YONKERS, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2010; Portable GPS models are now packed with more features, but you might have a hard time trying to decipher functions such as “text-to-speech” or “lane assist.”

The Novatel MiFi 2372 creates a WiFi hotspot where and when you need it. Get work done at home, in the car or camper, or at the ballgame. The Novatel MiFi 2372 lets you surf wirelessly on your laptop or WiFi enabled device anywhere a cellular connection is available. With speeds equivalant to a broadband connection available at the touch of a button, you can download files, watch videos, or play games just as if you were actually at home or the office. The Novatel MiFi 2372 lets you keep important files backed up and ready with a built in microSDHC slot capable up to 16GB. Collaborate and play effectively with colleagues and friends, as this device will accommodate up to five simultaneous WiFi connections. The MiFi 2372 is a complete wireless network that fits in your pocket!

MiFiTM. Freedom. My way. – (7.2 Mpbs download and 5.76 Mbps upload)

MiFi delivers the ultimate in personal freedom. With the simple push of a button, wirelessly access the Internet from virtually anywhere with any WiFi-enabled device. MiFi supports multiple users, you can share your high-speed connection with friends, family members and co-workers. The world’s first Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, MiFi is the fastest and easiest way to get online on the go-and it even fits in the palm of your hand. My Internet, my applications, my content, my way.

MiFi is your own cloud of connectivity: great for personal and business use providing instant access to email, download large files, and surf the web with your laptop while simultaneously allowing up to five computers or personal devices to be connected. Easily swap and transfer files with built-in microSDHC slot providing expandable storage capacity of up to 16GB.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars This review is both for at&t and the 2372

I have a Verizon mifi 2200 that I’ve used for a year and it has saved me many times when traveling. But it’s SLOW. With the 2372 and AT&T I get at a minimum 3 times the download speeds that Verizon provided. Sometimes 5 times the download speeds. I’m canceling my Verizon account and sticking with AT&T. We just got back from Yosemite National Park and they had AT&T in the lodges on my IPad 3g but the verizon mifi 2200 couldn’t get a signal. AT&T has been everywhere that I need a signal. So with the 2372 my Laptop and ipad wifi are covered.

5 Stars So much better than the USB AirCard!

I was actually somewhat forced into the purchase and I’m so happy I was. I had been using the built in WLAN modem in my laptop along with an AT&T Sim card. I had to replace my laptop with one that didn’t have the built in aircard so had to buy an AT&T Mercury. I hated using that thing. I only had 2 USB ports so that was a problem. The other issue was half poor design on my laptop. The USB ports were both located close to other things so once I plugged the Mercury in, I either couldn’t plug the power cable in, or else I couldn’t lay the laptop flat. Not the best choices to have to make.

Anyhow, I recently switched to a MBP and too my extreme surprise, AT&T does not support Mac OSX with their LaptopConnect software. Unbelievable, considering the Apple iPhone is the only thing keeping them in business. So my choices were, use the Mercury native drivers and software direct from the manufacturer or try some other solutions. I decided to go check out Sprint and Verizon Mifi solutions and while searching for those, ran across this little device.

For the record, this device is not supported by AT&T. Now that we have that out of the way, I guess it should come as no surprise that the one device that I’ve purchased that is not supported by AT&T works better than anything they’ve ever sold me. This thing is a snap to set up. I’m still on the $60/ month data plan so I just use the Sim card that was in my AT&T mercury. Slap it into this thing. Follow the very basic setup instructions. You connect this thing to your computer via USB and then enter the network settings. Some other review here has the AT&T network APN settings. I do think it’s different depending on whether you have the data card plan like I do vs if you pull a SIM card out of smart phone and are using that data plan.

You can then add security settings if you want. I would suggest you skip that and test your connection first to make sure you have the AT&T network settings correct. Then power it on, wait for it to connect to the network, then find it like you would find any other wifi hotspot.

Rated battery of 4 hours is about right. As others have noted, you cannot charge in a USB port and still have other people connect. Since I always carry around a USB outlet plug for my iPhone, I just use a 6 inch usb to micro usb plugged into my apple charger one end and this thing on the other. I pulled the 6 inch cable from my jawbone headset but I know they’re available for sale separately. The same charging setup charges my kindle.

The reason I love this thing so much is that it turns on and connects to the AT&T network fast. Within 30 seconds usually. Before, I had to boot up my laptop, plug in the aircard, pull up the software, wait for the software to find the aircard, the connect. That process took over 2 minutes. And whenever I put the laptop into standby with the aircard, the software would lock up requiring a reboot if I wanted to connect to AT&T again. Not so with this thing. Plus, I can let 4 other people connect.

Speed is better than with my aircard.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this product. Outside of AT&T’s well documented network problems, this device is great. Save yourself the money and if you sign up for a data plan, do not get the aircard and buy this instead.

