hotspot

Does HTC's sales shortfall spell trouble for customers?

Apple and Samsung are running away with the smartphone market, but does that mean that consumers should steer clear of all the other handset makers?

In this edition of Ask Maggie, I help one reader decide if he should take a gamble and ditch Apple for an HTC One X. Will he still get the same level of service he has had with Apple?

I also explain to another reader that the Wi-Fi hotspot feature is included in the price of the new family share plans.

Steer Clear of HTC because of its sales troubles?

Dear Maggie, I've been … Read more

London says no to 3G hot spots for the Olympics

What do 3G hot spots and firearms have in common? They're both banned from the London 2012 Olympic games.

Personal wireless access points and 3G hot spots are among the list of restricted items for the games, which start Friday. Visitors are allowed to bring smartphones and tablets, but are not able to use them as a hot spot to connect other devices. Intomobile first reported on the ban.

"We're just two days away from the start of the first ever Olympic Games in the modern, digital era," said Tomas Mendoza, managing director of Tep Wireless, … Read more

Old NYC payphones transformed into free Wi-Fi hotspots

Just when the whole world laughs at those dinosaurian payphones -- marveling at how antiquated we used to be -- New York City has put them to a new innovative use.

The city announced today that it was starting a pilot program transforming those metal relics of yesteryear into free unlimited Wi-Fi kiosks.

Initially, 10 locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens will get the service, and more hotspots will be added in coming months.

Abandoned payphones have been a point of contention for many of the city's residents for a while now. According to a New York news site … Read more

Get a TruConnect MiFi hot spot for $74

Recently I plunked down at a Starbucks with plans to work for a couple hours while my son was up the street at a birthday party. Just one problem: their Wi-Fi was down.

Without Internet, it's downright impossible for me to work. That's why I always pack a mobile hot spot, which I can use in a pinch when there's no Wi-Fi available.

Of course, I don't want to pay $50 per month for two years for a service I use only occasionally. Enter TruConnect, a company that offers no-contract service and pay-as-you-go rates.

The hardware … Read more

Verizon's Jetpack 4G 890L mobile router review: Performance meets style

I am the type who generally cares more about functionality than style, but once in a while, I am intrigued by the look, too. Case in point: the Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot 890L from Verizon Wireless.

This is a mobile router that gets attention, looking more like a beauty product for the ladies than something that would appeal to geeks. The good news is that it offers more than just looks.

The Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot 890L comes with a very well-designed LCD screen that shows you all you need to know about the status of your wireless connections and even allows for changing many of its settings. It's the first I've seen that enables users to manage their mobile network without having to use a computer. … Read more

Sprint boasts mobile hotspot add-ons but kills 5GB plan

In a thinly veiled attempt to get users excited about new mobile hotspot add-ons for smartphones and tablets, Sprint announced that it is swapping its 5GB for $29.99 per month data plan for two more costly options.

As of May 18, Sprint launched two hotspot add-ons, the first costs $19.99 per month for 2GB of combined 3G/4G on-network data and the second is $49.99 per month for 6GB of combined data. The 5GB $29.99 is now defunct, but users who have this plan can keep it until they cancel their service.

"Sprint's new … Read more

U.S. Cellular launches its own Samsung mobile hot spot

If you are a fan of Samsung's tiny mobile router, the SCH-LC11 mobile hot spot and for some reason don't want to use Verizon, there's now another choice.

U.S. Cellular today announced the launch of the same device on its own network. The company said that for a limited time, the device is slated to cost $50, after a $50 mail-in rebate, in cities that currently have U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE coverage and those that will by the end of the year.

For now, U.S. Cellular offers 4G LTE service in select cities … Read more

Verizon Jetpack MiFi 4620L mobile hot-spot review: It's a Rocketeer

I can't count anymore how many mobile routers I have reviewed, but that also means that I know the Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi 4620L by Novatel Wireless is different.

And it's not because of its crazy long name.

Instead, it's partly because of its craz,y long battery life. The router is the first I've seen that comes with two batteries. The standard one offers about 5.5 hours of continuous usage on a charge, and the second one offers about twice that. Combine the two, you have about two days' worth of charge, if you only use it during working hours that is.… Read more

Find wireless hot spots before you travel with Wi-Fi Finder

Tablets have enabled business users to get serious about being mobile. They are ultraportable, user-friendly, and get more feature-rich and powerful with each iteration. Many tablets (such as the Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Tab) are happily using 4G networking, which is -- compared with other mobile networks -- quite speedy. Of course, there are times when you either have no 4G signal or the 4G speed simply isn't fast enough. Fortunately, you can utilize your tablet's Wi-Fi connection.

But what if you're traveling and you don't know where to find wireless access points or free wireless spots? … Read more