A MiFi is a nifty little device you can get from Sprint or Verizon here in the States. It receives a cellular data signal and then rebroadcasts it as a Wi-Fi connection.
However, one annoying thing is that when you plug it into a USB port, it insists on acting as a modem instead of a Wi-Fi access point. This means that you can't charge it from your laptop and share it the data connection. I ran into this issue at an airport when I wanted to charge the MiFi and share with my colleague, but I couldn't find an electrical outlet.
Thanks to Allison Sheridan at the NosillaCast Podcast for the solution.
Since the MiFi is a router, you just need to reconfigure it.
Log in to your MiFi at 192.168.1.1 and click on advanced, and then on config file.
Download the configuration file. Knock the .sav extension off when you save it.
Open it in a text editor.
Right near the top of the file you'll see an entry called routeroverusb. Change that bit from a zero to a one.
Now save the file.
Go back to your router screen, browse to the config file, and upload the modified file.
Your MiFi should act no differently when plugged into your USB port than when it's not, except it will still charge.
This only works on the MiFi 2200. If you're in Europe, you may have a different model. For those folks, Allison suggested getting a charge-only USB cable, missing the pins for data communication, preventing your MiFi from acting all modem-like.
It's not very glamorous, but this battery pack delivers iPhone power on the cheap.
(Credit: Meritline)The older your iPhone gets, the worse its battery performs. Don't blame Apple: it's just the nature of rechargeable batteries that they wear out over time.
Sadly, you can't just swap in a new one--not without some warranty-voiding surgery. But you can plug in external power, which is cheap, easy, and affordable.
For example, Meritline has an 1800mAh iPhone backup battery for $9.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code MLC262531102717A (which expires Oct. 29) at checkout.
The standard iPhone 3G battery has an 1150mAh capacity, meaning this plug-in pack should afford at least 50 percent more runtime all by itself. You can use it for emergency power if your battery's on empty or to recharge your iPhone on the go.
And, hey, 10 bucks? Grab a couple. Throw one in the glove box, another in your coat pocket, etc. That way you'll always have backup power when you need it.
This battery pack is compatible with all iPhone and iPod Touch models. Keep in mind that because it ships from Hong Kong, it could take a couple weeks to reach your mailbox.
(Credit:
Powermat)
I originally planned on writing my review of the Powermat magnetic inductive charging system by highlighting the innovation in the technology and the lack of necessity for a product that costs a serious amount of coin--$99.99 for the wired mat plus $40 for the charger--for achieving the same goal as a simple wire.
But then the Powermat took my iPod Touch captive.
First, the straight shooting: the Powermat system is indeed very cool. It does what it advertises and brings "wire-less" charging to devices that normally don't have the ability: the iPhone, iPod Touch, select RIM BlackBerry models, and so forth.
But the problem with the product should have been evident from the drawing board: it doesn't fill a need, and comes off like a proof-of-concept product. Sure, "wire-less" charging is neat to observe, but you're buying a boatload of equipment (a mat that comes with wired adapter, plus device-specific "receiver") for the price of a new smartphone on contract to replace something that took a moment to achieve in the first place.
Read more of "How the cordless Powermat charging system took my iPod Touch hostage" on ZDNet's The Toy Box.
(Credit:
Powermat)
Powermat has been touting its wireless chargers for a while now--ever since CES 2009, quite frankly--but now they're finally available for you, the consumer, to purchase.
The Powermat is a one-pad, one-plug system (pictured above right) that charges all your gadgets in one place without wires. Your gadget gets a special "Powermat Receiver" sleeve so that it can use magnetic induction charging to power your devices. (Aren't familiar with magnetic induction? If you've got an Oral-B rechargeable toothbrush, or a Palm Touchstone charger for your Pre, it's the same thing.)
Read more of "Powermat wireless device chargers finally materialize" at ZDNet's The ToyBox.
The P-Flip folding power dock doubles as a desktop stand.
(Credit: Dexim)The Dexim P-Flip is two, two, two products in one. It's a long-lasting external battery for your iPhone and a desktop stand that keeps it propped up nicely.
This folding, three-position dock bears more than a passing resemblance to a flip-phone, albeit one that's even thinner and more compact.
Consequently, it slips easily into a pocket. It's small, despite packing a 2,000mAh rechargeable battery that, according to Dexim, will provide eight extra hours of talk time, 15 hours of games or movies, or a whopping 80 hours of music--I have my doubts about that last one.
The P-Flip charges via an included USB cable, with blue LEDs that flash or turn solid depending on if it's charging or charged.
As a desktop dock, the P-Flip works like a charm. It's great if you want to use your iPhone as, say, a clock or digital photo frame.
However, although you can tip the dock on its side for watching movies, this keeps your screen almost perpendicular to the surface. It's not angled enough for comfortable viewing.
That's my only real disappointment with the P-Flip, which is otherwise excellent. At $54.95, it costs less than some other power packs that add more bulk and have smaller batteries.
The product is compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, as well as all iPod Touch models. I'm liking it, but with a better landscape orientation, I'd be loving it.
The Latitude Z on wireless charging station, and wireless dock adapter on the right.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)That Dell is releasing a new laptop for business customers is the opposite of surprising. But the fact that it contains notable features not seen in any other laptops certainly is.
Most everything about the new Latitude Z is expected: It's yet another very thin notebook (a metric which PC manufacturers keep using to try to one-up each other), with a different kind of exterior finish (soft-touch, in this case), and comes in a black cherry. It measures 16 inches across, and is 14 millimeters thin at its most narrow point.
