UK carrier 3 will launch the MiFi Huawei E585 in July for £49.99 (~$75) with a Pay-As-You-Go contract.
With ever more mobile devices finding their way to consumers, MiFi devices leveraging a single cellular data connection (and therefore only a single monthly fee) into a multi-point personal area network (PAN) are becoming increasingly popular.
Earlier devices targeting mobile professionals went for utility over design and often took the form of a non-descript business card holder. Not any more.
The Huawei E585 (yes the name really needs an improvement) clearly takes its design cues from the iPhone’s lauded styling along with a dash of flare from the Razer line of gaming mice.
“Connected devices need a strong 3G connection like ours, especially when you’re on the move. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our mobile internet offering. Following the launch of our first MiFi device, our customers asked for changes to be made,” explained Mark Brewer, head of 3’s Broadband Devices.
“We worked with Huawei to incorporate features like ‘one button to connect,’ an improved screen and a great browser dashboard that works across Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. We now have a device that customers will enjoy even more.”
The 3G cellular router features a single button start-up, can be used while charging, and can support up to five compatible devices simultaneously – including laptops, tablets, MIDs, and handheld gaming devices. The minimalistic monochrome OLED display shows the amount of data sent, length of time connected, and speed of connection.
The device is set up using an OS agnostic online dashboard that works with any full-featured browser. There is also a microSDHC slot for data storage but it is currently unclear if it will be accessible as network storage.
Add in LTE (plus a better name) and I will be first in line!
129
previous post
