Categories
Networking

GeeFi’s out to satisfy with unlimited 4G Wi-Fi

Trying to find a Wi-Fi hotspot while away from home or the office can be hard enough. Trying to find a hotspot while traveling internationally can be an even bigger pain in the neck.

patent-claimedGeeFi is a hotspot that promises unlimited 4G Wi-Fi service from just about anywhere. The patented, pocket-sized device houses an advanced chipset that delivers fast, reliable 4G/LTE Wi-Fi with unlimited data. Users can wirelessly connect up to 10 devices to GeeFi, which touts speeds of 150 megabits per second for downloading and 50 megabits per second for uploading. GeeFi doubles as a charger for any USB chargeable device.

It ships in December. Future pricing isn’t provided. But Kickstarter backers have been able to order one for a pledge starting at $100 for super early birds. Its makers hope to raise $20,000 by Oct. 24.

Categories
Technology

VPEx is a new solution to combat Wi-Fi hackers

Wi-Fi attacks can compromise a computer user’s most valuable personal data. To fight them, is the VPEx, the Virtual Private Exonetwork: a relatively inexpensive twist on a VPN.

The two-part, easy-to-use solution includes the ExoKey, a small USB device that plugs into a laptop and encrypts its network interface. The ExoNet, its second component, is a gateway connected to the home or office network and provides a trusted connection to the Internet from wherever the user is. ExoKey will soon support mobile phones and tablets too.

Backers who donate $139 will get an ExoNet and two ExoKeys that will allow two people to use open hotspots without fear of their data being compromised. The product is promising if it indeed does what its creator claims it can do. Anyway to protect one’s data at a reasonable price is always welcome on the market.

The current estimated delivery date is in March. Once the Kickstarter campaign is over, the company will field the ExoKey at $39.95 each and ExoNet at $65 each. Exonetwork will only be successful upon reaching its $50,000 goal on Kickstarter.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

printWifi lets you print hassle-free from your smartphone, tablet

It’s mind-boggling how difficult it can be to print something from a smartphone or a tablet. Companies have long offered ease-of-use with their smart devices, but that tenet was lost of them when they considered the concept of printing. As digital as we are, important documents will always need to be printed out and that need won’t go away for a very long time.

The ImageTech corporation understood this, leading them to create the printWifi. The product plugs into to any printer and creates an instant hotspot to which smart devices can connect to. Once connected, its companion iOS or Android app facilitates the printing of any document to pretty much any printer using the printWifi’s onboard database of 5,000 unique drivers. This ensures pretty much any printer will be able to be used, all without needing network access.

printWifi is extremely similar to the Lantronix’s xPrintServer, but costs $99 versus the former’s $69 price tag, and only works on iOS. The printWifi campaign is looking to raise $10,000 and is expected in February 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tech Accessories

Anqor will get you the best mobile connection possible, carriers be damned

The Premise. Wireless providers spend a great deal of their advertising time talking about 3G, 4G, and data coverage in general. These are things that many customers consider when selecting a provider, but what if all the networks were available at any time?

The Product. Anqor is a mobile hotspot in physical form, roughly the size of two smartphones. Housing local data SIM cards inside its database, Anqor scans the available networks and tests them for ideal speeds. After selecting the best one and connecting, Anqor can have up to 10 devices connect to it the same way as they would connect to local Wi-fi networks. Anqor offers two monthly subscription levels for this service, with 2GB per month data for £32 and 5GB per month at £10 for a grounded, home-based subscription. Anqor’s battery can function for 8 hours normally or 250 hours on standby.

The Pitch. Anqor’s pitch is very enthusiastic and touts high concepts of liberation from data networks and the freedom to connect any device to the internet from any location. Viewers can see how easy it is to set Anqor up to scan for mobile data networks and connect laptops or phones to them regardless of their native provider. Other features like a bandwidth booster for when the Anqor is being taxed by its maximum 10 devices are also explained in greater detail. Anqor’s developers have set a fundraising target of £250,000 for certification, testing, and production.

The Perks. The first batch of Anqor hotspots are shipping out May 2015 for backers who pledge £140. The £260 tier adds a 3 month data subscription at 2GB per month. Packs of 2 or 10 Anqors are also available at higher tiers.

The Potential. When a device promises to do away with both roaming charges and expensive data plans, the first thought that should come to mind is that no telecom provider would be pleased about having this device on the market. If Anqor can slip under the radar of mobile data and 3G providers and function as well as promised, then it’s an absolute must-own for the business-class traveler or anyone else who does more work abroad than in the office. Those that have plenty of quality coverage in their places of productivity and the devices that make the best use of it won’t see much of a need for Anqor.