Unorthodox uses: Tap into MiFi-like capabilities of the Tilt2
paulmah
I’ve always been a technical type of user, and I love to find ways to stretch my Smartphones in unorthodox directions that might not be immediately obvious. Take the HTC Tilt2 for example. It makes an excellent phone, certainly, with an excellent keyboard and high-resolution display whose angle is adjustable.
The combination of Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities within its sleek chassis means that I am only a single step away from being able to utilize both at the same time. Specifically, to make use of the Tilt2 to pipe Internet access over to Wi-Fi only devices such as the iPod Touch. (Laptop’s left at home, remember?)
This was precisely what I did on a few occasions, allowing me to download RSS news onto my iPod Touch for some reading. Based on my usage, I estimated that a full charge is sufficient for at least four hours of Wi-Fi usage, no small feat considering that both 3G and Wi-Fi radios are activated and constantly processing data.
As you can see, the Tilt2 lends itself well as an ad-hoc MiFi appliance for Internet tethering of laptops, netbooks, or even the Wi-Fi only version of the iPad. It is possible to support all of them via Wi-Fi without splurging the money for a new hardware appliance or signing up for yet another data plan.
The best part is that because it’s on 3G, you can continue to make phone calls or send text messages in the interim. Oh yes, the software I used to enable the above functionality on the Tilt2 is called WMWifiRouter, and it installs in trial mode for you to try out.
Paul Mah is an independent tech writer who covers a range of topics ranging from enterprise hardware to consumer gadgets. You can find his personal blog at www.thetechblogger.comor follow him on Twitter @paulmah.
July 28, 6:28 pm