Verizon MiFi 2200 Portable Hot Spot

Verizon Turns a 3G Cellular Signal Into Wi-Fi

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The trouble with Wi-Fi hot spots? They're usually located in soul-draining fast food joints and coffee shops. That is, until the MiFi 2200. About the size of a stack of credit cards, Verizon's tiny titan sucks up 3G signals and regurgitates them as a piping-hot Wi-Fi bubble for up to five separate devices. That multitasking ability doesn't mean the 2200 is overextended though. Upload and download speeds are so fast that they gave our PC heat blisters. Admittedly, MiFi is a little expensive ($130 for hardware, $60/month for service), but that's a small price to pay for never having to set foot in a Starbucks again just to feed a TMZ addiction.

WIRED Turns a 3G cellular signal into Wi-Fi for up to five devices. Same size as a stack of 10 credit cards. Connects faster than The Ladies Man (30 seconds). Enough bars to satisfy a thirsty college freshman.

TIRED Four hours of battery life is fine — six would be awesome. Wired policy mandated that we give ours back.

• Service Provider: Verizon Wireless
• Manufacturer: Verizon
• Price: $130 (with 2-year contract)