People who are always doing business on the go should check out Verizon's new product, the UM150 wireless USB Modem for Verizon Wireless. Compatible with most computing devices - desktops, notebooks, tablets, etc. - this small, wireless modem lets you get connected to Verizon Wireless high-speed broadband. The UM150 wireless modem is optimized for Verizon Wireless to ensure higher performance compared to the usual DSL connections.

When used with Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network, the UM150 has average download speeds of 600 kbps and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps. The small wireless modem also features a retractable antenna as well as a Y-shaped extension cable for more flexibility.

The UM150 is priced at US$ 79.99 after a US$ 50 mail-in rebate, and comes with a two-year agreement with Verizon Wireless. It's certainly not free like Sony and T-Mobile's joint offer for the PSP, but still is a great deal.

As we have reported in the past, the ability for rescue personnel to maintain open lines of communication throughout a disaster  relief effort is key to the success of the rescue effort. IP networks are uniquely suited for maintaining high traffic, multiple media format communications during a disaster.

Because they can be made to be scalable, modular, standardized, easily deployed and maintained in the field and are efficient at delivering high volume multi-channel traffic, IP networks are more suitable and provide the best results in chaotic disaster situations. While IP networks are a great solution, they are vulnerable to damage from multiple sources found in and around typical disaster relief areas and must be beefed up or "ruggedized" in order to meet the demands of the job.

Entree Wireless (the company that created the Mobile Communications System) is now offering the Rugged Warrior battery pack as a solo unit through the website EV-DO Info. The entire rescue communications kit contains video equipment, WiFi radio and battery, built in camera with a light, an external search camera, a video terminal and is aimed at established rescue units instead of volunteer rescue units or home users.

The rugged powerpack, now being offered alone, is less expensive and functions as battery power for the Kyocera KR1 router in the field. As a person who travels quite a bit and depends on the Kyocera KR1 EV-DO router to keep me connected to the Internet for completing posts and turning in homework, this product would help me tremendously.

However, with most laptop batteries putting out only a mere few hours of juice (my Dell E1705 puts out 1.5 hours, 2 at best), the remaining problem is finding power in the field for the laptop that will last as long as the Rugged Powerpack!

Korea, always a leader in the tech industry, has spawned yet another innovative product. Known as the IM-H100, this USB device grants users access to 3G HSDPA networks (like the one run by Cingular in the US).

Currently, there are precious few solutions that provide access to the newest generation of wireless broadband  networks. As we've mentioned here before, Verizon offers a competing flavor of wireless broadband service known as EV-DO as does Sprint (US only).

The HSDPA 3G USB Card from SK is small enough to be carried in your laptop case and is designed with flexibility in mind. The USB cord can be twisted and maneuvered into a position that keeps it out of your way and in the best spot to receive a clear signal.

With one big red dial for controls, the IM-H100 looks to be easy enough to use. However, without a port for an external antenna users will miss out on some locations because of signal attenuation that could easily be countered with an antenna.

Sometimes referred to 3.5G, HSDPA is descended from the W-CDMA standard. Speeds achieved by HSDPA are currently similar to EV-DO's top speeds. HSDPA tops out at around 1Mbit per second in bursts, with sustained download speeds between 400 and 700 KB per second.

Verizon and Sprint both have EV-DO networks currently up and running. In fact, Verizon is in the process of upgrading its network to the next generation of its EV-DO technology called revision A.

Cingular is playing catch up with its network, which is scheduled to be in most major cities by the end of this year. Similar to EV-DO, HSDPA is also an evolutionary technology.

UMTS universal mobile telecommunications system is the basis for the HSDPA technology and since the technology is backwards compatible, upgrade costs are lower and handsets and modems are compatible with each generation of the standard.

The days when ultra mobile portables have had the "ball and chain" by tethering their EV-DO phones/PDAs are over, as Sprint and Franklin Wireless offers a revolutionary product called CDU-550, a USB EV-DO Card. This will enable Tablet PC plus Mac laptop and desktop users that do not have a PCMCIA card slot to connect to the Internet or company information with broadband-like download speeds using Sprint Mobile Broadband Services operating on the Sprint Power Vision Network.

Not much information is known about this card, aside from claims that early tests on this product have shown remarkable speeds. Whether this product is a sure winner or not, we'll see about that. As for your viewing pleasure, we included pictures here...enjoy!

Situational awareness, and the ability to communicate, are two critical factors that must be maintained in order to progress with any rescue operation. When there is a breakdown in communication during a disaster, the situation usually tends to persist for a while before rapidly deteriorating.

However, with recent advancements in technology giving us new options, companies have been moving quickly to design new communication systems that take advantage of these options.

Products like the Entree Wireless Mobile Communication System promise to provide first responders with a comprehensive communication system that includes a video network and a bubble of Wifi that can be deployed in preparation for, or in response to, a disaster in a matter of minutes.

Powered by a large battery, the system is self contained and rugged enough to survive in a hostile environment. At the recent MOBEX joint disaster exercise, a mobile communication system was deployed at the site of a simulated building collapse and used as a training tool.

Rescue teams used the day to hone their skills on the new equipment that is playing an increasingly important role in how they do their jobs every day. Every second is precious when saving lives, and with a set up time of just a few minutes, the new communication system from Entree Wireless looks to be a good weapon to add to the arsenal of our already brave and skilled first responders.

Dell is the first manufacturer to release a version of the Novatel XV620 express EV-DO wireless card for laptops. Verizon and Sprint are currently the only two service providers capable of providing EV-DO coverage, via their extensive EV-DO capable networks.

The card is listed on the Dell site for $161, without service of any kind of course. Based on the 34mm form factor, this card will fit both the 34 and 54mm sizes of the express card slots currently available.

Verizon and Sprint both plan to offer a branded version of this same card to their own customers in the near future. This is good news for those who own notebooks that only have express card slots and no others. I am using EV-DO right now and I can expect real world speeds between 400 and 900KBps in the down direction and a maximum of around 300KBps uploading.

While currently EV-DO service is expensive and the results are not always perfect, EV-DO brings us one step closer to having wireless broadband everywhere we go! Hopefully the industry can find a balance between profits for providers and customer satisfaction that will keep everyone happy.

This long awaited release is finally one week away. Many people were surprised when they realized that their new laptop was sporting a new format of PCMCIA wireless slot that would not have a compatible wireless card to go with it for months to come.

However, if tests of the pre-release version of the device, tentatively named Novatel XV620, give an accurate indication of the abilities of the release model; the new device will have appeal, as it performs at an equal or higher level than competitive devices (like the Kyocera KR1).

The new release from Novatel just recently received approval from the FCC and PCMCIA and is en route to retail locations with a release scheduled for the first week of July.

With more and more products leaving factories configured to take advantage of the EV-DO networks set up by firms like Sprint and Verizon; EV-DO is becoming an increasingly viable option for those seeking mobile access to the Internet with a decent amount of throughput in each direction.

Even though I already bought a wireless EV-DO router that converts EV-DO into wifi, I will probably still buy a Novatel XV620 because it's small and would make for one less thing for me to carry when I'm out. Dell, the first major manufacturer to adopt the express card standard on a large scale, has announced that it will also sell a re-branded version of the Novatel XV620 called the Dell Wireless 5700 Mobile Broadband Express Card starting at the end of this week.

The card is in 34mm format which fits both 54mm and 34mm slots and is the smallest of the current express card formats. Drivers and compatibility for Mac users are currently merely an afterthought for most mobile EV-DO solutions, but with the expected increase in popularity in store, the format should become more universally accepted in the near future.