of Samsung and Novatel's new LTE mobile hotspots is now finally "imminent." That includes Novatel's USB551L LTE dongle in addition to the 4510L MiFi, both of which will be Mac-compatible out of the box (unlike Verizon's first pair of LTE modems), although that functionality has yet to be confirmed for Samsung's SCH-L11 hotspot. Still no word on pricing for any of them either, but Phone Arena says all three will be receiving a $50 rebate, so a price in line with Verizon's current, similarly-discounted $99 modems seems likely. [Thanks, Valentin]
Verizon offers unlimited LTE data plan for HTC Thunderbolt, don't expect it to stick around
Verizon execs have been clear as crystal that unlimited smartphone data will follow the dodo -- perhaps as soon as summer of this year -- but in the meanwhile you can drink your fill of the best as the HTC Thunderbolt will launch this Thursday with an unlimited LTE data plan. While we've no guarantees how long it will last, or whether you can grandfather the $30 monthly option into bigger and better devices down the road, it does open up a whole new avenue of opportunity for the Thunderbolt. Considering that Verizon's 4G USB modems top out at 10GB of LTE data for $80 a month, the HTC handset just became the most powerful, affordable MiFi you could possibly own. Assuming battery life is decent, of course. Find the full PR below.
Dear Aunt TUAW: What's my best bet for international data?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I will be in China for 10 days on vacation later this year, and I'd like to share photos, updates, etc. with friends at home. What's the best way to do that? I have an iPhone 4 and a Wi-Fi only iPad. As far as I can tell, my options are to either buy into AT&T's international data plans (although I don't mind the price, the minimal amount of data you get probably won't be enough) OR unlock my phone and get a China-specific SIM (complicated, and I'm unsure how to get the SIM and make sure it works). Perhaps I might be able to get a MyFi-like hotspot device that would work in China, but I'm not even sure such a device exists. So what's the best option for data when traveling to China? Hugs, Your nephew Jason M
Using Personal Hotspot for FaceTime over 3G
If you've used a Novatel Wireless MiFi 3G Hotspot for Wi-Fi connectivity on the go, you know that it's basically like having a Wi-Fi router that you can carry with you anywhere. That means that anything that works on Wi-Fi -- including FaceTime video calling -- works over the 3G internet connection provided by the MiFi. Beginning next Friday anybody with an iPhone running iOS 4.3 will have that Personal Hotspot capability running on their devices. Of course, your carrier will need to enable that capability and you'll probably need to sign up for a special Personal Hotspot data plan, but the Personal Hotspot functionality is now going to be built into your iPhone. This means that you could set up Personal Hotspot on one iPhone to create your zone of Wi-Fi connectivity, then others can connect their iPhones to your Personal Hotspot. When they do so, they're connecting via Wi-Fi and can make FaceTime connections. How does FaceTime actually work over a 3G internet connection? Back when FaceTime was new, my fellow blogger Erica Sadun and I checked it out over my MiFi (running on the Sprint 3G network). We found that it actually worked quite well, up to a point. If you tried to move the camera much, the image quickly degraded and eventually the FaceTime connection failed. However, when we were simply talking to each other and not moving our phones around (i.e., keeping the background image still), FaceTime worked nicely. Apple wants you to use a real Wi-Fi connection with FaceTime. That is, they want you to be using Wi-Fi with a broadband connection behind it, not a measly 3G wireless connection. On the other hand, isn't it cool to know that within a week, you and your friends can set up your own Wi-Fi hotspots for connecting your Macs, iPads, and iPhones over FaceTime? [via MacStories]
AT&T adding $35 3GB plan, cutting 5GB plan to $50 for LaptopConnect devices
We're still mourning the untimely death of unlimited data, but the good news is that carriers are still playing with plan pricing to figure out what the market will bear -- and in at least some cases, it's for the cheaper. AT&T's on the verge of revising its 5GB LaptopConnect plan (the type of plan you use on USB modems and MiFis) down from $60 to $50 per month with overage now $10 per 1GB rather than $0.05 per MB previously -- $50 per GB. Additionally, the old 200MB plan for $35 is being replaced with a "promotional" 3GB plan at the same price (also with $10 per 1GB overage), though no expiration date has been put in place just yet. The changes dovetail conveniently with the recent tethering / mobile hotspot boost to 4GB, and might even suggest a boost in AT&T's confidence over its network as it starts upgrading to HSPA+ nationwide. [Thanks, Amg]
T-Mobile's upcoming HSPA+ WWAN offerings get leaked, comical codenames revealed
It's been a hot minute since the folks at T-Mobile have introduced a new USB WWAN modem, but if the document above is to be believed, that could be changing in short order. As the Jet ages, it looks like a few others -- codenamed Kitty Hawk, Washington and Wayne -- could be swooping in to take things from here. The former is rumored to hit shelves in March, offering HSPA+ speeds of 21Mbps and the ability to solve most of the world's problems. As for Washington? That'll be T-Mob's first USB modem to offer HSPA+ speeds approaching 42Mbps, and if all goes well, this guy will also splash down next month. Moving on, there's a pair of Waynes that'll serve as the carrier's first mobile hotspots, enabling five WiFi-enabled devices to mooch off of a 21Mbps (Lil' Wayne) or 42Mbps (Big Wayne) connection. Here's hoping T-Mobile does the smart thing and sticks with the codenames -- the marketing exec in us just knows it's the right thing to do.