5 Stars Works well on AT&T with some work

Works well with ATT network. I’m using their “DataConnect pass” system; not a great value, but since I sometimes go a month or two without travel, it seems the most economical (though most economical would be to use the sim card from my iPhone as suggested by another reviewer). Plus, it doesn’t require signing on to a plan with a canceling fine. You have to go get a free sim card from an ATT store to use in this device; then you buy a DataConnect pass with the hardware info from the mifi and the info from the sim card. Buying the DataConnect pass authenticates the sim and assigns a mobile number to the sim.

With that done, log in to the mifi and set the connection parameters. I had to hunt down the right APN etc settings on the web after those suggested by another reviewer would not work (perhaps it is due to regional variations?). Here’s what worked for me:

APN: ISP.CINGULAR

Username: ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

Password: CINGULAR1

Authentication: PAP

With that done I was on the network and working within a few seconds. After a few more settings, such as making the network secure, it’s worthwhile to save the settings to a backup file so you can quickly restore what you’ve done when you experiment with settings.

I tried to hack the settings so that when I connected the usb cable it would not turn into a usb modem, following instructions at [...], but this did not work. Have to try to find a usb->micro usb charging only cable to avoid the hassle of setting up a usb modem.

5 Stars Works on ATT

First impression out of the box is that it is really small, about 10 credit cards stack together.

Supposed to charge it for 4 hours, but hey was too excited so just inserted the SIM, battery, and powercord. Whats really neat is that it comes with a variety of 110 and 220 volt adapters, that are also very slim and well engineered.

Turned on by pressing the one button on the unit and powered up the laptop. Followed instructions in the book on how to connect wifi to the Mifi to configure the settings. One thing that is not mentioned is the authentication protocol HAP and CHAP or none. I could not connect to my ATT network with None set at authentication. But HAP and CHAP worked. Did a bit of researched and found that HAP stood for Handshake protocol and CHAP for Challenge Handshake Protocol. The CHAP is supposed to be better because it re-authenticates every once in a while. Worked out good too with CHAP because my upload speed was 500kbps on CHAP but only 110kpbs on HAP. Download speed was consistently between 1,240 to 1450kbps.

I used the SIM from my iPhone 3GS, but be careful about going over the limit, the new data plans that ATT sells is capped at 2GB, and anything over that is currently 10 bucks for every GB over the 2GB per month. Luckily you can log into your ATT account and see your usage, as well as look at the usage log on the mifi. With those download/upload speeds, you can go crazy and exceed your 2GB all in one day, and get a hefty bill.

I plan on using this mifi to provide the portable wifi hotspot, too bad the service providers offer wifi hotspot on all their devices for say a nominal costs. That would have been much more convenient for me, and profitable for them. Verizon is a bad example. The new Android 2.2 supports wifi hotspot, and yet Verizon has disabled this feature saying that their older droid phones dont work with it. Hah hah, yea right. I bet they do work, it is just that Verizon wants you to buy their new Droid X or Droid 2 phones and then pay another 20 bucks for that wifi hotspot feature (when it is already built in for free). Might be an opportunity for some unemployed lawyer for a class action.

For now, I am really happy with my purchase. As long is last two years until my ATT contract expires, I’ll be happy. Will have to see how it stands up to long term use. Battery is supposed to be between 3 to 4 hours, but havent tested it. Oh the range is supposed to be only 30 feet, but I got connection and good transfer at 50 feet. I put the mifi in one corner and walked to the other side of my 3200sf house. But the transfer rate suffers a bit with increased distance.

4 Stars Great product despite a slightly difficult set up

It took a little while to get it set up because the directions do not detail where you enter in all the settings and some of the settings they do not detail at all. However, once working, this is an amazing product. Great for travel and way faster than I had expected. Since it is unlocked, you can you use it with many different carriers, this is helpful when traveling abroad. It is small, lightweight, and portable. This is one of my favorite gadgets of the year.

About every 10 years I buy a new car. I bought one in 1990, again in 2000 and last week I bought one of the highest-tech cars on the planet — a 2010 Prius.

Minor glitches were reported today, including a power outage at Precinct 117 on Sandy Hill Drive in Orange County and problems feeding ballots into tabulating machines. Polls in Central Florida are now closed. And voters now can only wait for ballots to be tabulated and results to be announced.

TomTom XL 330-S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Box Packaging)

The TomTom XL 330-S is easy-to-use widescreen navigation. TomTom’s award-winning software means effortless navigation from point A to point B. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter the address on the touchscreen and start driving anywhere in the United States or Canada. TomTom guides you door-to-door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions including street names. And 3D graphics help guide you to your destination.

Easy-to-use widescreen navigation. Click to enlarge.

TomTom’s award-winning software means effortless navigation from point A to point B. Click to enlarge.

An extra-wide touchscreen helps you find your way, worry-free.

