MiFi 2200 (Verizon) Rated 4.5 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News Review of Reviews
There seldom comes a device that when we see the description the whole staff says, "I want one!" The MiFi 2200 from Verizon is one of those devices that is highly coveted by tech fans because you can get Wi-Fi internet access wherever the Verizon 3G cloud exists and you can share the internet connection with up to five devices.
The MiFi 2200 has a rechargeable battery that is rated to last four hours. It is about the size of a credit card case and will fit in a pocket or purse. Speeds have been reported to be as good as or better than other wireless broadband modems.
We started using a MiFi 2200 wireless broadband modem with a router that creates a Wi-Fi cloud, this morning and so far it looks excellent. We noticed more neat features of the MiFi 2200 than found by other reviews. It can used as a USB modem on computers that don't have a Wi-Fi connection. So when our broadband connection went out today, we were able to use the MiFi 2200 as a wireless USB broadband modem. Previously, we had to use dial-up as backup. Our full review will appear after testing.
All in all, reviewers were enthusiastic about the MiFi 2200, calling it "broadband done right" "remarkable" and "drop-dead awesome."
Reviewers were "wowed" by the MiFi 2200 and praised its speed, ease of use, range, and sleek styling. The MiFi 2200 offers download speeds on a notebook computer up to 2.6 Mbps and excellent iPhone connections. VoIP and Skype call quality was excellent. Video and audio files streamed quickly and easily. The only downside to the device is the battery life is not long enough for power users who want always on access to last forever.
The MiFi 2200 will be available online and in stores May 17, for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new
two-year customer agreement. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' Verizon online coupon-link you will get the rebate instantly with an online purchase. Service plans are $39.99 monthly access for 250 MB monthly allowance and 10 cents per megabyte overage or$59.99 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance and 5 cents per megabyte overage.
Customers can get DayPass for $15 for 24-hour access when the MiFi 2200 is
purchased at full retail price without a monthly service plan.
We're still arguing over who gets to use the MiFI 2200, which lead our editor to pun, "Me-oh-my, I want my MiFi and I want it now!"
To which I quipped, "Let's all share it with Wi-Fi."
To read summaries of the reviews we reviewed continue reading.
Note: I wrote half of this "Review of Reviews" using the MiFi on a notebook computer via Wi-Fi and on a desktop computer using the MiFi as a USB modem without a glitch, except for a few spelling errors.
David Pogue at
the New York Times wrote that someone on the plane next to him while he
was stuck on the runway was fascinated with the signal strength of the
MiFi 2200. He imagines use at the beach, in a taxi and in a hotel. He
also wrote, "The MiFi is remarkable for its tiny size, its sleek good looks,
its
30-foot range (it easily filled a large airport gate area with four-bar
signal) -- and the fact that it's cordless and rechargeable." He finds
the whole new category of wireless modems with routers exciting and
called it "a jaw-dropper."
Michael A. Prospero at LaptopMag rated the MiFI 2200 4.5 out 5 and tested it on a Vaio notebook with download rate of 2.2 Mbps, and an upload speed
of 512 Kbps. On the iPhone, the download rate was 1.6
Mbps, and an upload speed of 717 Kbps. He
wrote that via a Wi-Fi connection it streamed video and audio like a
charm. Skype call quality was excellent. It does however, heat up
during use.
JKontheRun wrote that the MiFi 2200
is "broadband done right". He was able to access the MiFi easily on any
device within 30 feet. He was so pleased with the MiFi 2200, he was going to
switch to the device instead of a wireless modem in the future.
Phone Arena in their review of
the MiFi 2200 was able to get anywhere from 800Kbs to 1.3Mbps download
and an average of 500Kbps upload. They state that although it is not as
fast as lined broadband speeds it is good enough on the road. They
found that it was easy to set up and use.
InfoSync was "wowed" by the MiFi 2200, they loved its sleek design and found it offered the fastest downloads on a wireless network. They wished the battery would have lasted a little longer. They were able to reach download speeds on a notebook at 2.6Mbps. VoIP calls over a Nokia phone sounded better than a cellular network. With four notebook computers connected to the MiFi the connection slowed down to 600Kbps at times, but often topped 1Mbps. Battery life with mixed use lasted 6 hours, but with heavy downloads lasted 3 hours. They tested the MiFi in a car caravan. One car had the MiFi and the other contained the portable
Wi-Fi devices. The MiFi could hold its connection to 3 or 4 car lengths
while moving.
Chris Ziegler at Engadget Mobile found the idea behind the MiFi 2200 to be intoxicating. Using the MiFi couldn't be simpler and connecting was a breeze. He wrote that "the MiFi is drop-dead awesome in basically every meaningful way."
Technical Notes: When attached as USB modem to download speed was with a 3 bar signal was 1.38 Mbps and upload of .38 Mbps.