iSpot: What 4G could mean for your iDevice

These days, 4G seems to all the buzz. The HTC EVO 4G has been trending really high (some of our readers here might even be sporting some of those coupled with an iOS device like the iPod Touch or iPad). There’s also the upcoming Samsung Epic 4G, which is the second 4G device (by Sprint) to be getting quite some hype lately.

This high-speed connectivity hasn’t quite touched Apple mobility devices yet, at least not directly. But as we previously reported, Clear, a major 4G supporter offering WiMax in 55 cities, has announced the iSpot, an item that connects iOS devices to Clear’s blazing 4G network. For $100 upfront and just $25 a month for unlimited data (without a contract), the iSpot seems like it could be a great device for Apple mobility users. But is it really? Let’s take a closer look.

The one caveat with the iSpot is that it is officially* limited to the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad — so if you were thinking it would be simple to just hop on a 4G signal with your laptop or another smartphone, think again. By design, the iSpot uses Mac filtering to block any devices besides these iOS-touting mobile products. It’s understandable that the company would want tight control, especially considering the surprisingly affordable monthly fee, but it’s an important aspect to keep in mind — especially if you sport other devices. (Apparently a mixed coupling, with iPod Touches or iPads, plus other platforms, like Android, isn’t all that rare.)

The next issue is, how does this device actually work? According to Engadget, the real life performance you can expect is quite decent: On the iPhone, download speeds ranged from 1 to 5Mbps, and upload speeds hovered around 1Mbps. The battery, rated at 2700mAh, lasts roughly 4-5 hours with use. That’s pretty respectable, although I expected longer considering the colossal size of the battery.  The device also has two LEDs to illuminate WiMAX and WiFi status in a snap.

The iSpot’s interface is intuitive as well. You can easily adjust the password and settings all from your browser. You also have the option of adjusting WiFi strength, which can give you a larger coverage area or better battery life, depending on your needs.

Overall, if you want to use your iOS device on a fast network, it may be worthwhile to check this out. Just make sure you live in an area with WiMax coverage before purchasing it, as it does NOT fall back onto a 3G network when you lose 4G signal. But otherwise, if you’re in a good coverage area, you can’t beat the $25 unlimited data buffet.

Anyone here tempted to give this a shot? Let us know what you think below.

Via: Engadget

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*It seems that some Mac laptops are surprisingly able to connect to the iSpot, while others are blocked. It’s definitely an off-label use, though. Those who are tech-savvy enough can circumvent the problem by spoofing their MAC addresses (which cloaks or purposely misidentifies info, like the originating device, browser or platform). That may be a no-brainer for the hackers among us, however, it is an entirely different can of worms for the typical user.