NIC Card Knowledge

The U301 doesn’t come with many features, it lacks a microSD slot so you still have to carry an USB flash drive if you want portable storage, but what it does it does well. If you need better speeds you will likely go with 4G, while most networks don’t have nowhere near nation-wide coverage that will change in the years to come so this card is a keeper.

When compared to other air cards, the U301 is a bit bulky but having 3G/4G access at the same time is well worth it, it measures 3.5″ length and 1.7″ width so it is about the length of a credit card and around half its width, it weighs 1.25 ounces.

The card is compatible with all the newest operating systems: Windows XP, Vista, 7 as well as Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

One feature we’re glad to see in the U301 is the “swivel” USB connector, because of its bulkiness this card is going to be susceptible to breaking if used with laptops or netbooks, with the swivel you can turn it vertically instead of horizontally which should prevent most damage.

Probably the most important feature of an air card is the speed, as previously mentioned the U301 supports 3G as well as 4G networks, the maximal speed on 3G networks is 3.1mbps and 10mbps on 4G networks.

When it comes to extra features this air card doesn’t have a microSD port like other cards we reviewed so you will have to carry an extra device with you but it does come with integrated GPS which can be used as a navigation system thought we wouldn’t recommend using it as your main GPS device, rather as a backup.

This air card might be most attractive to people who need a high speed network but don’t have access to DSL, as well as businesspeople who have to stay connected on the road.

If you’re looking to use wireless broadband for the years to come this card is definitely something you want, getting a 3G card now is OK, but you will probably have to get a new one in a year or two. Getting the U301 will give you the best of both worlds, you can still use the widespread 3G network and will have access to 4G as well.

If you’re looking for a small broadband card the Ovation U760 just might be your deal. Not only is it the size of an ordinary thumb drive, but it can actually replace your current one because it has a microSD slot that supports cards up to 32GB.

The U760 is the size of a smaller thumb drive, that’s about the size of a credit card. Unlike other air cards that require drivers to be installed from a CD, which can be a hassle on netbooks the drivers come preinstalled on the air card itself. When you first insert the card it should automatically prompt to install the drivers and possibly the connection manager of the network you’re using. It is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Mac OSX 10.4.11 or later. This air card also has built in GPS, but this can’t be used for turn by turn navigation, rather it’s for people who like to try things like tracking their movement on Google Earth.

As previously mentioned this air card also works as a flash drive, thanks to a built in microSD slot which supports cards up to 32GB. This has more or less become a standard feature for all newer air cards, but it’s a nice feature to see in such a small device.

It also comes with a flexible USB cable, you should definitely use this because of the form factor of this air card, no matter the size air cards that have this form factor are susceptible to breaking because they hang on the side of your laptop or netbook and can easily be bumped into.

When it comes to speed, probably the most important factor when buying an air card the Ovation U760 has a maximal download speed of 3.1mbps and a maximal upload speed of 1.8mbps. You shouldn’t choose this card if you travel abroad frequently because it uses CDMA, which isn’t used in Europe and most other parts of the world.

Without long introductions let’s get right to the point, shall we?

All in all the 598U is a compact and stylish broadband card, we’ll get to the more important features and specifications in a minute. The card comes with a microSD slot that supports cards up to 32GB and built in GPS, so it can be used as a backup for a navigation system you might already have.

One of the first things you will notice about this card is the design, the card itself is shorter than a credit card and no wider than most USB flash drives. It has one a clip so you can attach it to your laptop screen for better reception. This can be very useful if you want to use this card with a laptop and are worried that you might damage it, this is an issue with cards of this form factor, no matter the size of it.

Another thing that might be useful and that a lot of broadband cards don’t have are LED status indicators, this is not something that you might miss need, but it is a nice touch. As previously mentioned the card has a microSD slot that supports cards up to 32GB, but this has become more or less standard with modern broadband cards, so you can easily use it as a replacement for your USB flash drive, eliminating the need to carry two devices.

Another nice touch from the manufacturers is that the drivers can be installed from the card itself, most other cards still require drivers to be installed from a CD which can be bothersome on netbooks.

With this card you can get download speeds up to 3.1mbps and upload speeds up to 1.8mbps.

Some of the features that aren’t obvious are some of the most important ones at times, one of these features is “Suspend” and “Resume on this card. What these actually do is automatically reconnect to the network after your computer “awakens” from Sleep or Hibernation.

The Lightning 305 is exactly what a real air card should be. It can reach speeds of 7.2mbps, has a microSD slot that supports cards up to 32GB, and last but by no means least the design of the USB port, which allows you to plug the card in almost any way you can imagine.

One of the very important things when it comes to air cards is the design, and I don’t mean looks. Most people use these devices for connectivity on the road, and if the device isn’t designed with mobility in mind it can easily break. This is why the Lightning 305 has an edge over other air cards, it can be plugged in horizontally and vertically thereby making it hard to damage or break.

Another advantage it has over other devices is that the microSD and SIM card slots are on the outside of the device, which allows you to easily change both, unlike other devices where the cards are stored internally and you have to disassemble half of the device to get to them. When not in use the USB port is retracted into the device, another great thing about this card, this keeps the USB port secure and prevents it from being broken during transport.

