One of the coolest things I get to do these days as part of Tech Field Day is bring friends from all countries to the United States to meet with various companies. But too often, they find themselves isolated and unable to communicate because of our odd mobile phone network. Although prepaid SIM cards are more available these days, I'm having a tough time locating a data SIM … [Read more...] about Is there no such thing as a cheap, prepaid data SIM in the USA?
MiFi
How to Prepare Your AT&T Phone for Travel Abroad
The difference between American and European mobile phone providers are vast, and the modern traveler is likely to run afoul if they are unprepared, running up a surprisingly large bill! Here's a rundown of my standard techniques to prepare my American mobile phone for travel abroad. Frequency Compatibility The first thing to do when considering a trip abroad is checking … [Read more...] about How to Prepare Your AT&T Phone for Travel Abroad
In Search of the Perfect USB Cable
You wouldn't know it from hefting my backpack, but I'm always looking to lighten my load with clever, compact, versatile cables. With so many devices now using USB for both data and power, I'm always on the lookout for nifty new cables. Here's a quick overview of a few cables that I found useful recently. StarTech 2-in-1 Mini-USB and Micro-USB Combo Cable Perhaps sensing my … [Read more...] about In Search of the Perfect USB Cable
Wireless Internet Access During My Trip To The Netherlands
Mobile broadband roaming is insanely expensive. Using my AT&T iPhone overseas costs $20,000 per gigabyte, and that's not a typo or a joke. So I always pick up a local 3G data SIM for my Huawei E585 mobile hotspot when traveling. Here's documentation of my experience with T-Mobile in the Netherlands this week. The Best Wireless Internet Overseas First, it is absolutely … [Read more...] about Wireless Internet Access During My Trip To The Netherlands
Hands-On Review: Verizon 4G LTE (and the Novatel MiFi 4510l)
Somewhat disappointed in the Clear PXU1900, I decided to try another 4G mobile broadband solution. Verizon began their LTE buildout after Clearwire's WiMAX was already widely deployed, but they have moved aggressively to catch up. And Verizon has the benefit of better if less-plentiful spectrum for their network. My experience with Verizon's 4G LTE service, and their Novatel … [Read more...] about Hands-On Review: Verizon 4G LTE (and the Novatel MiFi 4510l)