Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 6th

• The Best Android Smartphones – Coming Summer 2011
  A look at the hottest Android smartphones coming this summer.
• The 5 Best Android Smartphones [May, 2011]
  The hottest Android smartphones available right now.
• How My iPad Made Me Hate Paper and Helped Me Save Over $15,000
  Kevin saves a load of money by using his iPad ad ditching paper.
• Kevin Saves the Dough by Going Paperless, I’m Not So Lucky
  Warner still has trouble going paperless, note for lack of trying though.
• RIM Demos Android Apps on BlackBerry PlayBook, Again (Video)
  RIM has posted another video of the tablet showing off its ability to run applications of the Android variety with more details.
• Verizon to Target Female Demographics with HTC Bliss Android Smartphone, Droidette?
  Verizon is rumored to be coming out with an Android phone geared towards women. With a glowing charm accessory.
• HTC EVO 3D Details, Review & Hands-On Video Roundup
  Everything you need to know about the HTC EVO 3D before it launches this summer.
• Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 Tablet PC Slate Launching Today
  Sumocat delivers his thoughts on the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 slate Tablet PC.
• LG Revolution Details, Review & Hands-On Video Roundup
  What we know so far about the LG Revolution, likely the 3rd 4G LTE device to come to Verizon.
• RIM Announces BlackBerry 7, Says Current BlackBerry Phones Won’t Get It
  RIM also introduced its latest and greatest operating system, BlackBerry 7, which will launch on the new BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 aka BlackBerry Bold Touch at some point this year.
• RIM Announces BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 (BlackBerry Bold Touch)
  RIM introduced the BlackBerry Bold Touch at its BlackBerry World conference. The device, which had been expected for quite some time, will officially be known as the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the BlackBerry Bold 9930
• Finger Nose Stylus for Stall Surfers Might Be Carrying Things a Bit Far
  A strap on nose stylus lets you stall surf and tub surf with ease.
• Prepaid Smartphone Showdown: Virgin Mobile, Metro PCS, Verizon, T-Mobile & More
  A look at the prepaid smartphone options from national carriers like Virgin Mobile, Verizon and T-Mobile as well as smaller carriers like US Cellular, Metro PCS and Boost Mobile

Smartphone and Accessory Reviews for May 2011

• Review: Sprint MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot (Video)
  Check out our thoughts on the Sprint MiFi 3G/4G hotspot.
• SugarSync Review: Back Up and Sync With Multiple Computers – Better Than Dropbox
  SugarSync stole Kevin away from Dropbox. Find out why he switched.
• Verizon Droid Charge Review (Video)
  The Droid Charge is the newest 4G LTE phone to land on Verizon, check out our review before the Charge arrives in store.
• BooqPad iPad 2 Folio Review: The iPad Case for Note Takers
  The BooqPad + Evernote makes for a great inking experience.
• Casio G’zOne Commando Rugged Android Smartphone Hands On and First Impressions (Video)
  The Casio G’zOne Commando is a rugged Android smartphone that looks intimidating, but loves a good soak.
• Droid Incredible 2 Hands On and First Impressions (Video)
  The Droid Incredible 2 is a slim but powerful 3G smartphone. Check out our first impressions.

Notebook News for the Week of May 6th

MacBook Air Running Windows 7

• Mac Owners Targeted with Fake Antivirus App
  Malware programmers are after Mac Owners with a new fake Antivirus app that tries to get your money and your credit card information.
• USB Modems Preferred 3 to 1 over Personal Hotspots. Why?
  Users prefer USB modems over mobile hotspots. We don’t know why either.
• Is the MacBook Air a Good Windows 7 Notebook?
  A look at how Windows 7 runs as a full time OS on teh MacBook Air. Also, how to set this up for yourself.
• Is Apple dumping Intel for ARM?
  Rumors point to Apple ditching Intel for ARM powered notebooks and desktops. Find out our take.
• Standing Desk Guide: Measurements, Examples and Benefits
  Everything you need to know to get started with a standup desk.
• Two Reasons the Mac OS X Lion Update Will Come On a Disc
  Two reasons why OS X Lion will come on a disk or drive when it arrives this summer.

