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iPod touch MiFi - 3G for your iPod Touch and more!

nateo200

nateo200

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Feb 4, 2009
2,918
51
Upstate NY
Oh man that title is a grabber....Ok so I think the boards are getting raped with the "can i haz 3G on my itouchzez" threads so heres a pretty recent development that Ive had up my sleeve for a while but didn't really think it was worth mentioning. For as low as $40 a month you can get a portable wireless router connected to the Verizon 3G network operated on battery to go with you anywhere. Literally the size of a credit card. This device can support up to 5 devices and it fits in your pocket (its smaller than an iPod Touch too). It has a 4 hour battery and can charge via USB or wall and still run. I want a discusion of what some of you guys think of this. Allot cheaper than anything apple/AT&T would dream of offering. Me personally? I'm all over it! I nearly jumped when my friend told me about this to use in school instead of using the schools lame wifi.

Linkagez:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/technology/personaltech/07pogue.html?_r=3&em

Theres some other better site but I'm too lazy to look thru my history.
 
You only get 250 mb for $40 a month. So don't expect to do any heavy web surfing, youtube, or anything like that.
 
puffnstuff said:
You only get 250 mb for $40 a month. So don't expect to do any heavy web surfing, youtube, or anything like that.
Click to expand...
Well of course you could get the 5GB for 59.99 USD but that is quite a bit, but if you really want 3G for your iPod Touch it seams worth it over an iPhone. Plus I'm not sure if they lower the price if you already have a phone plan or not. Its a new devolopment so expect prices to go down and bandwidth to increase with time. I mean this is excellent for some people.....

mifi-2200-from-verizon_SEc5c_59.jpg
 
wywern209 said:
just one problem. a touhc doesn't have 3g radios. unless the card gets 3g service and converts to wifi.
Click to expand...
It creates a wifi network.
puffnstuff said:
You only get 250 mb for $40 a month. So don't expect to do any heavy web surfing, youtube, or anything like that.
Click to expand...
Where are the complaints about Verizon charging a lot of money for data? *crickets* Oh yeah. But if it were AT&T charging $40/mo for 250MB of data then the earth would implode.
 
but it's not 3G on the touch it's wifi as the touch doesn't have the hardware for 3G :rolleyes:. It's mobile broadband being beamed out in a wifi manner from the router but it's not 3G on the touch.

and for anyone interested:

Technical Details

• Technology Bands:
HSPA/UMTS –900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
EDGE/GPRS –850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• WAN Data Speeds:
HSDPA –Up to 7.2Mbps downlink
HSUPA –Up to 5.76 Mbps uplink
• Power Class:
WCDMA class 3
EDGE class E2
GPRS class 4

• Wi-Fi:
802.11b/g 2.4GHz
Pre-configured for WPA security (WEP/WPA2 also available)
DHCP server
NAT/NAPT
DNS support
VPN pass-through

• GPS:
Built-in Assisted GPS
• Battery:
Rechargeable, 4 hours active use
• Dimensions:
62 x 92 x 13 mm
• Weight:
81 grams
 
I dumbed it down a bit for some of the less networking aficionados on the site. Man I should have put an "*" on the title. But I think it's awesome and some of you really desperate people should be happy. Just read the article and go visit the verizon site if you need more technicals. I was considering getting this to share with friends on away meets or vacation, seams like a mighty fine idea. I wish they included wireless n and a in this as well as a hidden Ethernet port for connecting it to a regular modem for faster speeds at home or possibly for connecting a wired PC.

wywern209 said:
just one problem. a touhc doesn't have 3g radios. unless the card gets 3g service and converts to wifi.
Click to expand...

Obviously if you read my entire post as well as skimming at the provided link you would realize what I was getting at.
 
nateo200 said:
I dumbed it down a bit for some of the less networking aficionados on the site. Man I should have put an "*" on the title. But I think it's awesome and some of you really desperate people should be happy. Just read the article and go visit the verizon site if you need more technicals. I was considering getting this to share with friends on away meets or vacation, seams like a mighty fine idea. I wish they included wireless n and a in this as well as a hidden Ethernet port for connecting it to a regular modem for faster speeds at home or possibly for connecting a wired PC.
Click to expand...

Wireless N? Seriously? This thing caps at what, 8Mbps? You will never push the capabilities of wireless G with this thing, so wireless N would be a total joke and an utter waste.
 
uberamd said:
Wireless N? Seriously? This thing caps at what, 8Mbps? You will never push the capabilities of wireless G with this thing, so wireless N would be a total joke and an utter waste.
Click to expand...