The XL 330-S is preloaded with millions of points of interest to enhance your traveling experience–easily find your favorite gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and more.

TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, points of interest, and more on your own device. And with the “Help Me!” menu, added safety features enable you to easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.

Go confidently.

How to Update Your Map

XL 330-S Features

• Maps of United States and Canada with TomTom Map Share
• Spoken Street Names
• Fold & Go EasyPort Mount
• 4.3-inch Touchscreen

All TomToms Feature

Plug & Go–Works right out of the box.

Preloaded Points of Interest–Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee–Up to date, off the shelf.

TomTom Map Share–Modify your own map and benefit from others’ verified changes with TomTom Map Share.

Help Me! Emergency Menu–Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

TomTom HOME–Always up to date.

Traffic Ready–Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.

Fuel Price Service (optional)–Know more, pay less.

Why TomTom?

TomTom believes that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. TomTom develops smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.

Easy to Use

• Award-winning navigation software
• Plug & go

Best Maps

• 30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
• Modify your own map and benefit from others’ verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing

• QuickGPSfix
• Traffic ready

Leader in Safety

• Help Me! emergency resources menu
• Safety preferences menu

About TomTom

Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high-quality products and services.

TomTom is a leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further its commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so that the company can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.

TomTom has its own mapping company!

Did you know that every year, roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world’s most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage–more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.

What’s in the Box

TomTom XL 330-S device, Windshield mount, desk dock, car charger, software/manual CD, documentation

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Stars don’t buy it!!
this is a nice enough GPS unit, but if you have a problem like I did, forget about any real help from TomTom.

for one, they give you 72 hours (3 days) to respond to any response they give, but they don’t hold to that themselves. took me 5 days to get my first response. I still have not gotten any satisfaction from TomTom.

I simply wanted a newer more updated map. I paid $49.95 for a download of a map. when I tried to install onto my TomTom, the unit tells me there isn’t enough memory. BUT, the software will remove some unused stuff and get the room I need, cool! however, the whole process froze up for over an hour, so I shut it down (no longer online for download, just communication between my HP and the TomTom unit). tried several more times, but now each time it tells me, it cannot free up enough memory for the new map. TomTom support tells me to move the current map to my computer, then I can install the new one… NOT!! still tells me there isn’t enough memory. so now my GPS is totally worthless — it has no map!! several times more back and forth with TomTom support and I am still in the same position. I have asked for my money back for the map (figure I have lost the money to purchase the GPS), but TomTom has taken to ignoring me. at this time I am updating the support question every 3 days to keep it active, but get no answer from TomTom.

BLEEAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!

4 Stars Better than the Garmin Nuvi
I got my wife a Garmin Nuvi 255 and the Tomtom for myself. Both units cost ~$100 at the time (xmas sales). The Tomtom is way better. It’s better at pathfinding and allowing you to reroute it to avoid traffic jams, roadblocks, etc. With the Tomtom, I can tell it to avoid specific roads along the path to avoid construction, traffic congestion, etc. There is no such feature with the Garmin. Also, the Tomtom seems to understand when I change my route better than the Garmin. The Tomtom will choose a new completely new route, but the Garmin keeps trying to reroute back to the original route that I’m trying to avoid.

The mounting bracket takes time to break in, but I found once it broke in the GPS stopped falling out of the bracket and it wasn’t challenging to get into the bracket. Garmin could have done a little better here.

The one thing I don’t like about Tomtom is it advises you to “keep left” at every exit on the highway, which gets really old really quick. I generally don’t use highways much, but if you do, then keep this in mind.

5 Stars I like my TomTom XL330
I’ll admit a degree of suspicion when I order the unit. What do you expect for $90? Well, I think I got a lot; I was totally surprised by the functionality and accuracy of this little gadget.

The first thing I did was download the latest and greatest maps from the TomTom site. It took awhile over my DSL but it did not require much interaction which I liked. Think my wife can even do it (I know, I know).

We have made several trips with it and it has become a basic necessity of long distance driving. When I pass a speed limit change on the interstate, it immediately provides a visual indication that I am speeding. It provides concise (spoken) descriptions of events that need to occur on those complicated highway interchanges. Missed that turn, no problem, it will immediately recalculate a new route and provide instructions.

I highly recommend the device be mounted immediately in front (lower windshield) of driver so you do not have to cut your eyes away from the road.

Highly recommend this GPS.

2 Stars It’s cheaper for a reason–actually several
I’ve had a Garmin, Magellan, and now this TomTom. It’s been the worst of the three.

All GPSs have the hook of charging you for map updates at a cost of just over half the price of the GPS. Which is why every two years I, and several other million people, buy a new GPS.

All GPSs will periodically give you a false reading. The question is how often. This unit has given me erroneous directions far more often than the other two I’ve owned. Sometimes it locks on the last location I was at when it was last used, and I have to turn it off and on 2-3 times to get it to register my current location.