Notebook Reviews for May 2011

• Samsung RV511 Review: Great Features on a $500 Notebook
  The feature packed RV511 earns high marks for value thanks to looks and a collection of features typical of higher priced notebooks.
• Acer Aspire 7552G-6436 Review [Video]
  Check out this Quad Core Desktop replacement. It’s not perfect, but it might be right for you.
• Ergotron WorkFit S Review: Standing Desk With Hinged Dual LCD Mount (Video)
  Review of our favorite Sit stand desk from Ergotron with a cool new hinged monitor mount.
• ASUS Eee PC 1215B with AMD Fusion Hands On (Video)
  Hands on video of the AMD Fusion powered ASUS Eee PC 1215B

How To Guides for May

• How To Make Windows 7 Look and Act Like Windows XP
  Make Windows 7 look and act like Windows XP if you can’t bear to change. Even if it is for the better.
• 9 Tips for Troubleshooting Internet Explorer 9
  How to handle common Internet Explorer 9 issues.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News (May 6th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Notebook owners are hesitant to embrace personal hotspots, like the MiFi, and built in modems as their mobile broadband connection for notebooks. Instead, ABI Research found that the old fashioned USB modem is the preferred mobile connectivity option, outselling hotspots and embedded modems 3 to 1. ABI Research expects that this will be the trend for the next five years.

Our recent 4G USB modem and 4G mobile hotspot roundup found that there are just as many 4G USB modems as there are 4G mobile hotspots. While there are slightly lower prices to be found on USB modems, the 4G MiFi devices are priced pretty competitively.

It’s no surprise that USB Modems are outselling embedded modems which cannot be upgraded to faster networks and lock the notebook to a specific carrier, but it is a bit surprising to see that increasingly connected consumers and businesses are still choosing USB modems over MiFi hotspots which can be used as a USB modem as well as a personal WiFi hotspot, especially with trends pointing to a three device norm in the corporate environment.

ABI Analyst Jeff Orr claims that primary reasons consumers and companies have flocked to the USB modems are low cost and because the USB modems are, “almost disposable.” While we can’t argue with the low cost of USB modems, which are often free with a 2 year contract, we haven’t yet found a carrier that will let you out of a contract with no fees as Orr seems to suggest is the case.

Verizon 4G LTE MiFi

For users that want to upgrade, portable hotspots, are often as cheap as USB modems and allow users to connect many devices. Given the current state of 4G connectivity, users can purchase a 4G hotspot and rest assured it will still be the dominant connectivity connection for the 2 year contract.

As we move into the coming years, ABI Research believes that embedded and personal hotspot devices will grow in popularity, closing the gap by 2016. While there is a possibility that the tablets will give the embedded modems a boost, we think it is more likely that we see a shift in the next five years that will lead to our smartphones acting as the predominant personal hotspot.

If anything, smartphones and personal hotspots like the MiFi should be the leading connectivity options in five years, if not sooner. Mobile WiFi hotspots allow users to connect multiple devices including Mac’s Windows, game systems, dedicated devices and more to the network without the need for drivers or limitations of one device at a time access. The hotspots can also be plugged in for connectivity if users prefer that method.

Previously we’ve chosen to use a dedicated MiFi device over a smartphone hotspot, but we have seen an improvement in personal hotspot use and anticipate a continued improvement to the user experience of using your phone as a hotspot. If carriers can get on board with tethering built in to smartphone data plans, we may see a greater uptick in mobile phone hotspot usage.  We don’t expect to see this happen overnight, but five years sounds about right for carriers to come to their senses regarding smartphone hotspot data plans.

USB Modems Preferred 3 to 1 over Personal Hotspots. Why? is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

A Nice Day at the Office

Must Have Notebook Accessories:

Available for Tablets, Notebooks and Gadgets

Antiglare Screen Protector: One of the biggest challenges with working outdoors is the lighting. Most consumer notebooks come with incredibly glossy screens that make it difficult to work in the sunlight. If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a work notebook hat has an anti-glare display, you can get one to fit your screen from NuShield. We have been testing one, and it does make reading your notebook easier in outdoor conditions.  We’ll have a full NuShield review up soon, but our first impressions are positive. You can also get these screen covers for your various other gadgets. You can save 10% with the coupon code KPR%10.

