Verizon V740 EVDO

By Mario Armstrong | Thu, Aug 28, 2008 9:47 am

As many of you know this year at the Democratic National Convention in Denver there are more bloggers than ever covering the happenings 24/7. However, in order for a blogger to really be successful covering a live event you absolutely need consistent internet access. Internet access and “live blogging” is a marriage kinda-like ‘turkey and swiss’ or ‘cherry and pie’ or ‘Obama and Biden.’ There have been various reports from bloggers complaining that the convention center WiFi access is weak and as of yesterday wasn’t even available. Bloggers are crying foul and are pissed that they have to rely on getting free WiFi from the bloggers tent, a few blocks away from the convention center or their hotel. BLOGGERS STOP YOUR WHINING!

If you are a real blogger and you are covering a “live” event you can’t rely on others to provide you with access you have to ensure you have the access when and where you need it. My solution to all the WiFi-lacking cry-babies? Step your game up invest in a cellular broadband card. If you are serious about blogging then you can’t afford to not have the internet where you are-that’s the whole point. I took the time to review a few broadband cards and services and so far in my testing of Sprint, AT&T and Verizon – the Verizon EVDO service is my recommended choice. If you need internet access on the go and need to send large files or do more than what you can do on a cellphone then a broadband card and service would be a smart investment for you. My recommended card is the Verizon V740, (costs $49w/2yr contract) this is an express card not a PCMCIA card. This brings up one other point, if you want ultimate flexibility then look at buying a USB card like the Verizon USB727 (cost: Free w/2yr contract). These cards can fetch average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second to 1.4 meg per second and average upload of 400-700kbps. This breaks down to downloading a 1 meg file in less than 10 seconds and uploading a 1 meg file under 15 seconds.

So, to all my bloggers and biz professionals who rely on WiFi to get business done. Come ‘on get real and make the investment in ultimate wireless data flexibility and buy yourself a pc broadband card.

Check out a brief tour of the bloggers tent and the VIP access bloggers are receiving at the DNC:

Category: Want it Wednesday

Tags: blogger, blogging, democratic national convention, DNC, EVDO, mario armstrong, verizon, WiFi, wireless

This post was written by:

Mario Armstrong - who has written 23 posts on Black Web 2.0.

Mario delivers national weekly television segments for Comcast’s “Your Morning” and “Money Matters” and on WBAL-TV, a top ranked local NBC affiliate. He is a technology correspondent for National Public Radio heard on NPR’s Morning Edition and News and Notes programs. Armstrong’s oeuvre is rounded out with “Mario Armstrong’s Digital Spin” on XM radio, which he owns and distributes, and two regional technology talk shows named “The Digital Café” and “The Digital Spin”. Mario’s passion is to bridge the digital divide between the haves and the have-nots. To that end, Mario has delved into the world of social entrepreneurship by touring the nation and delivering an interactive showcase of technology and fun for youth called “Mario Armstrong’s Dream, Create, Go!.”™ The goal of this project is to morph kids from passive users of cell phones and laptops into the next generation of digital scientists and activists.

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Herb

Yeah - consistent access to the "Internets" is a must. Yesterday I purchased the USBConnect 881 (http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/usbc... will test for a month (3G coverage here on the East coast (MI-GA) as well as the 5GB "soft" cap).

Ananda Leeke

This was so great. Thanks for all of the info. I loved your session at Blogging While Brown. I have spent the month of August implementing what I learned. You all are the best.

L Martin Johnson Pratt

ok i am totally with you even with the whining about security taking so long to get from pointA to pointB for my tax dollars i want to know our next Prez Barack Obama is safe!

But i know you felt this BUT coming on hehee Here is where i need to go left or is it right cause its you are on the right and i am on the left path away ...Anyways VERIZON suckssssssssssss Ok i am the receipent of UMN-150 works anywhere but its not $49.99 my bill has never been that not from day one first bill $just data usage not taxes - $99 next bill $387 i am not downloading music i BLOG i email and guess what there is NO TEXT Plan so texting is .25 per text per TEXT um i have a DATA CARD you mean to tell me text messages are EXTRA....So i am fighting this bill i will keep you all updated because last year the NY State Atty Gen sued Verizon and WON what? Verizon had to change their wording from UNLIMITED DATA PLAN to 5GiG data plan so i will be commenting back on this page about "good Ol' work anywhere but you better get a second mortgage Verizon"

Herb

UPDATE:

USBConnect working as expected. Coverage very good.

NOTE: Regardless of the mobile provider/package you select, invest in some type of bandwidth monitoring application to track your data usage (i.e. DU Meter (Win), Net Monitor (Mac), etc.). Between inadvertently exceeding the mobile broadband package caps and ISPs implement new caps (i.e. Comcast's 250GB limit beginning in Oct), monitoring bandwidth in the U.S. is going to be essential. (Yeah, you probably won't ever use 250GB, you say - but this cap is just a preface to tiered packages which will charge more money in the future).

Hotel buchen

the usb connect 881 is really good. I purchased one 3 months ago and found it quite reliable. I mostly use it when free wifi is not available in hotels.