What else I don’t like:

–After 6 months it quit holding a charge, so I can only use it when it’s plugged into the car socket.

–A design flaw makes it difficult to plug the adapter into the unit. I mean really difficult. If you have old hands or arthritis, this is not the unit for you.

–There are too many steps to go thru when selecting a location. For example, say I decide I’ve had it with the unit and I want to go to the nearest BestBuy and get another. You can’t just tap once and then type. You’ll have to go thru at least 5 screens to get your directions.

–The mounting mechanism is also poorly designed. You cannot easily adjust the angle of the unit once it’s mounted. That sucker just pops right off the mount slick as a whistle. Whether you want it to or not.

–The print on the screen is hard to read.

–The User manual is worthless–very little information in it. And the online instructions are only a bit better. If you’re not intuitively good with electronics, you’ll have trouble figuring this one out.

What I like:

You can set it to warn you when you go more than 3 miles over the speed limit.

There are far better units out there now. Stay away from this one.

4 Stars Best Bang For Your Buck!
I will make this quick and to the point. “For The Money” you can’t go wrong with this GPS. Easy to use right out of the box. TomTom XL 330-S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS is as good or better than the Garmin 1350 Nuvi or the Megellan 1440 Roadmate JMHO and both of these units are very good I might ad…..TomTom refurbished XL 330-S was half the price and with free shipping from Amazon. Buy one you won’t be sorry.

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Police are looking for a man who reportedly broke into a home in the 800 block of 34th Street on Friday, Oct. 22. A resident was awakened around 3:30 a.m. by the barking of the family dog and…

Mertado.com offers dealnews readers the Garmin nüvi 295W 3.6″ Wi-Fi Portable GPS Navigation System, model no. 010-00916-00, for $99.99. With shipping at $3.99, it’s an $11 drop from our mention two…

Universal GPS Car Charger for Garmin, Tomtom, Magellan, Mio and Many More

If you need to power your GPS device, this car charger is for you. Also, it works great as a replacement car adapter. Maybe, your family has two cars, and you need an extra GPS car charger in another vehicle.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Stars Not Universal
Universal GPS Car Charger for Garmin, Tomtom, Magellan, Mio and Many More

This is not a universal charger, it did no fit with my Magellan GPS.

5 Stars Replacment charger for my MIO
The extra tips are the best idea on this purchase. Have accidently broken one and would hate to have had to buy a who new one just for the tip.

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Huntsville police are investigating a pair of incidents that occurred early Saturday in Huntsville’s Elkins Lake subdivision, both of which may be tied to the same burglary suspect.

Garmin Foretrex 401 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Foretrex 401 Portable GPS System

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Stars Unit has a bug in user grid / datum
Great unit, if you don’t need user grid. If you do, there is a bug in the algorithm that can results in displaying wrong coordinates. I measured an error of more than 240ft (around 70m). Note that this happens with SW version 2.30 released around May, 2010. Earlier SW versions, didn’t even support user grid. There is a clip on YouTube showing the bug.

Upadte 6/23 -

Garmin response is that there is nothing wrong with the SW. Though it should be mentioned that this was their response also when the feature was not working at all. Later on Garmin released SW version 2.30, advertising a fix for user grid.

If you need user grid, don’t buy this device. About the device in general, the bad part is that the HW is really nice, but I have concerns about the SW. I would be a bit worried when such a basic feature is not working, that there are other problems with the device.

1 Stars worst garmin foretrex ever
This should have been the foretrex 101

you cannot download tracks to The Garmin Center or Google earth

it did not recognize either of my Garmin Heart Monitors.

I feel that Garmin should have a recall of this model and refunded the purchase price.

I am very sorry that I purchased it.

5 Stars Gets better with time
I would like to say this is an outstanding product. I owned one of the earlier models, the gamin fortrex 201. The 401 is a superior model to the 201 because of added features and got rid of a bunch of the bulk associated in the first model. My only complaint about the newer model that I liked about the 201 is the rechargeable battery. Although the battery power consumption is outstanding, replacing batteries can be costly and a pain in the rear. But over all I highly recommend this item.

5 Stars Fantastic
This GPS is excellent. I use it for military application in a tactical environment and also for long hikes in dense trees in the mountains. Truly a great product, extremely easy to use controls, easy to read and understand screen and very durable. I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a highly quality GPS that will be used in an outdoor setting.

4 Stars Very handy and accurate
just bought this because I am heading back to Afghanistan. it works great has the fields you need and not a lot of clutter. picks up A signal in seconds even indoors and stays inplace when you strap it on. it will surely be a life saver for me on the ground when I need a quick reliable reference. just wish you could load maps to it. it works on 2 AA batt so you don’t have to worry about running out of a charge. I recommend this product!

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