Good Backpack: If you’re going to be out of the office, a good backpack is a must. While I have always been a carry it all type, it’s interesting to see a friend come over to the carry it with me side, after he upgraded to a proper backpack when his doctor told him that a sling backpack could be causing some health issues. Look for padded straps and a very good notebook compartment. Specifically, find one that has padding along the sides and bottom. Many notebook bags skimp on padding on the bottom, which can lead to cracked notebook casings. We like Mobile Edge, Booq, Tom Bihn and Level 8.

MiFi or USB Modem: If you plan to work from the park, you’ll probably need an Internet connection. We recommend picking up a MiFi or USB modem, but you could also use your phone as a hotspot. Keep in mind that battery life can be an issue with the MiFi and phone as a hotspot routes so you’ll want to keep a cable nearby. If you are an occasional work outside kind of person, you may want to look at Virgin Mobile’s MiFi and USB modems which don’t require a contract. You can also get a MiFi or USB modem for less than $50 from your favorite cell phone carrier with a 2 year contract; plans typically start around $30-$40 a month.

Wrapsol gadget protection prevents scratches

Protection for your Gear: If you are going to be outside for a long time with your notebook, iPad or other gadgets, you may want to look into a protective film like those from Zagg, Wrapsol and Gelaskins. These gadget covers and wraps keep your items looking like new and make it easy to wipe off any dirt you pick up while working outdoors.

AViiQ Notebook Stand

Notebook Stand: If you are working away on a picnic table, you’ll probably want a notebook stand to give your notebook a better typing angle. We really like the AViiQ because it folds down practically flat and weighs next to nothing, but if the price is too high you can find other options like the Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad which has a built in USB powered fan. Check out our AViiQ review for more details.

Backup Battery: While the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro may last all day in optimal settings, they, like many Windows notebooks won’t last a full day with the screen set to maximum brightness outdoors. We suggest getting a secondary Notebook battery. For most notebooks, you can get one right from the manufacturer. For Apple, you need a solution like the HyperMac external Mac battery.

Remote Access: To appear like you are in the office, we recommend a tool like LogMeIn to connect to a computer back in the office or to ask for VPN access so that your computer thinks it is still on your corporate network. A VPN allows you to run programs that need to be on the network from any internet connection. Your IT department would usually need to set this up for you.

Versatile Mouse: Unless you have a MacBook, you probably don’t want to use a mousepad all day long. Instead, look for a mouse like the Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX which can mouse on pretty much any surface or the small SwiftPoint Mouse that mouses right on your notebook palmrest. Check out our SwiftPoint Mouse Review.

Laptop Lock: While you won’t use this all of the time, a Laptop Lock is a nice accessory to have in your notebook bag for occasions when you want to walk around your work area or if you need to walk over to a pop machine in the park. There are plenty of options at your local Best Buy or Staples.

Laptop Shade: If an anti glare screen protector is out, try the Laptop Sun Shade which gives you a focused sun free work area without the need for a giant hooded sweatshirt. This may not be as elegant as the screen protector, but could be a must have if you don’t want others looking over to your screen.

Keyboard Skin: When you work outdoors there’s a chance that all types of things will fall into the keyboard cracks on your machine form a raindrop to a dead bug or a crunched up leaf. Keep your notebook keyboard tidy with a keyboard cover like iSkin keyboard covers. Sony also makes silicon keyboard covers for VAIO models and you can Google your notebook model and silicone Keyboard cover to find one that fits your notebook.

USB Cooler: If you’re working in the sun all day, you need a nice cool beverage to keep you going. Why not pick up this USB powered drink chiller which will keep your iced tea nice and cool while you work and soak up the rays.

11 Must Have Outdoor Notebook and Laptop Accessories is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

LTE has been selected as a standard by AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. Sprint, an early 4G adopter, had rolled out WiMax and launched the HTC EVO 4G as the first 4G Android smartphone in the U.S., which can connect to the carrier’s 3G CDMA EV-DO network and 4G WiMax where available. In addition to the HTC EVO 4G and USB dongles, Sprint also launched the Sprint Overdrive, a portable mobile hotspot router that will allow up to 5 devices to connect to and share the mobile broadband connection via WiFi. The carrier is will also launch an improved MiFi unit that supports 4G WiMax.

