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Is the MiFi mobile hotspot a good buy?

Posted December 18th, 2009 by admin

Product Review

What’s a MiFi?

The MiFi 2200 (*Est. $50), offered by Verizon Wireless and Sprint, is similar to a cellular card for your laptop, but it differs in that it can be connected to as many as five Wi-Fi-enabled devices at once, from your laptop to your iPod touch to your digital camera. Geared toward those who need reliable Internet connections on the go, it’s one step up from mobile broadband; it’s actually more like a “portable hot spot,” since it can be easily shared. However, you’ll have to pay additional monthly fees to use the service. Verizon and Sprint charge $60 per month for 5 GB of data; Verizon also offers a $40 monthly plan for 250 MB of data.

What do the reviews say?

The MiFi is called “drop-dead awesome in basically every meaningful way,” by Engadget Mobile and is recommended by CNET’s Dong Ngo over wireless cards, provided “you can afford the required service plans and keep within the required data limits.” Professional reviewers generally rave about the MiFi, though there are some concerns. Mario Morejon at PCMag.com warns “you won’t be connected very long if you use multiple Wi-Fi devices,” referring to the MiFi’s short battery life. He rates it highly, though he says Sprint’s version of the MiFi is a bit easier to use and offers a few more features than its Verizon counterpart. In one of the most interesting tests, editors at InfoSyncWorld.com test out the MiFi between two moving cars, with pretty good results.