Bare Feats’ rob-ART morgan tests the Verizon Wireless ExpressCard/34 (Novatal V640) wireless broadband solution with his Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro.
Why aren’t we using Cable or DSL via an AirPort base station instead? Why bother with Verizon Wireless’s $59/month wireless broadband service? For starters, our Bare Feats lab is in a remote mountain area with no Cable or DSL service. More to the point, if you want a “surf from anywhere” solution for your laptop, cellular wireless broadband is the best solution we’ve found. Whether on a local shopping trip, sitting in the doctor’s waiting room (with no WiFi), or driving down the interstate highway, you’re able to access the internet quickly and reliably. (This assumes you are in one of the metropolitan areas serviced by digital Verizon Wireless’ broadband. Even if you aren’t in the broadband zone, you can connect at the 144Kbps speed as long as you have a digital signal.)
There are other advantages to having a mobile broadband wireless solution. On a recent long road trip, I was able to keep up with my email and post updates on the Bare Feats site. At one point we checked into a hotel that boasted of free high-speed internet only to find out the system was down. No problemo. Whip out the wireless PC card and off we go.
Full review here.
MacDailyNews Note: The Novatel V640 will work natively with Mac OS X 10.4.7, or you can use the included VZAccess Software. Verizon Wireless offers the ExpressCard V640 for US$179 with a two year contract. EVDOinfo.com is selling the card for $99.99. More info here.
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Novatel Wireless V640 ExpressCard/34 debuts – August 04, 2006