The decision to consider LTE as a 4G protocol came out of a round table discussion from Sprint’s Bob Azzi along with its hardware partners. According to the carrier, it will continue to study customer adoption rate of WiMax in the next four to six months before it decides on LTE.

That decision is part of Sprint’s overhaul plan to install new multi-mode towers to reduce network costs. The carrier is also in the phase of winding down its Nextel iDEN operations, which would give it more bandwidth and spectrum should it decide to roll out a WiMax and LTE network.

Depending on how manufacturers make phones and the spectrums and frequencies that devices support, if Sprint adopts LTE, a multi-band LTE smartphone may be able to roam on rival networks if Sprint inks an agreement with AT&T and Verizon, which would help improve coverage at this early phase of 4G deployment. With WiMax, Sprint is the lone major cellular company that’s invested in that protocol, reducing the ability to roam.

For laptop use, I’ve experienced faster speeds on Verizon’s nascent LTE network, averaging download speeds between 5 and 20 Mbps on average and upload speeds between 2 and 10 Mbps–Verizon only promises 5-10 Mbps on the download side and 2-5 Mbps on the upload. In the Bay Area where Sprint recently launched 4G WiMax, both download and upload speeds were considerably slower than the 3-6 Mbps and 1-3 Mbps that Sprint had quoted respectively, though the speeds where much faster when Sprint had initially announced the HTC EVO 4G in Las Vegas, NV at CTIA.

Via: Fierce Wireless

Sprint Still Considering LTE as Mobile Broadband Standard for Use is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

For laptops and data devices, such as the company’s newly released MiFi 2372, it looks like AT&T may be slashing its monthly data prices according to a leaked internal document that was posted on Engadget. The maximum plan for 5 GB of data–on notebooks and netbooks as well as on the MiFi and other USB modems–AT&T will be cutting $10 from the plan, bringing the 5 GB monthly subscription to $50 per month. Overages will be $10 per GB.

Additionally, for the MiFi, AT&T is adding a 3 GB tier priced at $35 per month, which increases the data allotment from a paltry 200 MB from before for the same price. The new 3 GB for $35 will also have $10 per GB overage.

For smartphone users who are looking at tethering, the company will be increasing the metered data to 4 GB for a total of $45 per month. The 4 GB of data will be shared in the same bucket as data consumed via tethering as well as data consumed natively on a user’s smartphone.

AT&T Slashes Price on Data Pricing for Laptops is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

We have been touting the value of the various Novatel Wireless MiFi devices for a while. They are convenient to use, lightweight, and make getting online a breeze so long as you can find a cellular signal. The AT&T version is a Novatel MiFi 2372. It currently has a price of $299.99 without a contract, but that drops down to just $49.99 (with a $100 instant rebate) for new customers or those eligible for an upgrade or adding a new line.

Upgrades Over Previous Version

What sets this model apart from the older version of the MiFi that one might find with Verizon or other carriers (the Novatel 2200 model) is this one is shaped a little different with rounded corners and edges, has built-in GPS, and a slot for a micro-SD card with support for up to 32GB. These last two additions are great for mobile users.

The GPS works via the landing page accessible by connecting the computer to the Wi-Fi signal and then typing the IP address into the address bar of a browser. The primary landing page will show if a GPS signal has been found. In the upper right there are a number of icons. In the image below you can see the battery icon, the Wi-Fi signal icon, and next that is the GPS signal icon. When fully blue, it shows a GPS lock.

The benefit of the GPS is that you can quickly locate yourself on a map  and show local weather. The above image didn’t have a map because we didn’t have a GPS signal as we took the shot. This was helpful when we hit a traffic jam on a recent trip. I quickly found an alternate route and we saved a lot of time and gas by avoiding traffic.

Other information on the landing page shows how many of the up to five devices are connected (lower left) and text messages received (lower right). There is also a link to the online site that shows your data usage (upper right). This same landing page has a link to the configuration settings.

There are a number of settings, but we wish that there was a place to turn on/off the Wi-Fi signal even when it is hooked up to a USB port. Also we had to change a setting to get the GPS to work properly. The AT&T version of the Mi-Fi also does not allow you to download the configuration file so you can edit it to make the Wi-Fi radio stay on all the time, even when tethered to USB. The 2200 does allow for that.

