Like the idea of the MiFi units floating around at various carriers, but don't want to fork out the money when you have a perfectly good 3G dongle at home? Wi-REACH is the perfect solution. For $99, the Wi-REACH device allows you to plug your 3G USB stick in and use it like a MiFi hotspot. The battery lasts for 4-5 hours of use, and the device can handle up to 10 simultaneous connections. For those concerned with security, the connection is encrypted and password-protected so you can be sure that the sneaky neighbor isn't using it to download questionable things.
The unit supports the following mobile broadband cards:
The full press release can be found below. Neat technology, if I do say so myself!
Connect One Delivers 3G/4G Personal Mobile Hotspot
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb 15, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Connect One™, the Device Networking Authority™, today unveiled Wi-REACH Classic, a compact, battery-operated, mobile, personal WiFi hotspot that delivers high-speed Internet connectivity for laptops and wireless devices such as cameras, PDAs, and multimedia players. Using 3G/4G mobile network technology, Wi-REACH Classic quickly and easily provides multi-connection Internet access wherever you are, whether at the beach, in the car, or on the train.
Wi-REACH Classic combines the connectivity of WiFi with the excellent mobile coverage of 3G/4G cellular. This wireless broadband device transforms an existing 3G USB modem into a personal Wi-Fi cloud that can be easily shared between as many as 10 Wi-Fi devices. Wi-REACH Classic is highly portable and completely cordless, fitting easily into a pocket. Its built-in rechargeable battery delivers four to five hours in normal use and can be recharged using the built-in USB connector.
Thanks to upgradeable software, Wi-REACH Classic is designed to support up and coming networks such as WiMAX and LTE. Users can migrate to 4G networks with a simple software upgrade by simply plugging their next-generation USB modem into Wi-REACH Classic.
“Wi-REACH Classis is portable, flexible and ready for the future,” noted Amir Friedman, Connect One’s CEO. “We designed Wi-REACH with ultimate flexibility in mind. It moves with you, moves between wireless networks, and keeps moving into the future.” Powered by ConnectOne’s low-power iChip technology, Wi-REACH Classic offers four-to-five hours of up time. Using a USB interface, Wi-REACH Classic supports the most universal and fastest growing wireless modem interface today. Future modems designed with the USB interface can plug into Wi-REACH Classic and keep it viable and current for many years to come.
At the heart of Wi-REACH Classic is Connect One’s CO2144 “router on a chip” communication engine already in use by hundreds of OEM customers worldwide.
Connect One’s Private Label Program allows operators, companies and distributors to private label Wi-REACH Classic and to embed Wi-REACH Classic functionality into new, innovative products. Detailed reference designs enable companies to build their own customized products.
Price and Availability Wi-REACH Classic is available from Connect One at a price of $99. For more information on purchasing Wi-REACH Classic or joining Connect One’s Private Label Program, please contact sales@connectone.com or visit www.connectone.com.
Via MobileCrunch
