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Tag Archives for Functionality

the Right Card for Mobile Internet

Once deciding to purchase a Mobile Broadband Card for you laptop there are still several choices to be made. The first is: Which Carrier to get?

Since Sprint & Verizon are generally considered the leaders in this technology, we will limit the discussion to these two choices. As far as monthly pricing goes they are exactly the same, $59.99 a month. However, there is a very important distinction. Sprint offers truly Unlimited service for businesses and a 5GB limit for individuals, where Verizon has a 5GB limit per month for all customers. For the casual user this is plenty of data, but for a power user, Sprint clearly is the better choice here.

The other factor is coverage. Both carriers are going back and forth with their claims of “more coverage”. The best thing to do is check the coverage maps and see who has the most Rev A coverage in the areas you need service. Rev A is the fastest service currently available, so go with the carrier that covers you the best, but if it seems equal, Sprint would be the better choice since you do not have any usage restrictions.

Now that we have picked a carrier, it is time to decide which card to get. This involves several steps depending on what you plan to use the card for.

If using the card only in your current laptop, then determine what kind of slot your computer has. There are 3 types of slots now in use.

1) PCMCIA or Type ll Card Slot.

This slot is the size of a Credit Card and has been around for over 5 years. Most older laptops have this slot. The advantage of using this type of card is that it keeps most of the card inside the laptop, with just about an inch of the card sticking out. You can install this card once and just leave it in the laptop. As these are going away and being replaced by the smaller express slots, it is probably best to go with one of the options below unless you know you will be staying with the same computer for a few years.

2) ExpressCard Slot.

This is the newer type of card slot that is about half the width of the PCMCIA card. Most of the newer laptops will have this slot. Once again, the advantage here is that most of the card is inside the computer and you can just leave it there without risk of it getting bumped or loosing it. ExpressCards vary in price from $0 to $150 with a new agreement.

3) USB Card Slot.

Every modern computer has a USB slot. This is the main advantage of a USB Card – it will work with a new or old laptop, and even desktop computers. If you have an older laptop with a PCMCIA slot, but know you will be upgrading laptops in the next 6-18 months, then get a USB card so that you won’t limit your selection of a new laptop. The one slight downside to a USB card is that most of it is external to the computer, making it a bit more to keep track of when transporting your laptop. USB cards are usually priced from $0 to $100 with a new agreement.

Other factors to consider:

Mobile Routers.

If you want to use a Mobile Router to share your connection, currently you will want to stick with either the PCMCIA cards like the Novatel S720, with the Kyocera KR2 router. Almost all the USB and Express Cards are compatible with the CradlePoint line of routers.

GPS Functionality.

To take advantage of some neat and free GPS functions like finding the nearest restaurant, gas station, mapping your location, and even real time traffic updates, go with a Sierra Wireless Card from Sprint. The Sprint Connection Manager for these cards allows you to use this service at no extra charge.

under Mobile Internet

Mobile Internet

What is it?

There are three key factors that have seen the mobile internet become a reality:

1. better handsets, screens and memory

2. better data connections through 3g

3. flat rate data-pricing.

Most mobile users in the UK now have both internet browsing and email capabilities on their phones. In fact surveys have shown that 46% of people in the UK have accessed the mobile internet. With such a large number of users there is significant potential for marketing and advertising.

With the advent of internet focussed phones, such as Apple’s iphone, some have argued that the mobile and PC internets are the same, and thus specific strategies or content for each audience is unnecessary.

The other side of this argument is that the mobile internet is significantly different for a number of reasons:

1. handset screen and keyboard size make the functionality and experience different

2. the user experience with mobile means that they will tend to access in the internet in short bursts or ‘snacking’

3. the MNO portals and repurposing of content means that the mobile user will see a different internet to the PC user (see below).

How does it work?

When most users log in to the mobile internet they will be taken to their operator portal, Vodafone Live! or T-Zones. Although many of these portals or ‘walled gardens’ include search tools, they make it difficult for the user to navigate outside of them.

To log on to the mobile internet outside of these walled gardens requires a good technical knowledge of the phone and internet settings.

Significantly, the MNOs repurpose content, ostensibly to improve the speed and compatibility with the mobile device. This can mean that the look and functions of a website are quite different to the PC-based internet. It also means that some sites, depending on the network are blocked entirely.

A few examples

Google have already made significant inroads to providing mobile search and mobile applications, such as email and maps. As yet, the company has not included it’s AdWords advertising into these applications but is widely expected to do so at some point.

under Mobile Internet

Automatic Driver Updates

Programs that are seemingly invisible to computer users are actually working hard in the background to keep a PC’s operating system running efficiently. Computer drivers are part of this behind-the-scenes activity, fulfilling a specific purpose. To be precise, a device driver is a small file containing data that the computer needs in order to communicate and control a particular device, such as an optical drive, keyboard, or speakers.

For example, sometimes it is necessary to update your sound drivers to get the best performance from your system. Driver updates are easy to find and install, and they can be downloaded for free from your sound driver card manufacturer’s website.

Different programs are assigned to both the PC and the peripheral devices they support. In other words, they all speak a variety of command languages, so the “interpreter” or device driver translates between the computer and the peripherals to ensure that the hardware is communicating properly.

Checking for the latest driver update is critical to enhancing PC features, updating functionality, and preventing or eradicating common bugs. Microsoft and other manufacturers produce new drivers download on a very regular basis, and because of this, Windows may require frequent driver updates, especially Windows Vista.

Manually updating your drivers means you’ll have to be vigilant with regard to how often driver download updates must occur. You can choose to download an individual driver download on a device manufacturer’s Website or use Windows Drivers Update to update some drivers, but a popular alternative is to rely on automatic download driver services or programs.

under Mobile Internet