by Sean Devlin, Technology Expert – Front Rush
With all of the devices college coaches are carrying around – iPhones, iPads, laptops - and the requirement to always be connected online, I decided to talk a about the personal MiFi. If you aren’t using this yet, it won’t be long before you do.
Verizon offers a slick device that gives you the Internet from your pocket and allows you to connect any of your devices to it. This way, regardless of where you are, you will still have Internet connectivity at all times. In addition, because it is wireless, you don’t need to worry about compatibility as this device will work with your iPad, your iPod Touch, your PC laptop, or anything else.
Because the MiFi device is connected using 3g on Verizon’s network, the Internet speed will not be what you’d call “amazing”. That being said, there are two big advantages to using it: First, at the very least, you are still connected and can still navigate the web. Secondly, Verizon is just months away from releasing their new LTE network (slated for end of 2010). They are stating that they are getting download speeds closed to 6Mbps which is 6 – 10 times faster than the existing network. If this is true, your personal MiFi will become a lot more valuable from a productivity perspective as a college recruiting using numerous web-based applications like Front Rush.
The cost of the device is about $250 for existing Verizon customers, and $50 bucks for new customers. The monthly plan is between $40 and $60 depending on how much you will be using it.
So, if you want to be able to access the web from any device while you’re on the road as a college coach, Verizon’s personal MiFi is a great solution. Sprint offers a personal MiFi, as well, for those of you using their network.
There’s something to be said for a device that delivers what it promises, and makes your life easier as an on-the-road college coach. It’s one of the options we often recommend to our Front Rush users.
