Mi-Fi

We built this city

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

The makers of FarmVille are set to launch CityVille

Apple had to battle Amazon and Google for rights to The Beatles' music

AT&T has a MiFi wireless router now too, catching up to the other major carriers

You can now edit Google Docs on a mobile device

Google makes peace with book publisher Hachette Livre in France with an agreement to scan and sell digital books

A Japanese vending machine uses facial recognition to recommend a drink based on demographics

iPad coming to Verizon stores later this month

Apple's iPad will be available in more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless stores starting October 28, the companies announced today.

Verizon will offer three bundles with an iPad Wi-Fi model, along with the company's MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, a small device that provides access to Verizon's 3G network. When away from Wi-Fi, iPad owners will need to connect to the MiFi 2200 from the iPad. Verizon said the MiFi's "cloud" allows it to provide Web access through the company's 3G network to up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices at the same time.

The … Read more

One Droid X killer feature the iPhone 4 lacks

The iPhone 4 is racking up the superlatives and sales numbers, but the Motorola Droid X is coming, packing one killer feature the iPhone lacks.

Let me begin with a caveat: The Droid X is still untested in the field, so we won't know until after July 15 whether it harbors any serious user issues. That said, it already has me drooling over its impressive feature set and design.

Though the 4.3-inch display (in the case of already-small smartphone displays, bigger is better), the Flash 10.1 support, DLNA streaming, and the Texas Instruments 1GHz ARM processor are … Read more

Why pay for extra 3G service for your iPad when you can just tether it?

If you've already got an iPhone and you're thinking about whether or not to get the iPad with 3G, you may want to consider tethering your current phone instead. Apple's iPad with 3G option is an extra $130 plus a monthly service fee, costs you may be able to apply toward a larger internal hard drive capacity or a fancy case, if you're willing to do a little extra work to get 3G on your iPad.

Now, before you get started, you will need to know that there are a few downsides to enabling your iPhone … Read more

Digital City 80: Turning a WiFi iPad into an iPad 3G; the death of HP's Win 7 slate

This week we start by discussing the big car bomb scare in Times Square, and how our purportedly high-tech surveillance-heavy society isn't as high-tech as TV shows like 24 would have us believe.

There's still no confirmation, but after the HP/Palm deal was announced, the first thing we heard was the Win7 version of HP's upcoming tablet is on thin ice -- we examine the clues.

The iPad 3G is the other big story of the week. Dan and Scott checked out a couple of launch events last Friday, and we'll also show you how … Read more

New competitor? Howard Stern producer launches Technobeaver product reviews

Though we take great pride in the First Look product videos we shoot here at CNET, there's always room for some competition. The latest entrant in the technology journalism scrum may be a surprising one: it's longtime Howard Stern producer Gary Dell'Abate.

A longtime technology enthusiast, and occasional local news TV talking head on the subject, Stern listeners frequently hear about Gary's home theater setup and other tech topics. To further the cause he has apparently put aside his usual "Baba Booey" nickname for a new identity: Technobeaver.

To keep viewers interested while talking … Read more

Sprint leverages Wi-Fi to sell 4G

Sprint Nextel is using Wi-Fi to sell its 4G WiMax wireless broadband service.

The nation's third largest wireless carrier has at least a year-and-a-half head start over its closest competitor, Verizon Wireless, when it comes to 4G. But to capitalize on that lead, the company has to win as many subscribers for its service as quickly as it can. Verizon plans to launch its 4G network later this year.

In its race against the clock, Sprint is leveraging a tried-and-true technology, Wi-Fi, to help entice consumers to sign up for its service. The reason is simple. There are millions … Read more

How to get pay-as-you-go 3G service for your iPad

iPad buyers face a difficult decision: to 3G or not to 3G? After all, the entry-level 3G iPad costs $629, plus $14.99/month for a 250MB data plan or $29.99/month for unlimited. You don't have to sign up for a contract, which is great, but the fact remains you're paying yet another wireless bill for service on a single device.

There is another option. With a Verizon MiFi card, a combination wireless modem and Wi-Fi router, you could choose the cheaper Wi-Fi-only iPad and still enjoy 3G Internet just about anywhere. Plus, you get to share that connectivity with up to four other users/devices.

However, that's a much pricier solution: The MiFi locks you into a two-year Verizon contract and charges you a minimum of $39.99 per month--$59.99 if you choose the unlimited data plan.

That's why I'm hitching my wireless wagon to Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go, a pay-as-you-go service that requires no contract and no monthly minimums. (Here's my hands-on review of the service in case you're interested.)

Broadband2Go works with a Novatel-made USB aircard that sells for $99.99 (or $88.54 at Walmart). Obviously you can't plug it directly into an iPad (the modem was made with laptops in mind), but there's a workaround: the CradlePoint PHS300.

Plug the Broadband2Go into this compact, battery-powered Wi-Fi router and presto: You've got MiFi-style functionality from a pay-as-you-go provider.

Plus, the PHS300 supports up to 16 simultaneous users/devices, versus just five on the MiFi. It's not quite as elegant a solution, but it's definitely cheaper in the long run.… Read more

Get a CradlePoint mobile Wi-Fi hot spot for $99.99

I'm a huge fan of the Verizon MiFi 2200, a pocket-friendly 3G modem that doubles as a Wi-Fi hot spot. Just one problem: it locks you into a two-year contract with Verizon and costs a minimum of $40 per month--$60 if you opt for the unlimited-data 5GB data plan.

You can accomplish much of the same thing with the CradlePoint PHS300, currently on sale at Buy.com for $99.99 shipped. The only difference is, it's BYO wireless card.

In other words, you have to supply the modem; the PHS300 turns it into a secure Wi-Fi hot … Read more