The device supports download speeds up to 7.2mbps and upload speeds of approximately 5.7mbps. It works on WCDMA (UMTS, HSPA) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequency bands and can therefore be used on most networks worldwide.

It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X.

Lightning 305 has another feature which makes it stand out from the crowd, it has an External Antenna Jack, this isn’t particularly useful on the road but can be essential for using the device at home. What you can do with this is get a extension cable connected to a more powerful antenna and set it somewhere where the reception is good, that way you can increase your speed if the air card can’t get a good speed on its own.

The USBConnect Turbo is an air card that was designed for mobile users. It has an omni-directional swivel USB port which means that you can plug it into your laptop or netbook in almost any way you can imagine. Other than that it has a maximal download speed of 7.2mbps and comes with a microSD slot that can take card up to 16GB. Compatibility with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 & Mac OS X 10.4 (or higher) means that it will have no problem working with any computer you might have.

What makes the USBConnect Turbo really stand out of the crowd is its design, the swivel allows the device to be plugged into the laptop a number of ways like vertically or horizontally. This makes the card easy to handle and prevents and potential damage or even breaking the device by accidentaly bumping it.

The SIM card is placed inside the device, while the microSD card can be inserted from the outside. When the device isn’t used the USB port can be retracted into the device which also prevent from damaging or even breaking it.

Meausing 2.9″ in length, 1.1″ in width and 0.61″ in height, the USBConnect Turbo isn’t the smallest device in its class but thanks to its omni-directional swivel it doesn’t have to be. The device weighs 1.3 ounces and it works on WCDMA (UMTS, HSPA) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequency bands and can therefore be used on most networks worldwide.

Thanks to the very good design and great looks of the USBConnect Turbo it is bound to become a favorite with mobile users. Thanks to the 16GB microSD slot it can also double as a flash drive which eliminates the need for a separate device. There are no real setbacks with this device, though most of the competition has microSD slots that support cards up to 32GB but we think that this is a fair compromise.

The Velocity is a 2-in-one device, in the first place it’s an Air Card but it can also be used as a GPS device because it has built in GPS with the ability for voice guided turn-by-turn directions. For some people the built in GPS might be a money saver but for those that already have a separate device or for those who use something like Garmin it can also be a backup.

The Velocity also has a microSD slot that supports card up to 32GB and it has a maximal download speed of 7.2 Mbps. It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.4 (and later).

One of the biggest problems with the Velocity is the way it was designed. It doesn’t have a swivel USB port, it connects horizontally, which can be a real problem for mobile use. As the device is quite big, bumping into it is likely and this can lead to damage or even breaking the device. If you plan on using the device with a laptop or netbook we advise the use of a USB extension cable. The device comes with a screen clip which you can use to mount in on your laptop screen for better signal and safety. The SIM card is stored internally, underneath the microSD.

Velocity is at 1.3 ounces quite light, but because of its size, measuring 2.9″ length x 1.1″ width x 0.61″ height isn’t the best device for mobile use. It works on WCDMA (UMTS, HSPA) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequency bands and can therefore be used on most networks worldwide.

The only setback to the Velocity is its form factor, but if you don’t use it while moving a lot or if you use it with an extension cable it shouldn’t be much of a problem. The advantages are the built in GPS, the MicroSD slot, the frequency bands which allow it to work on most international networks and the maximum speed of 7.2mbps isn’t too bad either.

While most laptops come with built in Wi-Fi cards that allow users to connect to wireless networks, they are limited by location and availability of Wi-Fi networks. Air Cards are the solution to this problem, Air Cards are portable modems that allow the computer in which they’re plugged into to connect and use wide area networks like 3G or WiMAX. As long as there is cell phone coverage by your service provider you are able connected to the internet. Air Cards are especially useful for people who travel frequently but need to stay connected like journalists and business people.

Air Cards are usually provided by the ISPs that offer the service, but it is possible to also buy them as separate devices. They are usually categorized by the type of interface they use, the most common ones are: USB, PCMCIA and Expresscard.

The most common and easy to use are USB cards, they are simply plugged into the USB port, the drivers are installed and depending on your ISP, additional configuration steps may be required to make them work with that specific network.

The speed of the connection you get depends on several factors like the infrastructure of the network you’re using, which technologies are used by the provider, the coverage and so on.

When using Air Cards on the go you might experience changes in the speed levels, this is normal because most ISPs don’t have high speed coverage over all areas so your Air Card has to switch from protocol to protocol depending on availability.

In recent years so-called MiFis have become a very popular alternative to Air Cards. A MiFi is basically a very compact wireless router. The device connects to a cellular data network and creates a Wi-Fi network through which other devices can connect to the internet. Most MiFis have a range of 30 ft/10m and provide connectivity to several devices simultaneously. The advantages of MiFis are obvious, they are small, portable and provide connectivity to multiple devices at once, potential problems include short battery life and unlike Air Cards they need to be charged on a daily basis.