While I know g/b/n (and even a once the real n routers co e out) are interchangeable it would improve the bandwidth from the wifi device to the mifi. Think about it this way I had a g router that capped 54mbs I got pretty good speeds, then I got one of those pre-n routers that capped 108mps, my speeds increased however my roadrunner modem that was attached to the router is still probably at something utterly pathetic speed wise. Besides with the technology coming soon it's nice to have that in your product. Additionally there's a company that makes a chip small enough to fit in a device that size, it's obviously not going to be fast as a Netgear N router hooked to a verizon fios but hey it's something.
 
I don't think the price for mobile broadband will go down all major carriers have it $60 for 5gb if anything it's getting more expensive. :(
 
puffnstuff said:
You only get 250 mb for $40 a month. So don't expect to do any heavy web surfing, youtube, or anything like that.
Click to expand...
I pay AT&T $20 each month for 100mb of data for my iPhone and I have never once gone over it. While I'm not a heavy browser, I can manage to leave my exchange account on push, use jabber, and check various things frequently. 250 would be enough for almost everyone, I'd reckon. Probably not most on this forum, but likely in total usage pool.
 
akonradi said:
I pay AT&T $20 each month for 100mb of data for my iPhone and I have never once gone over it. While I'm not a heavy browser, I can manage to leave my exchange account on push, use jabber, and check various things frequently. 250 would be enough for almost everyone, I'd reckon. Probably not most on this forum, but likely in total usage pool.
Click to expand...

Yea, it all depends on what you are using it for. Me personally I would probably use it for pandora while I am in the car for 30 minutes each day. I am not sure how much data that would eat up.

I would love them to do a pay per use plan.
 
DHarrisDBS34 said:
If it's so small I think someone should build it in to a phone.
Click to expand...

All you would need for this in an iPhone is an App....Allthough I doubt apple/AT&T is very fond of letting that slide by them in the appstore any more than those VoIP phone apps.
 
andybno1 said:
but it's not 3G on the touch it's wifi as the touch doesn't have the hardware for 3G :rolleyes:. It's mobile broadband being beamed out in a wifi manner from the router but it's not 3G on the touch.
Click to expand...

it recieves it as 3g and gives it out as wifi and seeing as wifi can have more power than any 3g thingy then the wifi given out naturally has 3g speed.
 
Thats pretty cool. Similar to a cradel point router, yet much smaller. Would be nice to see here in Canada.
 
g2tegg said:
Thats pretty cool. Similar to a cradel point router, yet much smaller. Would be nice to see here in Canada.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if it did come out there very soon on pardon my ignorance but whatever network you have there. Does verizon/AT&T go into Canada?
 
Well, I current have a MiFi router and am using it right now. Essentially, it is "3G speeds" just indirectly. As for getting one, well, I'd say don't. Why such a hypocrite? Because it's either dial-up or mobile broadband for me. I'll let you guys choose.

And for the 5GB per month, at times it feels a bit constraining, but hell, most of it is sucked up by playing Team Fortress 2 for an hour or so per day. But even then I can barely push 4 GBs per month.....

It is a cool little gadget though...
 
Go get clear if you live in one of the like 4 service areas and the little USB router. NUFF SAID! :D
 
The thing you can do is go with the cradlepoint wifi router,and sign up with millenicom,which is a company that resells Sprint (and maybe Verizon, not sure) 3G with NO CONTRACT,NO CAP,and NO TAXES.

With the cradlepoint router you can shift to WIMAX in the future,and you can use it with either Sprint,or Verizon,plus you can use just about any USB data card you like,but with MiFi you will be limited on the card usage.
 
nateo200 said:
Its a new devolopment so expect prices to go down and bandwidth to increase with time. I mean this is excellent for some people.....
Click to expand...

It's really nothing new,it's just Verizon and Sprint are selling their own branded 3G router now.Cradlepoint,Kyocera,Top Global,and Linksys have been making these routers for a while.Oh yeah, sadly,you don't get any discounts for having a phone with them and another heads up,don't go over the cap because they will stick it to you BIG TIME....especially Verizon.

I wouldn't expect bandwidth to increase one bit on the 3G network.They've actually went in the opposite direction and decreased bandwidth.....maybe it will get better with 4G though.

P.S. For good info on MiFi,AT&T 3G,Sprint,or Verizon EVDO,data cards,and routers check out evdoforums.com.The people in that forum know their stuff when it comes to all of the carriers.
 
Wonder if they'll release this in the UK. It sounds good but one can only assume the position when it comes to mobile internet here. For occasional use (if it isn't an 18 month contract) then it might be a good idea. If it's a long term thing then I'd probably just get an iPhone.
 
raggedjimmi said:
Wonder if they'll release this in the UK. It sounds good but one can only assume the position when it comes to mobile internet here. For occasional use (if it isn't an 18 month contract) then it might be a good idea. If it's a long term thing then I'd probably just get an iPhone.
Click to expand...

They probably will. Just wait, it seams like it will be pretty popular.:D
 
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