2011 Audi A8 gets factory-installed wireless hotspot option

We'd heard that the 2011 Audi A8 would be getting a UMTS modem in mid-2010 to help with things like Google Earth, and it looks like Audi has now delivered that and more -- it's just announced that the car is the first anywhere to be available with a factory-installed WLAN hotspot option. That will apparently let you either drop your SIM card into the car's on-board system or pair your phone with it via Bluetooth, and then share wireless internet access with up to eight WiFi-enabled devices at speeds up to 7.2 mbps -- assuming you actually need any more devices than the two dozen or so that are already built into the car, that is.

Ford Sync's In-Car Wi-Fi is Going to Cause Some Hulu-Related Accidents Next Year

Ford's not the first car company to offer an in-car Wi-Fi solution, but by integrating it with their next Sync update, it looks as though they've come up with a method that's simple and inexpensive—two words I love.

The Sync system will let you plug in your own USB mobile broadband modem, and that's it—no additional hardware or subscriptions needed from Ford. Ford uses the wirelss broadband to turn your car into a Wi-Fi hotspot on four wheels. It's also a secured (WPA2) wireless connection, requiring a password to safeguard against other drivers munching on your bandwidth. It should be available sometime next year, hopefully in time for me to stream "It's Always Sunny..." on my next road trip.

FORD SYNC GOES WIFI TURNING CAR INTO MOBILE INTERNET HOT SPOT FOR PASSENGERS WHILE ON THE GO

* Next-generation SYNC® system to incorporate in-car WiFi system powered by customer's USB mobile broadband modem, turning entire car into hot spot

* New capability will be standard on select SYNC-equipped vehicles with no additional hardware or subscriptions required beyond the user-supplied mobile broadband modem

* Standard WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) security protocols will be in force, and only owner-permitted devices will be able to access the network, helping ensure secure, robust connectivity for in-car users

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 21, 2009 – Ford Motor Company will turn vehicles into rolling
WiFi hot spots when it introduces the second generation of its popular SYNC® in-car connectivity system next year.

Inserting an owner's compatible USB mobile broadband modem – sometimes called an "air card" – into SYNC's USB port will produce a secure wireless connection that will be broadcast throughout the vehicle, allowing passengers with WiFi-enabled mobile devices to access the Internet anywhere the broadband modem receives connectivity.

"While you're driving to grandma's house, your spouse can be finishing the holiday shopping and the kids can be chatting with friends and updating their Facebook profiles," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. "And you're not paying for yet another mobile subscription or piece of hardware because Ford will let you use technology you already have."

Studies by the Consumer Electronics Association show that as many as 77 million adults make up the so-called technology enthusiast drivers population, more than half of whom express the desire for a connected communications and information system in their vehicles. Even among the general population, more than one third of Americans would be interested in the ability to check email and access Web sites in their vehicles.

Upgradeable and secure
The USB port provided by SYNC lets owners leverage a variety of devices, including the mobile broadband modem. And through simple software updates, SYNC can be adapted to connect with the latest devices.

"The speeds with which technology is evolving, particularly on the wireless front, makes obsolescence a real problem," said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford's Connected Services Solutions Organization. "We've solved that problem by making SYNC work with just about any technology you plug into it. By leveraging a user's existing hardware, which can be upgraded independent of SYNC, we've helped ensure ‘forward compatibility' with whatever connectivity technology comes next."

The SYNC WiFi capability is a simple solution for bringing internet into the vehicle, versus competitive systems on the market. Being factory-installed, the hardware is seamlessly integrated into the vehicle, whereas competitor's systems are dealer-installed and require a bulky bolt-in receiver and transmitter that take up cabin space. Also, competitive systems cost approximately $500 for equipment and installation, not to mention the monthly subscription fee.

"Using SYNC with existing mobile devices helps Ford provide the most value, the most flexibility and the most convenience for owners," said Fields. "Constant connectivity is becoming a routine part of our customers' lives, and we're making existing technology more accessible without adding costs: That's the kind of value Ford drivers have learned to expect."

Using the SYNC WiFi system, a signal will be broadcast throughout the vehicle. Default security is set to WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), requiring users to enter a randomly chosen password to connect to the Internet. When SYNC sees a new WiFi device for the first time, the driver must specifically allow that device to connect, preventing unauthorized users from "piggybacking" on the SYNC-provided signal.

[Ford via All Things D, Image via All Things D]

Hands-On With The MiFi Personal Hotspot

The MiFi is a little box, small enough to fit into a jeans pocket, and it has one function: to pluck the internet from the air using a cellular radio and share it with up to five other devices via Wi-Fi. It is essentially a wireless router with 3G inside, and it has been getting rave reviews.

I have been testing one for the last two weeks, and it turns out to be as great as everyone says, although there are a few problems which are not the fault of the MiFi itself.

Setup is easy, and if you buy it configured from your cell provider it should just be a matter of switching the thing on. There are also optional installations to use the box as a tethered USB modem, and while this means the battery will not drain, it also deactivates Wi-Fi so you can only use it with one computer. With Wi-Fi on, setup is just the same as any other router — just type 192.168.1.1 into your browser.

The battery is supposed to last four hours when in active use, but in practice I never drained it, using both a netbook and an iPod Touch. The MiFi is pre-set to switch off after five minutes without use, and although you can change this, the default setting works fine. Couple this with a fast startup time (30 seconds from switch on to gaining a 3G signal) and the emergency possibility of a USB hookup and battery life is no problem.

