3G PC Card modems let you take your Internet connection with you and use it while you're on the go, just like a cell phone. Now you can connect to the office whether you're in your hotel room, in a taxi speeding to a meeting, or in the park playing hooky. As with cell phones, coverage can be spotty or unavailable in certain areas, but now cellular providers are offering larger coverage areas and faster speeds than ever.

The fastest of the bunch, the Sierra Wireless AirCard 580, connects to Verizon's EVDO service and is capable of speeds approaching 1Mbps. Novatel's Merlin U520 works with AT&T's UMTS network and clocks in at around 250Kbps. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 775 is the most flexible of the bunch. Though its 175Kbps speeds are slower than those of the other PC Cards in this roundup, the AirCard 775 can connect to more widely available networks, including GSM, GPRS, and EDGE services. These cards aren't available in stores, but you can purchase them through mobile providers, such as Verizon and AT&T.