Word came through today that Big Red (Verizon Wireless), will begin to sell the iPad bundled with their MiFi units on October 28th.  The pricing breaks down like this:

• $629.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 16GB + MiFi
• $729.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 32GB + MiFi
• $829.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 64GB + MiFi

Verizon says they’ll also offer the iPad by itself in all three capacities.  There is no sign of a 3G enabled version likely due to the exclusivity between Apple and AT&T.

But, what’s interesting is this might be an indication of things to come from Verizon and Apple.  In other words, will they soon offer a CDMA compatible iPhone?  It’s all conjecture and hot air at this point, but we think it’s a pretty fair indicator.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. & CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Verizon Wireless and Apple® today announced that iPad™ will be available at over 2,000 Verizon Wireless Stores nationwide beginning Thursday, October 28. Verizon Wireless will offer three bundles, all featuring an iPad Wi-Fi model and a Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, for a suggested retail price of $629.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 16GB + MiFi, $729.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 32GB + MiFi and $829.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 64GB + MiFi. Verizon Wireless is offering a monthly access plan to iPad customers of up to 1GB of data for just $20 a month. In addition, Verizon Wireless will also offer all three iPad Wi-Fi models on a stand-alone basis.

“iPad together with the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G data network allows customers to easily connect on the go wherever they are.”

“This is the perfect pairing for holiday travels,” said John Stratton, chief operating officer for Verizon Wireless. “iPad together with the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G data network allows customers to easily connect on the go wherever they are.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with Verizon Wireless to get iPad into the hands of even more customers this holiday season,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “iPad allows users to connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before, and together with Verizon Wireless we’re offering an easy way to stay connected wherever you go.”

iPad allows users to browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad Wi-Fi models are just 0.5 inches thick and weigh just 1.5 pounds—thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook—and deliver up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Apple’s App Store℠ offers iPad users access to the world’s largest catalog of apps with over 280,000 apps and more than 30,000 iPad specific apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. With Apple’s iBookstore℠, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device, iPad users have access to more than 100,000 books from major and independent publishers.

MiFi 2200 is small enough to fit in a pocket and allows customers to create a personal Wi-Fi cloud capable of sharing the high-speed Internet connectivity of the Verizon Wireless 3G Mobile Broadband network with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. The MiFi 2200’s rechargeable battery provides up to four hours of active use and 40 hours of standby time on a single charge.

Customers can sign up for more information on Apple’s iPad together with Verizon Wireless’ MiFi 2200 at www.verizonwireless.com/iPad, at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store or by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

Every since it was announced, I’ve been envious of those with a MiFi, be it on Verizon’s network or anyone else. It’s such a great idea, and a cool little device, but of course you need a locked-in contract to get to use it. Starting next week, that all changes, as you can buy a MiFi from Virgin Mobile (via Sprint) for $149 that lets you add a data plan to it without a contract. That plan ranges from $10 for 100MB of data to $60 for 5GB. If you don’t like being tied down to contracts and need some wireless, it might be a great way to go.

Netgear has teamed up with Ericsson to produce what seems to be a home MiFi router.  Sure, that explanation is a bit counterintuitive to the term MiFi, since it implies ‘mobile  WiFi’, but bear with me.  The MBRN3300E is your usual home router, but instead of connecting to a wired connection it dials up the Internet via 3G.  It’s a shame that it doesn’t sport both the ability to connect via 3G and via an at home modem, but as I’m reading the press release it only seems to indicate the former of the two.

Much like some of Netgear’s other routers you can setup multiple SSIDs for restricted guest access in addition to monitor your broadband usage via a built-in meter, connect to the network with the push of a button, connect up to 4 additional devices via Ethernet, WiFi N connectivity, turn the WiFi and 3G off with a physical switch and includes an optional car adapter.

No word on a price or launch date.

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It’s a shame, because Emobile’s Pocket WiFi 3G Router (i.e. MiFi) sure is pretty, but won’t be coming to the States or Europe any time soon.  But for those of you residing in Japan you can grab one for 5,980 yen if you sign a 2-year contract and you’ll be able to connect up to 5 WiFi enabled devices to the portable router enabling high speed Internet access any where you roam.  Battery time is up to 4 hours and it includes a microSD card slot (bit torrent server?).

[via iSmashphone]

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Sprint might be taking their sweet time rolling out their WiMax service, but that doesn’t mean they’ve got apprehensions about launching gear associated with the high speed wireless service.

Announced today, the Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and the Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router both accept 3G and 4G USB dongles and turn the single user broadband service into a WiFi hotspot.  The PHS300S can facilitate up to 4 users while the MBR-1000 allows up to 32 separate devices to jump aboard.

