Hasta La Gadget!

You know, for a moment there, we actually thought we were past the point of pushing subsidized netbooks. Evidently not. Verizon Wireless has just revealed a tweaked version of HP’s 11.6-inch Pavilion dm1 (the dm1-2010nr) that’s designed to work on Big Red’s oh-so-vast 3G network. Better still, Verizon has thrown in a SIM card in order to let it roam on networks outside of America, but the catch is one you probably saw coming: price. As with the company’s international Wireless Fivespot, the data pricing options are patently absurd — particularly so when you realize that you can never use the data you’re paying for here unless you’re using the netbook its embedded within. Other specs include a 1.3GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K325 processor, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 2GB of DDR3 memory, ATI’s Mobility Radeon HD 4225 GPU, a 1366 x 768 resolution, inbuilt webcam and Altec Lansing speakers. Verizon’s trying to hawk this thing for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a Mobile Broadband plan, while the standard version sells for just $250 more; worse still are the data plans, which mirror those found earlier in the week on the Fivespot. We’d tell you that they’re detailed in full after the break, but seriously, why would you voluntarily view something that would bring you to tears?

Continue reading HP’s Pavilion dm1 netbook outfitted with global 3G for Verizon, priced way outside of reason

HP’s Pavilion dm1 netbook outfitted with global 3G for Verizon, priced way outside of reason originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Really, Verizon? Play up the global roaming features of your new-but-not-unexpected Wireless Fivespot, only to strangle it with GlobalAccess plans that top out with 200MB of international data? Thanks, but no thanks. For those still interested in the new WWAN modem for domestic use (psst… the MiFi 2200 is a better deal), this ZTE-built device is the first in VZW’s stable to offer global data access. That’s due to having both a SIM card slot (for GSM roaming) and a CDMA radio inside, and as with the aforesaid MiFi, it’ll handle up to five simultaneous WiFi connections. The unit itself will run $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement, and Verizon’s providing both postpaid and prepaid domestic data plan options: $39.99 per month gets you 250MB with a $0.10 overage, while $59.99 nets you 5GB and a $0.05/MB overage (the prepaid details reside after the break). Where it really gets ludicrous is GlobalAccess — customers traveling abroad have the choice of two plans, a $129.99/month option with 5GB in the US / Canada and 100MB elsewhere, or a $219.99/month alternative that simply adds an extra 100MB on the international end. That’s $90 for an extra 100MB. We’ll spare you the chore of stressing over all of this and point you to Xcom Global — trust us, if you’re touching down in a foreign land for over an hour, you’ll need close to 100MB just to digest the inbox explosion from being in the air 14 hours.

Continue reading Verizon gets official with Wireless Fivespot mobile hotspot, touts awful global roaming plans

Verizon gets official with Wireless Fivespot mobile hotspot, touts awful global roaming plans originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A few months earlier in the year, we covered the arduous process of staying connected while traveling abroad. One of the ways we mentioned for jetsetters, backpackers and common tourists to stay jacked in while situated far from their homeland was a MiFi rental service from Xcom Global. The company has only been operating for a matter of months, but we recently took their services for a spin in order to give you a more detailed look at what to expect. The long and short of it? These guys are the guys to contact when you’re about to grab your next passport stamp. Read on to find out why.

Continue reading Xcom Global international MiFi / data rental service review

Xcom Global international MiFi / data rental service review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got some Intel-powered WiMAX equipment, a Clear subscription, and a yearning to spend some time in Japan? Then we’ve got great news for you, sailor! Clearwire has just hooked up with UQ to provide Day Passes over in the land of earthquakes and sushi. These act as one-day roaming permits for your WiMAX needs, furnishing you with unlimited 4G access and costing a measly ¥600 ($7) a pop. So basically, it’s the Clear Rover gone international. Clearwire’s also talking business with other global partners and the ultimate idea seems to be for it to hook up with all the big WiMAX purveyors and set up an affordable 4G roaming network for its internationally minded customers. The full press release awaits after the break.

Continue reading Clearwire starts selling roaming WiMAX Day Passes in US and Japan, unlimited data awaits

Clearwire starts selling roaming WiMAX Day Passes in US and Japan, unlimited data awaits originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You may not expect a company like Ericsson to be making ways at Intel’s Developer Forum, but that’s exactly what’s going down today in the City by the Bay. First up is the second generation F3307 mobile broadband module, which was designed to bring the goodness of 3G to upcoming Oak Trail tablets. It’ll come pre-certified with the planet’s largest HSPA networks, and we’re told that it’s engineered to sip (read: not gulp) energy while regaining connections just moments after a device snaps out of sleep mode. More interesting, however, is the October-bound F5521gw, which is hailed as the world’s first embedded mobile broadband module “specifically designed for notebooks and other consumer electronics to support 21Mbps HSPA Evolution networks.” The real kicker, however, is that it’s interoperable with Intel Anti-Theft Technology, which enables an encrypted SMS to remotely disable the host machine… even when the OS isn’t running. Hit the source links for all the nitty-gritty, or hop on past the break for the highlights.

Continue reading Ericsson’s new mobile broadband modules: one for Oak Trail tablets, one supports remote kill

Ericsson’s new mobile broadband modules: one for Oak Trail tablets, one supports remote kill originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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