Mifi's Dirty Little Secret

I caught David Pogue's writeup of the Mifi, a little 3g modem with a wireless router built in. And then I got angry. I got angry because David Pogue and Verizon want to convince you that you need this device, when you most likely already have, in your pocket, something that duplicates almost all of the functionality.

Tethering

Quite a while ago, folks realized that computers could use the data connection on their cellphones as a modem. They called it 'tethering' because you had to connect the two with a data cable. It was a great idea, until the carriers realized what was going on.

Wireless providers love to sell unlimited data plans. But, they want us to use as little data as possible. And since they can tell if you're tethering (your computer has a different MAC address than your phone. they charged you for it. One important thing to note here: They did not provide any additional service--they simply created an artificial barrier. Verizon (the carrier offering the MiFi) charges $15-$60 a month for tethering, depending on your handset and data plan. If you haven't seen a tethering plan before, it's because most carriers don't advertise them, and even hide them on other sites-- they'd rather sell a modem card for your computer with another monthly charge and 2 year contract.

Pros and Cons

But still, people tether. The most obvious pro is that you might already have all of the necessary equipment. If you have a BlackBerry, a Windows or Symbian smart phone, or quite a lot of 3g capable phones you can tether. The software and hardware has advanced, and often, the capability is built into the phone without having to rely on third party software. In addition, the 'tether' is usually gone these days: most phones have bluetooth, and some phones with wifi can be used as wifi routers.

It's not perfect, though. All that data transfer takes a toll on your phone. I've said before that it's needlessly expensive. And while 3g is way faster than it used to be, it's still not broadband fast. Past checking websites and email, you will have limits. Video will be choppy, and Ajax heavy sites like Google Docs will crawl.

Why Mifi?

Which brings us back to the Mifi. It's going to use the same 3g network, so it's going to be slow. It packs four hours of battery life, which is great, to be sure, but it's also another piece of gear that has to be charged and maintained. It costs $100 plus a two year contract, which comes to about $1540. And, in a day where you have iPhone, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry apps that bring a quick, beautiful and portable internet experience with you where ever you go, It's money you just don't need to spend.