[Hidden-tech] MIFI - mobile internet

[Chris Hoogendyk]

On 1/11/11 11:54 AM, James Triplett wrote:
> On (10/01/11 22:26), Tamar Schanfeld wrote:
>> Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:26:01 -0500
>> From: Tamar Schanfeld<tamar at tnrglobal.com>
>> To: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>> Subject: [Hidden-tech] MIFI - mobile internet
>>
>> My friend is looking into getting a mobile hotspot. The best deal
>> seems to be Virgin's $40 a month unlimited plan
>> http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband/.
>> The coverage for that is Sprint. Can anyone tell me how is Sprint 3G
>> coverage in the Northampton, Amherst, and Greenfield areas?
>>
>> Also, other suggestions for internet on the go? I see AT&T and Verizon
>> both have similar plans, but without an unlimited data option.
>>
>> Or is there a way to do a tethering thing with a t-mobile android
>> phone (that she already has) and a laptop?
> I use my Verizon Android phone tethered with no problem. Not sure how
> Sprint does the data plans, since their coverage is spotty in Western Mass.
> The applications are also dependent on which Android version the phone uses.
>
>
> There are 3 choices:
>
> 1. "3G mobile hotspot" (new Android 2.2 feature), which turns the phone into a
> hotspot, like the Mifi.  Once you turn on this option, your unlimited data
> plan switches to one that is capped at 5G.
>
> 2. "mobile broadband connect", which allows the phone to share it's connection
> over a USB cable.  Also causes your data plan to be capped.
>
> 3. Third party App: "PDANET', which allows the phone to share it's connection
> over USB.  Sinces it's a third party app, it doesn't change the unlimited data plan.
> I suspect this would work on Sprint as well.

Interesting that today Verizon announced it would begin selling the iPhone in February.

One news article had an interesting comparison between Verizon and AT&T's version of the iPhone -- 
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/verizons-iphone-4-vs-atts-iphone-4-twins-compared/.

The Verizon version allows it to be a mobile hotspot, while AT&T locks it down.

The Verizon version doesn't allow simultaneous data and voice. So, you can't check out an address or 
map location while talking to someone. With AT&T you can.

And, of course, Verizon has different data plans and prices, not yet announced.


-- 
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Chris Hoogendyk

-
    O__  ---- Systems Administrator
   c/ /'_ --- Biology&  Geology Departments
  (*) \(*) -- 140 Morrill Science Center
~~~~~~~~~~ - University of Massachusetts, Amherst

<hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu>

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Erdös 4