SEATTLE - My cell phone rang just as I pulled my car into a park along the Puget Sound. I needed to add something to a news story I had written a few hours earlier, but I really didn't want to give up my evening stroll.
Instead of driving back to the office or hunting for a Wi-Fi hotspot, I booted up my laptop, plugged in a PC card, connected to the Internet and updated my story -- all from a bench near the water, with a dreamy view of snowcapped mountains.
Such a feat is no surprise to anyone with a wireless card from a cellular carrier, but I wasn't connected to the networks of Verizon Wireless, Sprint or AT using the Clearwire card from the office conference room, it took two hours. Speeding along the interstate, iTunes estimated it would take about an hour and a half.
In the weeks I spent carrying the card around, it absolutely saved me twice. But when I'm at the park or enjoying a good view, I realized I don't actually want to be instant messaging. And for e-mail checks and other necessary online errands when I'm out on the town, my smart phone is quicker and more convenient.
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On the Net:
Clearwire: http://www.clearwire.com
