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Mobile Internet, Express card or USB dongle?

S

sev

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 30, 2008
39
1
Southeast UK + Italy
Hi everyone,

I have a macbook pro 17, I couldn't really wait for what might or might not come out next year, as there was an urgent need for it.

I am interested in getting some mobile internet, and was wondering, would you seasoned pro's go for a usb dongle or express card slot option? :)
 
My experience with USB dongles is that they are cheap crap with poor software and drivers you have to dig up from manufacturer forums or even RapidShare.

However, ExpressCard isn't probably going to be around all that much longer since there aren't that many devices made for it so the USB dongle might be a more future-proof choice.

The iPhone works great for tethering though. Extremely simple to use and over here doesn't cost any extra either.
 
sev said:
I am interested in getting some mobile internet...
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, your mini-bio doesn't tell us much about you. Where are you intending to do this?

cheers,

Henry
 
kasakka said:
However, ExpressCard isn't probably going to be around all that much longer since there aren't that many devices made for it so the USB dongle might be a more future-proof choice.
.
Click to expand...

Dunno. I have eSATA and USB 3.0 cards among others, which gives my older 15" Macbook Pro more up to date storage options than even the current model can muster. A cheap £10 adapter allows me to use the cards in a desktop should I decide get rid of my MBP.

I don't think Expresscard is disappearing anytime soon - except on Apple hardware.
 
I vote USB, because it allows you to stick it into *any* computer and leaves some freedom to placement while the EC is always bound to stay where the Mac stands.
 
sev said:
Hi everyone,

I have a macbook pro 17, I couldn't really wait for what might or might not come out next year, as there was an urgent need for it.

I am interested in getting some mobile internet, and was wondering, would you seasoned pro's go for a usb dongle or express card slot option? :)
Click to expand...

This is what I use. And it works great. I'm not sure where you are located but if this is available in your area, it wouldn't hurt to check into. I have the 4G + 3G Hot spot and a USB device for my wife.

http://www.clear.com/callnow/fort-worth/?s_kwcid=TC%7C9630%7Cclear%7C%7CS%7C%7C6542838639&gclid=CJ7Cv4LGyKUCFcrt7QodGA3kYA
 
Neither, I tether from my Verizon Droid using easy tether. I get fast speeds comparable to cable. Much faster than PDANet. And I'm not locked into 5gb per month like a MIFI card.
 
henry999 said:
Unfortunately, your mini-bio doesn't tell us much about you. Where are you intending to do this?

cheers,

Henry
Click to expand...

Hi Henry, sorry about that! I'm based in the UK, but go to Italy quite a lot.

It's here in the UK i'm more interested in, and i was seriously considering the tethering option with my iPhone running on a Vodafone network.

I understand what Wedi42 is saying, but the mifi provider here in the UK is H3G, and I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole from previous terrible service experience.

It was either this or get an expresscard34 multi card reader providing it sits flush with the body of the Macbook. It's a real pity that apple don't integrate a microsim slot into the laptop range... yet.
 
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