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"This thing Is seriously Awesome. My favorite toy now." on by gordonliu
Pros: No connection issues:
xbox 1.0 (wireless adapt.), HTC kaiser PDA phone, archos 7 and laptop simultaneously!
FTP over (Laptop to xbox) peak = 6 mBYTE/s, sustained 4 mbyte/s (YES BYTE)
battery life is plenty
HAS GPS YEAHHH!!
Looks cool (seriously)Cons: might eventually run into a situation where longer battery is useful (maybe on an actual hike or camp trip)
MIGHT (unlikely) need more than 5 connections (i highly doubt this, though). unlikely 5 seperate people need simultaneous access.Summary: Super cool toy, especially if you have a lot of devices that utilize wireless connections.
Just like my Archos 7, this thing has surprised me. it is super easy to use, super handy and, honestly, it is well worth every penny I spent on it.
The only unfortunate thing is that I am sure I am going to kill the battery (eg maximum number of recharges that is an inherent quality of every and all lithium ion batteries, even those in a prius!) before very long because I will use it so damn much.
this is the type of thing I would not leave the house with:
keys? check, wallet? check, phone? check, Mifi? Check.
I know how cheesy this sounds but I am totally stoked on this thing. I AM USING IT NOW!!
it is now an integral part of my electronic "toolkit" (my archos 7, my laptop and my pda phone). Now I can connect em all wherever I am (pretty much).
The only real competition for this device is to use a laptop connected with a conventional air card as a hot spot.
I have tried this and it is a royal pain in the ass. it is a hassle to get set up, it destroys the battery on the host laptop, you really cant even use the host at all, and it is difficult to connect more "imbedded" (so to speak) devices than other computers.
I tried this once with a laptop identical to mine (a HP dv8333cl). we got it working, but (even though the battery was new at the time) the battery only lasted for 1 hour with no programs running (we even shut down a bunch of background processes) and the lid closed.
we determined that you basically couldnt even use the host laptop because any CPU use would DRASTICALLY slow down the connection speed (it would go from full speed to 28k modem in a microsecond)
I tried connecting it to my PDA phone, which worked OK (the phone interface is kind of crappy to begin with)..
I tried connecting it to my Archos 7. THAT was a huge pain. I had to call tech support, it took 45 minutes (THAT is how we figured out that the battery only lasted an hour, we sat on tech support for 45 minutes before we even got that device testing)
I am gushing. I know how cheesy and stupid it sounds but I am seriously like a little kid again, opening that bad ass toy that I always wanted.
I highly recommend it.....
considering the costs associated with it, it is not for everyone.
I guess it is best if you ALREADY plan on getting a data plan...
if you do, it is a total no brainer.
aircards are pretty expensive to begin with. even if an aircard is half the price, you might as well get the MiFi....
it does the same thing, but for 5 different computers.
you actually save money! -
"Horrible,Horrible,Horrible..................." on by davidcant
Pros: Concept,30 day free trial
Cons: Could not stay connected
Summary: I could stay connected. I spent more time trying to get on the internet then I did on it.
I had it for 2 weeks and returned it to sprint. -
"Great when it works, but....." on by giggles
Pros: Mobile, can connect multiple devices concurrently.
Cons: NO battery life indicator, battery just plain died after 4 months
Summary: After 4 months of pretty routine usage (almost daily usage), the battery just dumped in the middle of an internet session (the same day the stock market crashed, incidentally). Could not revive it at all. Sprint tells me to bring it in and they'll exchange the battery or the device.
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"Running almost non stop > 6 mo. for family use." on by tex_ag89
Pros: It is smaller than an empty wallet, and it has been running for 6 + months being used by the family. Three computers are running for 4+ hours per day. It beats satellite internet option hands down. Running Skype, email, online videos often.
Cons: It runs "HOT", and has me concerned on longevity of the product. Portability can attribute to "Losing It". Other users have commented on battery life. Do not use 3G for high volume business.
Summary: The MiFi2200 is a good unit. It can run 23.97 hours per day for > 6 months so far by the family(3+)computers often. The "HOT" temperature leaves some concern on the longevity of the product. Be cautioned on battery life from the other reviews. We are in an area without DSL/Cable. The kid and wife screamed for 3 hours a day with satellite internet, now they only scream about 3 minutes per day in peak hours. VOIP, streaming videos is all good for the most part. Remember that the complaints other than battery life, and heat are most likely ISP (throttling) related. This unit is always in one location of the house, but can be placed anywhere.
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"Started off great, now is currently being stubborn..." on by blinner40
Pros: Love the multi user functionality.
Love the size and convenience of taking it on the road.Cons: I think I have a batter problem. Wont take a charge & wont stay on even when plugged in.
Constantly having to reboot.
Overage Charges on a limited 5G.
Impossible to stream movies. Always bufferingSummary: Bottom line, if you have money to spend, go for it! Be ready to replace battery after a few months several times over. Be ready for overage charges and don't expect this device to be your sole internet provider. Great for travel and small projects out of the office or home that may require multiple devices. It will definitely help to live in a metro-area where sprint has a solid network.