Both devices are available now for $159.99 and $249.99 respectively.

Full release after the ‘leap’

Sprint adds 4G to Mobile Broadband Router Portfolio as it Prepares to Launch 4G in More Markets

Any Wi-Fi-enabled device becomes a 4G device with new Sprint 4G Mobile Broadband Routers

Users can create Wi-Fi hotspots by connecting multiple Wi-Fi devices, such as smartphones, laptops and cameras to Sprint 3G/4G networks

Overland Park, Kan. – August 5, 2009 –The search for the elusive Wi-Fi hotspot is a thing of the past for Sprint mobile broadband customers. Instead of hunting for a coffee shop or other fixed hotspot, Sprint’s new Mobile Broadband Router products connect multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices at 3G or 4G mobile broadband speeds where Sprint 3G and 4G networks are available.

On the heels of launching the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 intelligent mobile hotspot – which allows customers to simultaneously bridge several Wi-Fi devices to America’s most dependable 3G network1 – Sprint now adds two 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Routers to its mobile broadband arsenal: Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business, each featuring both 3G and 4G connectivity. These devices are available for use with any Sprint 3G or 4G data plan ranging from $39.99 to $79.99 per month (excluding taxes and surcharges).

Used in combination with Sprint mobile broadband devices, like the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, these Mobile Broadband Routers can simultaneously connect Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones, laptops, MP3 players, cameras, gaming devices and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. Used with a broadband device, The routers provide access to the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network as it continues to roll out and access to America’s most dependable 3G network virtually everywhere else. Users can enjoy secure, high-speed connections from virtually any location, whether on a family outing at the beach or doing business at a remote job site.

Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S supports up to four simultaneous Wi-Fi connections and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business supports up to 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. Both routers will support all of Sprint 3G and Sprint 4G mobile broadband USB devices.
“These mobile broadband routers provide an unprecedented bridge to high-speed network performance for multiple Wi-Fi devices or multiple users,” said Todd Rowley, vice president, Sprint 4G. “The addition of these mobile hotspot products offers even faster connectivity speeds to Wi-Fi users without the need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. These two new products can potentially connect the Sprint 3G and 4G networks to the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the U.S. today.”

The ability of these Mobile Broadband Routers to be used with both 3G and 4G networks will offer added advantages for a growing number of Wi-Fi users across the country. The Sprint Now Network already features 3G speeds that are faster in more places than the AT&T network.2 As the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network continues to roll out in markets across the country, customers will be able to further optimize the performance of their Wi-Fi devices, using them to connect them with the industry’s fastest available network speeds.

Sprint Personal Hot Spot PHS300S is priced at $159.99 and available in select Sprint retail stores within Sprint 4G markets, telesales, business sales and at www.sprint.com. Cradlepoint MBR1000 broadband router is priced at $249.99 and is available via business sales, telesales and online at www.sprint.com (all prices exclude taxes).

The first and only national carrier to offer 4G wireless services, Sprint currently offers 4G in Baltimore and will launch 4G in Portland, Atlanta and Las Vegas in August. Sprint 4G provides average downlink speeds of 3-6 Mbps and peak downlink speeds of over 10 Mbps, three to five times faster than today’s 3G service from any carrier (based on average download speeds).

The following markets are included on the list to experience Sprint 4G in 2009: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Also available for customers nationwide is the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300, which provides the best of both worlds – the fast 3G speeds and lightning-fast 4G speeds wherever 4G is available.

For additional information on Sprint 4G mobile broadband products and plans, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

If you still haven’t found the right charity to join to push your altruism to the next level, fear not, HTC has you covered.  Say what?  The handset manufacture is currently working on some new software that will convert your Windows Mobile phone into a router.  Yup, you read it right, router.  That means with the flick of a virtual switch your handset can become a wireless 3g router for your friends to hop aboard from their computer and surf the net at your expense.  Course, this will seriously tax your handset’s battery amongst other things, so you might wanna checkout Novatel’s MiFi router if you’re truly keen on spreading the Internet love.

I just wonder how the carriers will feel about this.  God knows Verizon will never let this fly.

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Verizon just announced the launch date and pricing of Novatel’s 3G Mifi 2200 router on their network.  Now Sprint is looking to take a bit of wind out of their sail by launching the exact same product, albeit a few weeks later (sometime early June).   The hardware is exactly the same, except Sprint has enabled its GPS functionality and is offering a Simply Everything plan for $149.99/month that includes 5GB of data and presumably unlimited minutes.  The carrier will also offer a $59.99/month plan that will include 5GB of data.  When it launches next month expect to drop $99.99 after a 2-year contract signing and $50 mail-in-rebate.

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