But you probably wouldn't guess that the Latitude Z charges wirelessly. And as far as we can tell, it's the first laptop to do so. Surprised that this is coming from Dell? You're not alone.
The wireless charging is handled elegantly enough. An inductive pad that's built into a laptop stand can accomplish a full recharge in "about the same amount of time" as a standard-issue cabled charger, according to Dell. While smartphone maker Palm has a similar (albeit smaller) wireless charging system for the Pre, and companies like Visteon and Wild Charge have debuted wireless charging accessories for phones, no PC maker has incorporated the idea until now.
... Read more
I'm really praying this isn't another Adamo. The soon-to-be-introduced Dell Latitude Z will have a premium design, super high-end specs, and a lofty price tag. I've heard that all before, but wireless charging in a notebook? That's new.
The laptop is said to have a 16-inch display, which is a larger screen than your average business notebook. Other than that, the details are few and far between. Apparently it will pack an Intel processor and, you know, RAM and a hard drive.
But back to the wireless charging that's being reported by Forbes, the details of which aren't entirely clear. My guess is the laptop would need to be put on an inductive pad of sorts to charge without wires. Sort of like the Palm Touchstone or those WildCharge mats, but this would be pretty new for laptops.
The whole package is said to be more than the "typical $1,100 business laptop," in both design and price, which means it's going to be costly. According to Forbes, Dell thinks the world is ready for another expensive laptop (or maybe optimistically thinks companies have the budget for that kind of thing these days). Sounds like it will be announced in the next couple of weeks.
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.
Need lots more power for your iPhone? This 1,900mAh power pack should keep it running all day.
(Credit: Meritline)Update: Looks like this is sold out already. You can find what looks to be an identical battery (in black) for $17.99 from HandHelditems--where you'll also find some very positive user reviews.
Until Apple sees fit to outfit iPhones and iPods with user-replaceable batteries (meaning never), travelers have no choice but to pack battery packs.
After all, the last thing you want in the middle of your playlist, movie, game, e-book, or audiobook is a dead battery. (It's not real convenient when you need to make a call, either.)
Meritline has a Mobile Power Station Battery for iPhone and iPod for $9.99. That's after applying coupon code MLC262362. Shipping is free.
What's the big deal about this particular battery? In a word: capacity. The Mobile Power Station packs a 1,900mAh lithium ion cell, which should power your device for--let's see, carry the one--ever.
OK, not forever, but a mighty long time. To put this in some perspective, the $10.99 iPhone battery pack I wrote up last April has an 800mAh battery. The $80 Energizer AP1500 I reviewed last month tops out at 1,200mAh.
Needless to say, a 1,900mAh battery should outlast them all. And for only 10 bucks! (I might just grab two.)
A couple caveats. First, Meritline ships from Hong Kong, so plan on waiting a good two weeks or so for delivery. Second, I've heard from several readers who aren't happy with Meritline's customer service, mostly because of lost or delayed shipments. I've never had a problem with them, but I wanted to pass along the concerns.
Of course, if you're looking for supplemental power because your iPhone barely lasts a day anymore, consider replacing its internal battery. That's something you can do yourself for as little as $6.
What do you think? Is this the battery deal of the century (hey, it's been a fairly short century), or does it sound too good to be true?
Toshiba Satellite L515
(Credit: Toshiba)The Satellite L series, Toshiba's student-targeted budget line of laptops, comes in three flavors, all with 16x9 TruBrite LED-backlit displays and a large variety of configurations (AMD Turion, Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo processors, optional ATI Radeon 3100 graphics, hard drives starting at 250 GB, RAM from 1 to 4 GB).
The Satellite L500/505 (starting at $549.99) - comes with a 15.1-inch screen
The Satellite L510/515 (starting at $649.99) - has a 13.4-inch screen, but a thinner chassis
The Satellite L550/555 (starting at $649.99) - 16.4-inch screen
Other features include:
- 720p screen resolution
- Fusion finish with Breeze pattern in a graphite color (for those who can comprehend stylespeak)
- PC Health monitor and power-saving Eco utitlites
- Numeric keypads for 15.6-inch models and larger
- Recyclable packaging and mercury-free LED displays
OK, now for the other four lines. The Satellite M, U, A and P series all got updates too. Deep breath, and...
While the L series is the pure budget line, consider the M, U, A and P lines to be the more stylish Satellites. The Satellite U500/505 (starting at $849.99) and M500/505 (starting at $699.99) headline the lighter, more mobile Satellite class of '09, while the Satellite A500/505 (starting at $749.99) and P500/505 (starting at $799.99) add harmon/kardon speakers, LED-backlit media touch-keys, slot-loading DVD drives, and edge-to-edge glass displays in 16 and 18.4 inches.
It can all get a little numbing, especially when each line can be customized to order. We've got our eyes on the A and P line as the prettiest of the Q3 Satellite bumper crop, at least in terms of design. More when we get our hands on them ourselves.
All are currently available in the U.S.
Energizer's SP2000 solar charger.
(Credit: Energizer)Through a partnership with XPAL Power, Energizer has expanded its Energi to Go line of portable battery packs in a big way. The newly branded chargers run the gamut from an iPhone 3G/3G S battery sleeve to a couple of solar chargers to a larger lithium ion charger that can juice up to three devices at once, including a laptop.
Most of the chargers include cell tips for various makes and models of cell phones, and you can get free new tips online as future phones come out.
Many of the battery packs are available already under the XPAL brand, but the new packaging should be appearing very soon in stores.
Here's a look at the line and check out the slideshow above: ... Read more
