You Can Share Your Own Little Wi-Fi Bubble

David Pogue writes with clarity and eloquence about complicated topics that other writers make too dense. He, like me, is inspired some times by new products and inventions and a recent Personal Tech column in the NY Times stood out.

The device he was raving about is called the Novatel MiFi 2200. It’s a tiny little pad that creates a personal Wi-Fi circle that people can share with their friends, or seatmates on a bus. It brings Wi-Fi anywhere, and is better than an iPhone because it creates a tiny portable network, not just a single connection.

Verizon is going to cash in big on this device, and they deserve to make a lot of dough. MiFi is the size of three credit cards or an elongated pack of about 25 playing cards. For $40 a month you can get email and surf the web. If you want to download music and movies, you can pay for a $60 a month plan to do that..There’s even a $15 pass for 24 hours, in case you’re doing a tradeshow or want to pass the time in a place with the ‘Net.

The MiFi doesn’t need a power cord like your home router does, it uses a rechargeable battery like a laptop; a single charge can last a whole day. This is one device I am definitely jonesing for, and can’t wait to give you my personal report and impress fellow passengers by sharing my signal the next time I’m in an airport where they charge too much for Wi-Fi.