Kyocera KPC650

Reviewed by

William Flanagan

on 07/27/2005

Add to my list
Print
E-mail
Share

See all Kyocera products

CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating
Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 9 reviews
See all user reviews

Email me when this product is available

Quick specs
Device Type: Wireless cellular modem - CardBus
See full specifications

Add to my list Product summary

The good: Easy installation; nice design.

The bad: Expensive service; inconsistent performance.

The bottom line: Although the performance wasn't as fast or consistent as we'd like, you can't deny the attractiveness of access to the Internet from almost anywhere, and that?s what this card gives you.

Read full review

CNET editors' review

CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Reviewed by:
William Flanagan
Edited by:
Felisa Yang
Reviewed on: 07/27/2005
Released on: 04/18/2005

With the Kyocera KPC650 cellular modem card and Verizon's growing EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) network, traveling professionals finally have the killer app they've been looking for: broadband access on the road. If it's available in your area, an EV-DO connection will allow you to access the Internet at high speeds from wherever you are--be it train, car, or airport--and the KPC650 is the conduit. But, as you might expect, it doesn't come cheap. At $99 (with a two-year service contract) the card is relatively inexpensive, but Verizon's all-you-can-eat data package will run you $79.99 per month.

The card itself looks much like any other PC Card with the addition of a fold-out antenna to facilitate connections. Some users may prefer the clean lines of a card without this antenna, such as the Novatel Wireless V620, which is also available through Verizon. Even if you're a stranger to networking, installation could not be easier. The included documentation walks you through every step of the process, even telling you exactly when to slide the card into the notebook. In fact, we were up and running in less than five minutes, and that includes the time it took for Windows to recognize and install the correct drivers.

Verizon's VZAccess Manager software offers one-touch dial-up to the network and also provides management software that allows you to keep track of your account. It also supports text messaging and organizes your other applications.

Most helpful user reviews

Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 9 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 9 user reviews
4.0 stars

5 out of 5 people found this helpful

"Mac user this is your card!"

by ejf2461 on October 8, 2005
4.5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this helpful

"The ONLY wireless 'net solution"

by themacdaddy on November 12, 2005
4.5 stars

1 out of 1 people found this helpful

"There is no debate on whether to get cable or dsl anymore. EVDO is the way to go."

by lubichjd on March 29, 2006
See all 9 user reviews Write review

Submit your review

Kyocera KPC650

ORLog in with your Facebook account

1. Rate this product:: (Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.): 0 of 5000 characters; Submit

Compare prices for Kyocera KPC650

This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.

Email me when this product is available

Recent user reviews

Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 9 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 9 user reviews
4.5 stars

"quick and easy installation and good coverage"

by markiv454 on June 7, 2007
4.5 stars

1 out of 1 people found this helpful

"There is no debate on whether to get cable or dsl anymore. EVDO is the way to go."

by lubichjd on March 29, 2006
4.5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this helpful

"The ONLY wireless 'net solution"

by themacdaddy on November 12, 2005
See all 9 user reviews Write review

Submit your review

Kyocera KPC650

ORLog in with your Facebook account

1. Rate this product:: (Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.): 0 of 5000 characters; Submit

Special sponsor stores

Dell Shop

Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

alaTest.com

Editors' rating: 43

Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 25 reviews of Kyocera KPC650 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 77/100 and users 80/100. Comparing these reviews to 9295 other Modems reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 43/100 = Fair.

Read full review
pcmag.com

Editors' rating: 90

Summary: Especially where signals are weak, this card delivers even better performance than the Novatel card we tested a few weeks ago.

Read full review