I recently got a wicked smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S) with unlimited voice, text and web from T-Mobile. ($79.99 per month)
It’s been a life-changer. And a technology replacer (as in, it has replaced my Kindle as the reader of choice, and Vonage as my residential phone service.)
The Galaxy is a terrific tool for mobile browsing, but it seems like T-Mobile did not want me to use it as a modem to connect my laptop to their 4G network unless I bought some more hardware and more plan?
Solution: PDANet. A free download = 4G internet access by connecting my laptop to the Galaxy with a USB cable. In other words, it turns my Galaxy into an air card. And it works great.
So where ever I go with my phone and laptop I can connect to a pretty fast (and free) internet connection. And no hacking on the phone required – I just have to change a simple setting on the Galaxy to enable the tether.
And yes, there is a version for Blackberries and iPhones, too.
What about security issues with the Internet connection? Also how is the voice quality on the phone?
Security in what area?
The link betwixt laptop and phone is a USB cable, so that is way more secure, for example, than the Wi-Fi connection in Starbucks or Paneras (which can be easily hijacked by the weirdo sipping latte in the next booth).
So a security breach would have to involve intercepting the smartphone’s connection to T-Mobile’s network which I reckon would be more difficult…
Voice quality on that phone and T-Mobile’s network is superior.
Another good option is EasyTether from Mobile Stream. Like PDANet, there is a free version. However, the paid version for Android is only $10 and gives you https capabilities.
Of course, now that my HTC Incredible is out of warranty, I just rooted it so that it works as a wifi hot spot.
Durn – wish I’d known about EasyTether before I paid $16 for the paid version of PDANet!