I Want my EVDO

Verizon offers an EVDO (Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimized, if you prefer) service called BroadbandAccess. They don’t officially support it for use with the Mac or OS X, but it works beautifully, with typical speeds of 400-700 kbps (theoretically capable of reaching speeds up to 2 Mbps) and decent coverage in major markets. Apple even has plug-and-play drivers for Verizon’s PC 5220 card.

With EVDO, you get seamless, always-on internet connectivity without being tied down to a HotSpot or having to suffer the comparatively slow connection you get with a cellphone or PDA.

I want it. It’s $80 bucks a month and worth every penny to me. There’s just one problem. My mobile computing platform is a 12-inch Powerbook, which lacks the PCMCIA slot required to use the PC 5220 card.

I use a 12-inch Powerbook because I regularly carry 20-30lbs of gear around on my back and every ounce counts. If I didn’t live and work in New York City, the schlepping capital of the world, I would have a 15 or even a 17-inch Powerbook because I could load up my car with as much gear as I wanted without caring about how much it weighed. But I do live here and I’m not moving.

There has to be a way… Here’s where you come in. Is anyone aware of a USB, Firewire or even Ethernet PCMCIA adapter that would make this work? I don’t mind the extra dongle (an extra ounce in my bag won’t kill me), I just want the speed without added size and weight of a 15-inch Powerbook.

As a reward for anyone who can lead me to a solution that works, I will personally guarantee you a week free of C.K. using the acronyms PSP or DRM. Actually, make that 5 contiguous days. After all… I’m only human.