Many people today are purchasing aircard service from cellular wireless companies. The aircard, or laptop card, makes use of Streamyx advanced data networks used by the latest phones, known as EDVO or 3G. The new phones talk, text, and surf over these wireless broadband data networks. With so many choices in aircards, how does a non-technical consumer make a decision?
The first thing setup streamyx account decide is if you are going to use streamyx promotion aircard streamyx accounts a single location, or if you are going to roam. If it is at a single location, you can focus on that location to measure performance. If you can find neighbors in your area with 3G phones, ask them to run a mobile speed test. A more thorough way is to get the providers to loan you a card for a day so that you can test it at your location. Plug it in your computer and run the speakeasy speed test. Always pick the same city. Although true geeks would find this test to be too simplistic, it already seems like too much work to me.
If you are going to be roaming, you want to look at the coverage maps. A good online store will have a link to the coverage Streamyx on the same page as the aircard sale page. The maps aren't perfect, but they show the degree of coverage. Be sure you are looking at data coverage, The further down the list you go on the coverage color key, the slower the service will get. Also, a strong area on the coverage map is means strong average coverage. It doesn't guarantee anything at any individual point. The type of aircard is usually secondary to the signal strength, and strength will vary due to tree load, buildings, and other interference sources.
How about service? Does your vendor advertise the fastest network or the best support or the best customer service? You can pretty much ignore these, but if you can find someone who already has a laptop card or 3G phone from your chosen vendor that is working in your areas, your experience will likely match his. I have a definite preference in the area I live, but my favorite vendor may be terrible where you are.
Once you have the vendor, you need to pick a card. This is mostly a convenience for you, so the simplest connection is to use a USB aircard. If you have an older machine, it may not have USB2, so it might be a little slower, but the flexibility and simplicity make it worth it to me. A USB extension cord for the device is handy too, and some devices are shipped with them. Remember, this is a radio antenna, so don't bury it in a wood and steel desk and expect it to be at its best.
Aircards today are often as fast as DSL, and they will only continue to get faster. A little effort up front to find the best card is smart, and it is equally smart to do it again when your contract expires, because things keep changing.
Greg Hency is an author living in Michigan. To learn more about aircards please visit http://www.nomoremodem.com.
This last Friday, a few of the developers behind Microsoft Surface took some time out of their schedules to meet with us and talk about what's coming in their Surface Service Pack 1, due to be rolled out today. Now, it's called a service streamyx tm for a reason — as opposed to a fun pack — this update is a response to the requests and concerns of the community using and developing for the Surface, so it's not about flashy new gizmos and eye candy, but usability.There are still a few new visible features, and it's always fun to play with a Surface, so there's a nice video for you to watch if you're interested in how the Surface is changing and how Microsoft is responding to developer feedback. It's easier to show them than explain them at length, so check them out in the exclusive video inside.
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