Wireless access

As far as getting a wireless card for Internet access in California, any recommendations? Will a Verizon card work as well as anything else? Is it in the ballpark fee-wise?

 

I'm not in Cali, but I have a Verizon card and I love it. I've had it since November and only one time -- in Valparaiso, Ind. -- did it not work.

I believe it costs around $60 a month for unlimited access. My company pays for it, and it's been a godsend. I've literally filed stories while sitting on the tarmac at the airport.

 

I want one so bad. While most of the time you can count on the open network at stadium/arena/place of event, sometimes you cant. And when you cant connect to the network, the PR person or IT dude says, ' you have a Mac? That's the problem.' Yeah, that's the problem.

I guess I could pony up and stop the bitchin. Nah.

 

I just use the Bluetooth through my Blackberry. It's not fast, but I can still surf and e-mail stories in, which is all I really use it for.

It's good enough that I'm probably going to get rid of my home internet service and just use it.

 

I have Sprint and it works great all over. I have used it in Cali many times. FWIW

 

That sentence would blow the mind of my former ME, who didn't know a blackberry from a Blueberry. Or vice versa.

 

Perfect example of needing a wirless all-over gizmo was tonight. Covering an event at a convention center and the organizer of the event decided not to pay the $75 per day fee to have an open network. They instead paid the $20 per day fee for a room or rooms (not sure). And no, I didnt get to got the room. So like it's 19-ought-7 instead of 2007, I dictated.

 

It's a good way to bond with the poor son of a bitch who winds up taking the dictation.

 

True. Ive been on the other end of that call, which always comes when you're up to your ears in copy on deadline.

Dictation always scares me because Im a mumbler. You can count on one oral typo, a spelled-right wrong word or phrase.

 

FWIW, a network card doesn't have the band width to work well when accessing the web. Pages will take a looooong time to load. However, the card is great for filing stories and checking e-mail. It's not as all-purpose and wonderful as typical wireless access you might get at an event or your hotel room.

 

bullcrap

my Verizon air card routinely tests out at about 600 kbps and I've seen it over 800 kbps

the thing ROCKS and can handle anything you throw its way

 

I imagine you'd be fine with it in California. I had it when I was in Illinois and only had problems at golf courses in the middle of nowhere and the smaller suburbs. Basically if you have no problem getting cell coverage, you should have no problem getting the Air Card to work.