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I have never seen . . .

Replicator

Replicator

New Member
So for years now they have been making making disposable/prepaid cell phones, just pick one up at the grocery store,

and when you're done with it and it runs out of minutes, just toss it out !

OK, now the big question . . . Why don't they make disposable/prepaid wireless network adapters for laptops and notebooks ?

We had to drive to Portland this past weekend and we took our laptop, but damn if it wasn't the most difficult thing ever

to find hot-spots to connect to, I mean come on . . . Why can't I just walk into the grocery store, buy a network card

that's good for 30 minutes and plug it into the laptop ?

I just don't get it, and I think the market is there and would be huge !
 
Replicator

Replicator

New Member

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Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
You can buy just one day if you want to. But I hear what you're saying, it would be nice to walk into Wal-Mart, buy a card with "minutes" on it like you can do for pre-paid cell phones, and just use them when you needed them.
 
cptcorn

cptcorn

adad
Replicator said:
So for years now they have been making making disposable/prepaid cell phones, just pick one up at the grocery store,

and when you're done with it and it runs out of minutes, just toss it out !

OK, now the big question . . . Why don't they make disposable/prepaid wireless network adapters for laptops and notebooks ?

We had to drive to Portland this past weekend and we took our laptop, but damn if it wasn't the most difficult thing ever

to find hot-spots to connect to, I mean come on . . . Why can't I just walk into the grocery store, buy a network card

that's good for 30 minutes and plug it into the laptop ?

I just don't get it, and I think the market is there and would be huge !
Click to expand...

I think you just answered your own question... Because wi-fi isn't widely available yet. In comparison to cell coverage its 0%

Those prepaid disposable phones, I wonder if they could be donated rather than tossed.
 
Replicator

Replicator

New Member
cptcorn said:
I think you just answered your own question... Because wi-fi isn't widely available yet. In comparison to cell coverage its 0%

Those prepaid disposable phones, I wonder if they could be donated rather than tossed.
Click to expand...

OK, I said network adapter, but i guess I meant something else . . . Looks just like that card but it's got coverage

no matter where you are like a cellphone. The technology is definitely here . . . in fact it's cellular technology driven !
 
PMG

PMG

New Member
Replicator said:
OK, I said network adapter, but i guess I meant something else . . . Looks just like that card but it's got coverage

no matter where you are like a cellphone. The technology is definitely here . . . in fact it's cellular technology driven !
Click to expand...
my buddy was saying he uses his cell phone internet and can get on the net with his laptop via his cell.... ill haft to ask him how he does it.....
 
cptcorn

cptcorn

adad
Replicator said:
OK, I said network adapter, but i guess I meant something else . . . Looks just like that card but it's got coverage

no matter where you are like a cellphone. The technology is definitely here . . . in fact it's cellular technology driven !
Click to expand...

Ah!, yeah, the technology is there, as slow as the connection maybe be, but I think we're still looking at a problem with the overall market size. Disposable cell phones are making their margins by pennies... Mfg costs of a pcmci or usb card might be too high when the amount of people who would want one is small compared to the amount of people who want quick cell coverage.

I'm not saying their isn't a market for it, but to make it affordable, we're a few years off. It will come, and I'm sure some companies with deep pockets are working on it.
 
Border

Border

New Member
PMG said:
my buddy was saying he uses his cell phone internet and can get on the net with his laptop via his cell.... ill haft to ask him how he does it.....
Click to expand...


10 years ago I had an infrared adapter that plugged into the bottom of my cell phone. My laptop had an infrared port on the back. Just lay the phone down behind the laptop and it would connect at a whopping 9kb/second. Man was it slow! I'd think the same technology is still out there if you looked. Just WAY faster.

edited to say it was more like 8 years ago I think....2002 I believe?
 
The Vector Doctor

The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
I think that is called cellphone tethering. Supposedly it can be done with an iphone but is not currently legal through AT&T in the US

http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/tethering.html

It may be because they are trying to figure out how to charge for it or the current AT&T network is not suitable for it. You can google it to figure out how to do it. I am not condoning it though, it could raise eyebrows at AT&T and get you in trouble if they have a way of tracking it
 
Graphics2u

Graphics2u

New Member
I think it would have to be something like you buy a adaptor card for your computer and then just buy minutes on something like a pre-paid phone card in the check out aisle. Otherwise the cost of production would be too much to make it cost effective.
 
steve b

steve b

New Member
I think Verizon has it available...The one that uses your cell phone. I remember not to long ago receiving an advert from them! I don't think I was dreaming either

steveb
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
Trak-phone has those already. It costs more than getting a plan just like the phones.
People do not realize how many minute they use until it is too late.
 
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