Benefits

The AT&T Mi-Fi is a great tool when you have a good 3G signal. The Wi-Fi signal is also quite strong. I left the MiFi in my car one night while on a trip and was able to get a signal from my hotel room on the second floor about a hundred feet from the car (see image right). This was handy since the hotel Wi-Fi was very weak.

Also, in my comparison, the AT&T network is just faster than the Verizon version. Of course your results will vary, but most of the time the AT&T has worked better. On a long trip, there were only a few spots where the AT&T version had a slower speed than the Verizon. Our download rates were often 2 to 3 times faster on AT&T.

Being able to get online quickly is a real plus. The size and usefulness of this device makes it an excellent tool for anyone who is away from home or the office very much.

The micro-SD storage might be useful if you want to offload some files from a computer with a small hard drive or for sharing files among co-workers, family members or just friends all using the Mi-Fi. It works and there is not much else to say about it.

Weaknesses

Sadly, the single biggest weakness with the older MiFi is still present – just four hours use on a single charge. In the days of 2-3 hours of battery life for a notebook computer, that was fine. But now that we are seeing systems with 5-10 hours, that is dismal. As I said in my first look video, I would rather the Mi-Fi be about $50 more and twice as thick with double the battery life. To overcome this we got a auto-USB adapter to provide power whenever the MiFi is in the car. It worked with the Verizon MiFi 2200 and with this newer AT&T version.

Another glaring weakness still present is the Wi-Fi signal of the MiFi cannot be used while tethered to a computer via USB. The mobile Wi-Fi feature turns off. The only way to fix that on the AT&T version is to hack the cable by cutting the data wires. A special USB cable that comes with some external hard drives can also be used. The cable will have a pair of full sized USB connectors on one end and a micro-USB connector on the other. To use the MiFi as a USB modem, with the software that is built-in, just plug in the data part of the USB-Y cable. But when you want to just charge the MiFi with your computer’s USB port, plug in the power connector of the USB-Y cable and it will still work as a Wi-Fi router. Be sure to get the kind with a micro-USB and not the mini-USB port, as they are different.

Not letting the MiFi work as a Wi-Fi router while tethered with the included cable is a huge oversight that we cannot even explain. Why would they intentionally make it work like this? And closing the simple configuration hack that was possible on the 2200 (but now closed with a recent firmware update) shows they clearly do not want this done. We cannot imagine why.

The data plans that come with the AT&T MiFi are pretty expensive. For a paltry 200MB the charge is $35. That is just plain ridiculous. Their 5GB plan, which should be plenty for most people, is still a whopping $51. It was $60 when I signed up just a few weeks ago, so this is a price reduction. That is a lot for an extra Internet account. So be sure you really need it before signing up for a new 2-year contract.

Sadly, the included software that is supposed to allow users to connect the MiFi as a USB modem does not work with a Mac. It does work with Windows. This would not be a real problem except that they don’t let you charge the MiFi while it is plugged into a USB port with the included cable.

Finally, we wish that the MiFi had better notifications than the two LEDs. There is one for the Wi-Fi signal. It is a solid blue when Wi-Fi is available and flashing when it is in use. The power button is also a light. It flashes different colors depending on whether it is on, has a 3G signal, an EDGE (slower) signal, or there is an error. It also indicates battery life is getting low when it flashes red.

We wish that it had a signal meter that showed how strong the 3G/EDGE signal was and another meter showing how much battery life was left. This information is available on the landing page described above. But it would not have added that much expense to have physical LEDs for both signals on the underside. A physical power switch would be nice too. The power button gets depressed while in a computer bag and sometimes the Mi-Fi has been on when we didn’t want it on, leaving our battery dead when it was needed.

Many of these issues are being addressed in the new 3G/4G LTE MiFi units coming to Sprint and Verizon.

Conclusion

The MiFi, regardless of whether you get it from Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T is a great tool. Despite its weaknesses, the upside makes it worth the expense for mobile Internet users. As you can see below there are a lot of weaknesses, but this is one of the few times that even with many shortcomings we still recommend the device, especially for people who need to work while away from home.

Many phones are now able to offer Wi-Fi tethering so make sure yours doesn’t before signing up for a new 2-year commitment. With the Apple iPhone possibly adding this support on AT&T we might be returning this one. But if that is not possible with your smart phone and you use the Internet on the go a lot, then we recommend a MiFi.

