Media in the New Millennium

posted by Doyle

I picked up a MiFi card from Sprint this past weekend. While the Palm Pre looks to be a pretty cool phone (no, as an iPhone guy I do not yet see a reason for device envy, especially with OS 3.0 just around the corner), it was almost too bad this device came out during the same week. I think Sprint can make some serious positive noise with the MiFi as well… it’s a cool new toy.

This device is Sprint’s version of a Novatel wireless modem also available through Verizon. Since I already had a Sprint wireless Internet account, I went with the Sprint device. Basically, this card — about the size of a credit card and as thick as maybe four credit cards stacked up — allows you to set up a personal hot spot and connect up to five devices via WiFi to your Sprint 3G Internet. So, that’s you and a few friends, or your laptop and your iPhone or… you get the picture.

In short, this thing is just a little box of awesome. After about a week, I love it. Here are some benefits:

• I’m frequently in client meetings with colleagues where the WiFi is behind a corporate firewall. I could always use my Sprint connection, but now I can share it with up to four other Metzger employees.
• I can turn it on and hook up my iPhone and have WiFi-like access anywhere. Even though it’s only 3G speeds, my iPhone thinks it’s using a WiFi connection, even walking down the street.
• It has it’s own battery, so it doesn’t tap my laptop battery.
• I probably shouldn’t say this, but I can sneak Skype on my iPhone on the Sprint 3G network, as the phone thinks it’s on WiFi rather than 3G.
• It’s got up to 128-bit security, so you don’t have to worry about jerks at the local watering hole jumping on your bandwidth.
• You can name the network whatever you like. In an homage to the movie “Hackers,” my personal hotspot shows up on everyone’s WiFi as “Crash Override.”
• On the downside, you’re still limited to 5GB/month before overage charges kick in, so you have to be a little careful about letting too many people on your card too often. In normal use, even with others on the card, I’m still far below the limit.
• I got one before Dave Taylor did, so I got major geek cred here in Boulder!

Seriously, I love this device. If you’re thinking of getting 3G access for a laptop, this is the only way to go.

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