Kyocera KPC650 user reviews

Pros Great signal performance. Works great on Mac. External antenna

Cons Some latency (it's expected)

Summary This is a great card, especially if you have a Mac. The other card work on Mac too, but you have to get help configuring MacOS to use it (it's not that hard to do). Anyway, this card gets 2-4 bars of signal in my basement apartment. And even with 1 or 2 bars it still works really well.
Speed:
CNET is right...the card doesn't deliver perfectly consistent throughput. But it's a wireless card on a cellular network. You can't expect it to work as well as a wired connection. That said, I didn't find the performance to be unlivable. And I don't just use it for web browsing and email. I transfer stuff to/from AFP Servers, FTP servers, etc. I move a lot of data. So to say this card is fine for me is saying a lot.
They call it "Broadband Access" but it's only broadband if you're in an EVDO area, getting a good EVDO signal. If that isn't the case the card gears back to the slower "NationalAccess" (1xRTT Data) service. Don't let "slower" fool you. It's bloody fast when you compare it to 56k dialup (a little more than twice as fast). I clock the speed of NationalAccess at 80-100K, each and every time I test it. I've only clocked it at less yed that once, and that was at 71k. BroadbandAccess I clock between 200K and 800K, with bursts here and there of about 1.8Mbps. This card (and the service) gives me faster performance than I got with T-Mobile or Cingular, which is why I'm so amazed with it.
If you can handle the montly fee, you should get this card if you need to do data remotely. If it can take care of me, it can take care of just about everybody.

Pros High speed everywhere!!! It's unbelievable. 1MB connection on average.

Cons Upload speed can be annoying for internet enabled applications, like CRM.

Summary I've always loved the ability to work from home rather than the office. Now, my possibilities from working outside the office are endless. The question I face now is: should I work from home, the boat, the cabin, the golf course...?

The download speed through Verizon averages around 1 MB per sec. This is way faster than the DSL I used to have. I've also have been able to drop my land line and only use cell phone and my EVDO service. In the end I end up saving money over traditional wire based technology and have the freedom of wireless.

Pros Easy Install, has external antenna port, great service

Cons Had to disable compressions software with help of tech support

Summary This is an outstanding card. I'm using it in Manhatten. I had to disable the compression software in order to get it to work with the help of tech support (call number listed in the Verizon data card application software).

You can test your speed at site infospeed.version.net. I typically get 400 kbps download, 50 kbps upload day and night. Response time (latency) is very good and people don't realize they are on Verizon Wireless Data when web browsing unless I tell them.

Card cost ($179 with 2 year service which gives you $60/month broadband) is not much amortized over 2 year usage contract.

Verizon sells a couple of external antennas but there is another useful one for internal (desk) use on the Kyocera site.

http://store.kyocera-wireless.com/product.aspx?product%5Fno=KPC650

Pros Overall performance for the mobile power user

Cons Inconsistency with speed which varies

Summary Kyocera KPC650 is a very expensive card, but is worth every penny for the overall performance for the mobile power user to surf the Internet and to send and receive e-mail, if you don't mind paying the hefty price tag for unlimited use. My only problem I have with this pc card is that there is no software or drivers to utilize the old pocket PC device (iPAQ 3970 series) like the Sierra watcher for handhelds. Also if you have a home network, you may want to uninstall the venturi compression transparency software so you be able to connect or tunnel through to the Internet.