Mobile broadband products have really moved from being a luxury into just another tool of the trade.
With prices as low as $60 a month, you can get online anywhere your provider has a signal. Verizon is currently the largest 3G network in the country, and their mobile broadband service can get you online with speeds up to 1.5Mbps, making it faster than many residential Internet services!
The basic mobile broadband adapter simply plugs into your laptop, but as technology evolves, there are some other clever things you can do with your service.
Turn your adapter into a hotspotChances are you are using your mobile broadband adapter plugged into your laptop computer. You've probably done the procedure 1000 times; you plug it in, start the software and get online.
Imagine being able to turn that wireless broadband modem into a WiFi Hotspot, with the ability to share the connection with others, and never have to bother with connection software again.
This is where the
Cradlepoint PHS-300 can help. This battery powered device allows you to connect your modem to its USB port. To get online, you simply plug your mobile broadband adapter into the device, turn it on and use the WiFi connection on your laptop computer to connect to your new hotspot signal.
The Cradlepoint PHS-300 features several levels of security, allowing you to restrict who can access the connection.
The PHS-300 works with most USB wireless broadband adapters from Verizon and other carriers.
The advantages of using a mobile broadband router are great -- you reduce the battery load on your laptop, you can share the connection with others and you no longer have to fidget with connection software on your laptop.
Technology like this also allows you to add a wireless Internet hotspot to locations where you'd normally not expect it -- like in a car or truck. If you have a booth at a tradeshow, you can bring the PHS-300 and let all your booth workers share the same connection, instead of paying the often exorbitant fee charged by the exhibition center.
There is one other important thing you can do with this device: You'll be able to use it as a backup solution in the event your company Internet connection fails.
The PHS-300 retails for $179, and purchases made between now and March 31st are eligible for a free carrying case and car charger cord.
One thing to keep in mind is that when you share your connection, you still draw data from your monthly allowance, most operators allow you to transfer up to 5GB per month, after which time they start charging an overage fee, so be sure to keep an eye out for what your fellow users are up to.
Turn your wireless broadband adapter into a GPS deviceMobile broadband adapters keep getting smaller and smarter. The first generation devices were bulky and offered little more than the most basic features. The current generation of adapters add some advanced features that could really benefit you on the road.
One feature found on several adapters is integrated GPS. Imagine being able to plug your mobile broadband adapter into your laptop and start a navigation software package that can help you find your customer locations.
You'll have to refer to the user manual to determine whether your wireless adapter has a GPS chip built in, there are also several adapters that do have the GPS chip itself, but have access to it blocked by your operator.
A good example of a laptop based navigation package is
CoPilot for laptops -- this package turns your laptop computer into a full blown GPS navigation system.
Using your adapter as a file repositoryAnother new feature popping up on some mobile broadband adapters is the ability to add a memory card to the device.
Some adapters even come delivered with a basic memory card installed, but you are free to expand that with your own card. With a 4GB memory card added to your mobile adapter, you can start carrying any important files you need on the road, or even use the adapter as a way to transfer files from one computer to another. If you are really into productivity, you can also look into portable applications which are designed to run off the memory card.
These portable applications can be started without having to install anything to the computer they are plugged in to, making them perfect for using at a client site or public PC. A great place to find portable applications is
portableapps.com.Most of these applications are free. Once you have added the applications you might need on the road, you've turned your mobile broadband adapter into a way to get online and a great place to store important programs you might need when you are away from the office.
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