Is the AT&T version better than the Verizon or Sprint MiFi 2200? Not enough to switch carriers for. But if you are already an AT&T customer, now you have a great option with some nice added features like GPS and SD storage.

Pros:

• Small and light
• Gives a good strong wireless broadband signal
• Fast when it has a good 3G signal
• Built-in GPS
• Built-in micro-SD card slot

Cons:

• No physical power switch
• LEDs don’t give enough information about signal strength
• Wi-Fi turns off when plugged in using provided USB cable
• Terrible battery life
• Broadband fees are high
• Software for USB tethering is not Mac compatible

AT&T Mobile Hotspot MiFi 2372 Provides Fast Broadband on the Go is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Like the older versions sold at Verizon and other places, the AT&T model is a small device. It is a little chunkier but still small. We wish that Novatel would beef up the battery and make it a little thicker even.

On the top you see the power button wich is also an indicator light. The light is either off, solid, or flashes with different colors indicating different things as follows:

• NO LIGHT = off
• RED = low battery if flashing or error if solid
• AMBER = battery charging if flashing and fully charged when it is solid
• GREEN = GPRS/EDGE service is available if flashing or connected when solid (this is the slower network)
• VIOLET = UMTS/HSPA service is available when flashing an connected if it is solid (this is what we refer to as 3G or broadband)
• BLUE = Roaming service is available when flashing or connected when solid

On the front edge there is also a blue indicator light that shows that Wi-Fi signal is available but nothing is connected when solid and when it starts flashing it indicates that a wireless device is connected and accessing the Internet.

One of the biggest differences between the AT&T Mi-Fi 2372 and older MiFis is that it has a GPS radio in it. There is a landing page that is displayed when you connect via your browser to the default IP address which is 192.168.1.1. On that pages are all the settings. But it also shows a map and can find the current location of the unit as well as display the weather condition and forecast in that area. This is a nice touch by AT&T which we think will be quite useful on our upcoming trip. We will post screen shots when we post our final review in a couple of weeks.

AT&T MiFi 2372 First Look is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Road trips these days aren’t complete without a few MP3 players, smart phones and possibly a tablet, netbook or laptop. What you need to take along with you depends on how far your going, how you’re getting there and how much of an escape you’ll need from the people that are at your final destination.

We don’t travel far, just an hour round trip during the holidays, but being the tech experts that our family counts on we are under standing orders from grandpa to show up with the coolest toys and to help our uncle understand his new Android smartphone.

While we took the MacBook Air along at Thanksgiving for Christmas we’ll be going lightweight with a MiFi, iPad and Motorola Droid as well as a Sony TX9 digital camera to make sure we can do some picture taking of the large family that awaits! The iPad is a no brainer as pretty much everyone in the family wants to play a game, hop online or just check it out and the MiFi is how we get connected. We also used the MiFi to get an Xbox 360 online at Thanksgiving, but it wasn’t the best Xbox Live experience we’ve ever had.

Our mobile phone expert from GottaBeMobile, Chuong Nguyen will be  going light with only a Nokia N8 in tow for communicating and entertaining on his trip. Hopefully he doesn’t need to do a lot of typing on the trip! Though with a camera that’s good enough to shoot a magazine cover he’s more than prepared to capture the trip.

Our resident iPad App expert and new Mac convertor Kevin Purcell is heading halfway across the country to Wisconsin and for a trip of that magnitude he’ll be taking his MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, Mifi, Canon G12 camera and flip hd video camera for a week long trip.

Warner Crocker, the tablet toting theater man from GottaBeMobile will be taking his MacBook Pro, iPad, iPhone for a fortnight long trip to Chicago which will be enough to keep him connected and all combined should provide him with a full days worth of work without hunting for an outlet.

It’s not just the geeks that are taking technology on road trips anymore, one of our co-workers is on the road with a Lenovo ThinkPad laptop, a Virgin Mobile USB modem and a ZyXEL MWR211 to keep her son connected on a very long car ride and to hop online in the hotel without spending $13 a day.

How far will you be traveling this year and what tech do you have to have along for holiday trips?

