Free Press

Issue date: 11/30/09 Section: Arts and Entertainment

The MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot is the size of 10 stacked credit cards, and it works wonders.  Simply turn it on wherever you are and BANG! You have a wi-fi network that you can connect to on your laptop or other device to surf the Web.

During one afternoon drive between Lewiston and Brunswick, my fiance was able to stream video from her Web cam and browse the Web at the same time – all at a relatively fast speed. As I write this review, I am using the MiFi card to connect to the Internet where I normally wouldn’t be able to — in Rumford, Maine at my grandparents’ house.

Now the speed isn’t as fast as a 5mb broadband Internet connection provided by Time Warner Cable, so don’t expect to stream high-definition video or play online computer games with much success. But the MiFi’s 1.6mb speed is more than sufficient to browse the Web and stream low-quality Youtube videos with ease.

The battery lasts anywhere between 4 to 6 hours, depending on usage, and charging only takes an hour or two.  While you can connect multiple computers or smartphones to the device, I noticed that connection speed started to lag when I had any more than three devices connected to it at a time.

The only problem with it is the network manager that it installs on your computer if you plug it in. Most computers already have a working network manager installed, so there’s no need to install another one that doesn’t work as well.

If you are a savvy traveler who needs to be able to surf the Web from wherever, this device is a great investment, especially considering Verizon’s large coverage map of the U.S.  Basic two-year contracts have a base price of $50 plus a $60 monthly fee.

Score: 9/10

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