April 01, 2009
Clearwire Adds Personal Hot Spot
By Gary Kim, Contributing Editor
Clearwire Communications plans to sell a "personal Wi-Fi hotspot" device, the "Clear Spot Personal Hotspot." The battery-powered device enables standard Wi-Fi products to connect eight devices to the Internet using the company's mobile WiMAX (News - Alert) service.
Customers insert their WiMAX into the router to create an instant Wi-Fi hotspot. Among the use cases.
Possible examples include the ability to create temporary Wi-Fi connections at no incremental cost for use of Apple (News - Alert) iPhones or iPod Touch devices, or other smart phones able to use Wi-Fi connections for Web browsing and related applications, possibly including the ability to create a Wi-Fi zone inside a vehicle.
Clearwire (News - Alert) suggests there are emergency responder applications as well, allowing first responders to create an instant Wi-Fi network in the field.
Business professionals likewise could set up instant networks when out of the office. Trade show booth personnel might be able to circumvent expensive wired or wireless connections as well.
Business professionals likewise could set up instant networks when out of the office. Trade show booth personnel might be able to circumvent expensive wired or wireless connections as well.
The Clear Spot router, manufactured by CradlePoint, will be available for $139 in early April.
Gary Kim (News - Alert) is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Gary’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
