Extending Offline time
The new MiFi is great… but the battery life is fairly short at between 3-4 hours. I need a solution where I can be unplugged for much longer periods.
So I picked up a Tekkeon MP1800 external battery pack. This is s self-contained battery that charges via USB or Wall socket (note the wall plug is NOT included). After being fully charged, it can be used to power a lot of different devices such as Cell Phones and … a MiFi card.
I did an online endurance test yesterday and was able to maintain a WiFi connection of the MiFi with the extended battery for more than 14 hours continuously.
When I halted the test because I didn’t want to leave my Netbook running unattended, the MP1800 still had power to give and the MiFi itself was fully charged. So even if the MP1800 had died then, I still would have had at least another 3-4 hours left.
The only issue I’ve had is that I can’t power the MP1800 at the same time as it is providing power as the manual suggests can be done. When I try, it faults the USB port and shuts down the Notebook and Netbook. I’ve sent an inquiry to Tekkeon to find out what is going on there…
The device comes with a variety of tips that include Samsung, Mini-USB, Micro-USB and others but does NOT include the wall adapter that is shown in the manual. It comes with a black carry pouch as well.
Secure WiFi on the move with MiFi
On the move and need a WWAN connection that is secure… I was using a USB720 WWAN card. Worked pretty good for two years. Wanted to have something that had it’s own power so the Netbook would last longer…
I picked up a Novatel MiFi 2200 (Verizon) service. This device has it’s own battery, and makes a WWAN connection over the Verizon EVDO Rev A network and provides a secure WiFi portal for up to 5 devices. Combined with an external battery pack Tekkeon MP1800, I can maintain a secure WiFi connection to the Internet for 14 hours or more without plugging into the wall socket.
The size of a credit card with the thickness of about 1/4 inch, the unit is very small and easily fits in the Netbook case. The battery life on it’s own is about 3-4 hours. Can also be Tethered to the PC to provide USB connectivity and WiFi at the same time (contrary to initial reports. Will post a note about that shortly).
Like the USB720, I get typical 800kb – 1.2 mb connection speeds using the WiFi connection.
Sprint offers the same device as well made by Novatel though it supports GPS which Verzion seems to think is not important.
Toshiba Netbook NB205 is GREAT!
Toshiba nb205
What a great Netbook.
After looking around for a couple months I finally found a Netbook that I can carry with me just about anywhere without lugging 20lbs of stuff with me.
The Toshiba NB205 (I got it in the color Sable) is a very light weight < 3lbs computer with a great clear screen (10.1″), includes 1GB of RAM, full keyboard (Main difference), great touch pad though I prefer to use a mouse. Includes 3 USB (Charging type), Bluetooth and WiFi and a battery life that appoaches 9 hours on a single charge.
Toshbia nb205 Back view
Don’t have to bring a charger with me any more, can have full wireless access by using my USB720 WWAN card with Verizon…
Obtained the unit from Amazon which included the 6cell battery for $399. I have since upgraded the memory to 2GB (~$24) and plan on getting a replacement for my USB720 with the MiFI 2200 wireless portable EVDO router soon.
Been using this now for several weeks. I got an inexpensive but very usable case, which holds everything I need and is under 5lbs complete. Leaving my much heavier HP notebook at home now.
SBSH Flakes out and now deletes posts.
Funny how a company that basically turns silent on development of a number of its apps after announcing new beta releases right in the middle of beta testing of several of their products all of a sudden starts deleting posts from it’s support forum that are critical of their actions (or in this case inaction).
Development on PocketBreeze, PhoneWeaver both which had updates due any day, have had nothing done for months ago so they could introduce such great new products as GoNews (who needs another RSS reader) SafeWallet (iphone and Blackberry) they apparently dropped development of SafeWallet for WM, and VoiceQ Symbian.
Of course they already have my money so why should hey bother correcting problems with existing software I already have purchased.
Last night, I had to replace PocketBreeze since it stopped showing any schedules which it the ONLY reason why I got it. Calendar Touch doesn’t include a Today Screen pluggin. I replaced with with Spb Diary.
I also replaced Pocket Weather with Spb Weather.
Messages posted last night about the PocketBreeze issues and notice that I was moving away from the product were deleted this morning. Not like they don’t have lots of others complaining about their lack of continued support for products that people have paid for as you can see in their forum topic below:
http://forums.sbsh.net/index.php?showtopic=25610
SBSH is a dead product as far as I am concerned and there is little point in referring them any longer.
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