WiFi-only tablets are quite attractive. For starters, they tend to be cheaper — sometimes, a lot more so. It also means your device doesn’t have to be tied down to specific carriers or data technologies. You also stand to kill more birds with the one stone you’re afforded as you might want to deliver data to devices such as your laptop or an MP3 player. The problem is that, well, you can’t get data unless you happen to find an open WiFi hotspot to connect to. That’s one of the reasons we love wireless hotspot devices, and why we’re excited to see that Verizon’s latest option has finally come to the forefront.
Verizon has officially launched the MiFi 5510L, a device that should satiate the needs of any users looking to go this route. Its monochromatic display gives you a bevy of information that some other devices simply don’t, even going as far as showing you what your usage is without having to launch the device’s console in a web browser. The device also has indicators for signal type, signal strength, current upload or download activity, battery life and the amount of devices currently hooked up to the MiFi unit.
Take it from someone who has owned Samsung’s particular units: as sleek and slick as they are, they are quite useless in the information department. It’s always important to consider how a MiFi device communicates these seemingly small bits of data to you while you’re supplying a fresh 4G connection to your tablet, and you won’t realize how much easier it’ll make life if all of that is readily available at your fingertips. You can buy the device for $20 following a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year contract agreement starting this Thursday, January 31st.