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Is that the Internet in your pocket?

IT’S NO LONGER just your laptop. Now you have a smartphone – or two – an e-book reader or tablet, BlackBerry, maybe a portable gaming console and other devices that need to be connected to the Internet when you’re out and about. Huawei has one device to connect them all – and our experiences with it have been awesome. The Huawei E5 is a portable Internet router. You put a cellular SIM card into it, the E5 connects to a 3G network and then creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for you. You can then link up to five devices to the wireless network and share the single cellular Internet connection with all of them.

Novatel Wireless was the first company to launch such a device and coined the term “MiFi” to describe it. However, Huawei has largely perfected it. Its E5 is tiny – about half the size of my phone – and its battery life is impressive, allowing for a claimed 100 hours of standby time and four hours of continuous work. I’ve found it will get me through half a day of moderate use.

In terms of network support, the E5 works with Vodacom, MTN, 8ta and even supports the 900Mhz frequency range of Cell C’s new network. It’s capable of data speeds up to 7,2Mbps. It has administration software accessed as a website running on the device, and that can be used to define network settings and names, assign passwords and set up profiles for wireless networks. The latter I found handy when travelling and popped a Movistar SIM card into the device while in Spain.

The range of the E5’s Wi-Fi radio is pretty good and should easily cover a hotel room or flat, allowing you to leave the device near a plug and roam around. It must be said many smartphones have a similar feature allowing you to share their connection over Wi-Fi. For one, it drains the battery on your phone very quickly and your Internet connection is often disrupted by phone calls.

The E5 has none of those problems and its applications are endless. Use it to create an Internet hotspot in your car, to get everyone connected at a business meeting outside the office or to set up an Internet connection while on holiday. It’s not too expensive and makes a great gift for the geeks in your life.

Review

VERDICT: The best portable hotspot yet tested.

COMPLEXITY: Requires some proficiency for its more advanced settings.

PRICE: R1 500.

ALSO CONSIDER: Novatel MiFi.

VALUE RATING: 9/10
 
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