Until you experience a bubble of Wi-Fi that surrounds you wherever you go, you won’t know how handy it can be. Sure, having an iPhone is useful, but being able to hop onto the net anywhere using any Wi-Fi-equipped device you like is pretty addictive. You can use it on trains, in cars, or even — as I did — on a bike. Along with my iPod I used Google Maps to navigate my way around the Spanish countryside.

Yes, countryside. It’s partly due to the population density of Europe vs. that in the United States, but even in some of Barcelona’s tiny surrounding villages I was getting an almost full 3G signal, and the speed was as fast as my home connection. The MiFi also comes with proper controls, just like a real router, so you can set a strong WPA password, forward ports and most other services. You can also assign settings to a profile so you can easily swap to an open hotspot or an easy-to-share password.

And those problems? Telefonica, the provider I’m using for these tests, doesn’t work very well. For the first week, everything was fantastic, and then the internet died. The MiFi connects, but Telefonica doesn’t actually let any packets through. I’m still looking into this but this review is about the hardware, and that part works great.

There’s one more trick the MiFi has up its sleeve. It has a microSD slot, and you can access this storage over Wi-Fi or USB. It’s a gimmick, but a useful one if you need it.

The MiFi is by no means essential, but once you are used to it, its hard to give it up. I’m already sad about sending this one back, and that’s a pretty high recommendation.

Product page [Novatel]

Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot leaks into the wild

Move over, MiFi -- this Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot that just hit our inbox has taken over as our new object of broadband desire. Our tipster says internal training on the Sierra-built device has already begun, and that the unit itself features a microSD slot, support for location services, and has a 100-foot Wi-Fi range -- but sadly we don't have pricing or availability deets to share yet. We're hoping we find out more at CES -- and we'd bet that new dual-mode U301 WiMAX modem that leaked a couple weeks ago makes an appearance as well. Fingers crossed.

Update: The same tipster that sent us the information to start with is back with a few tidbits on the U301. According to the anonymous individual, that USB modem will be launching in February for $49.99 on contract. Also on the horizon? A WiMAX home desktop modem with a special price plan of its own.

Novatel Mifi 2200 Mobile Hotspot Modem

Travelers in need of frequent Internet access have more options than ever these days, but the choices aren't always satisfactory. You can try to find a Wi-Fi hotspot, but sometimes one isn't handy. You can get a mobile broadband USB modem from a major carrier, but that typically requires installing special software, which can be a hassle--and some gadgets don't have USB ports.

Novatel Wireless's MiFi 2200, a pocketable gadget that marries the convenience of Wi-Fi to the ubiquity of mobile broadband, elegantly sidesteps these issues. Not only does it require no special software--you connect to it just as you would to any Wi-Fi hotspot--but it lets you share a single mobile broadband account with several of your buddies.

I recently bought a MiFi 2200 from Sprint, and so far I'm as impressed with it as I've been with any tech purchase I've made in recent years. Small and thin--about the size of three stacked credit cards--the MiFi is actually a compact Wi-Fi router that derives its Internet access from a single mobile broadband account (instead of DSL or cable). Turn it on within range of a 3G signal, and it instantly creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five users at any given moment. The ability to share such mobile broadband access is a major selling point, but even if you're flying solo, the MiFi's ease of use--and its support for all Wi-Fi devices, not just PCs--makes it enormously appealing.

Perhaps the only downside is that because it is a stand-alone device, the MiFi runs on its own power source, giving you one more gadget to remember to recharge at night. It took about 2.5 hours to fully charge the MiFi's internal battery via the included micro-USB AC adapter, after which I was able to use it for about 4 hours, as advertised. (Novatel Wireless's manual states that the device will run down more quickly if multiple devices are using it for broadband access, but I was unable to test this.) However, if a wall outlet is handy, the MiFi can run while connected to the charger.

My Sprint unit, which cost $150 online with a two-year contract (after instant rebates), came preactivated: All I had to do after charging the device was perform the same type of setup as one would do with any Wi-Fi router, changing the SSID and setting an encryption code via a browser interface. I then pressed the big round "On" button to power up the MiFi 2200, and it connected to Sprint's 3G network--no further action required. Accessing the unit's hot spot via Windows Vista's Wi-Fi utility took another few seconds, after which I had excellent broadband access even in areas of my downtown San Francisco loft where my AT&T iPhone can't maintain a voice call for more than a few seconds.

Service was generally zippy on a range of sites; a YouTube video froze at one point, but otherwise ran as smoothly as it did on my cable broadband-based home network. Speed tests showed my downloads ranging from 700 kbps to 1.2 mbps (about what Sprint claims) and uploads of between 130 mbps and 230 mbps (a little slower than Sprint's advertised performance range for EvDO Rev. A).

Sprint charges $60 a month for up to 5GB of bandwidth usage, the same as Verizon Wireless; however, Sprint does not offer a cheaper option (Verizon has a plan that costs $40 a month for 250 megabits of bandwidth), which makes Sprint's MiFi more suitable for people who expect to use it frequently than for occasional travelers. Sprint does offer roaming service, but it's costly--and given the dearth of compatible networks overseas (most use the GSM family of wireless technologies, while Sprint and Verizon Wireless use CDMA), I would not recommend the service for overseas travelers.

The MiFi service costs aren't cheap, but taking into account the hotel and airport Wi-Fi fees I expect to save--not to mention the convenience--I'd happily recommend it to business people who seek reliable Internet access on their domestic travels.

--Yardena Arar

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/301861/review/mifi_2200_mobile_hotspot_modem.html