Holiday Travel: A Look at the Tech We’re Taking With Us is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The MiFi is a mobile hotspot, meaning that it is a wireless broadband device that shares it’s broadband signal with up to five computers or devices via Wi-Fi. They have only a few hours of battery life but can share a signal with the Apple iPad and other Wi-Fi devices. We have found it to be one of the best mobile Internet solutions. The biggest issue with it besides the poor battery life is the cost of monthly service. It can cost as much as $80/month depending on the carrier and which plan is selected.

The Best Buy deal is similar to one that Verizon offered previously but with one significant difference. The Mi-Fi is really free. Verizon’s deal made the bundle the same cost as the 16GB iPad with 3G built-in ($630) and came with a monthly charge. This one from Best Buy sells the bundle for the same cost as the Wi-Fi only iPad but offers the Mif-Fi for free. However, there will be a 2-year contract to deal with from the wireless carriers.

Is the bundle worth the cost? If you don’t mind a monthly contract on one of the three carriers then it is a good deal. AT&T is selling their version of the Mi-Fi (the AT&T Mobile Hotspot MiFi 2372) for $50. That is with a $100 online discount. Verizon has the same Hotspot, plus the older 2200 version for free. Sprint has the Sprint Overdrive, which is a similar device, also for $50. All three require a two-year commitment.

The benefit of going the route of a Mi-Fi plus the iPad is versatility. A user can, not only connect the iPad, but also a laptop or other mobile Wi-Fi devices. The benefit of getting a 3G iPad directly from AT&T or Apple is convenience. The user doesn’t have to keep up with the Mi-Fi, about the size of a half a deck of cards. Also, the battery of the iPad, even with 3G turned on, will give the user longer Internet usage than the Mi-Fi can deliver. With that said, we recommend going with the iPad + Mi-Fi and carrying a good mobile charger for the Mi-Fi. Only turning the MiFi on when Internet is needed is another strategy.

Best Buy Offers Free Mi-Fi with Purchase of iPad is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

With so many options, you might be curious why I ditched my free WiFi Hotspot connection for a MiFi device on Verizon. I have used PDANet, Wireless Tether for root users and the built in USB tethering in the Cyanogen Mod Android Rom to get online for the past year. For the most part these methods worked and so long as I crossed my fingers I could get online for a short period of time. Unfortunately the more often I used these methods, which didn’t come with a monthly fee, the more often they failed.

The scenario often went like this. I would be in the car for a 30 minute trip to work. I could start a post OK, but after about 10 minutes the connection would slow down to around 3 kb/s. That’s practically zero and is tied for speed with a wired connection I had in the remote village in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam! If I rebooted the phone I could often get a usable connection, but by that time I had wasted the trip and had to get to work. It also resulted in wasted productivity due to lost posts. You may have better luck if your phone supports tethering out of the box, but then you’ll still hae to pay and share your data usage with your normal smart phone usage.

When Verizon introduced new lower priced MiFi data plans that coincided with the launch of the iPad on Verizon I knew it was time to switch to a dedicated device. Having tested a MiFi during CES last year I already knew how nice it was to have an instant on connection that just worked, I was just trying to avoid an expensive monthly fee.

I’ve had my Verizon Mifi ($50 for me, but available free with a 2-year contract currently) for a little over a month now. It has lived in my ScotteVest and gets me connected in seconds making it a perfect companion to the iPad or MacBook Air which are ready to use in just as little time.

Now that I have a dedicated device, not only do I not need to worry about draining my Droid’s battery, but I also don’t have to worry about a dropped connection every 10 minutes. I chose the 3GB plan for $35 a month which gives me enough data to do the webwork I need to do on the go without costing an arm and a leg.

If you have decent Sprint service in your area, be sure to check out the MiFi on Virgin Mobile which has no contract and offers unlimited data for $40 a month. We went with Verizon because Sprint’s connectivity is poor in several areas we frequent. Here’s a review of the BroadBand2Go service from Virgin Mobile.

So, in a word, the reason I chose the MiFi is — reliability.

We always recommend finding the best tool for the job at hand and using it instead of trying to shoehorn an imperfect solution into the mix and in my case the MiFi was the right tool.

How do you stay connected on the go?

Why I Chose MiFi Over Tethering or a SmartPhone Mobile HotSpot is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.