|
Electronic device makers and content manufacturers have
got to back away from the forest and see the light filtering
throught the trees. Consumers want to control the content
they buy and want to be capable to use their electronic
devices together without limitations placed on them.
Standards and interoperability will have to come to digital
devices, just as Google co-founder Larry Page said in his
Consumer Electronics Show keynote speech when he introduced
Google Video. Right now, only those video’s purchased through
Google Video that are NOT copy protected will play on video
iPods and Sony PSP’s – the rest only work on Google Video.
http://www.google.com/press/podium/ces2006.html
That news with regards to Google Video and Digital Rights Management
(DRM) standards of interoperability had me fuming with regards to my
inability to use my content (photos, movies, music) on
devices made by dissimilar makers or amongst cell phone
providers. Today I ran throughout a story in regards to an Anti-DRM group
in Britain campaigning to demand an end to DRM.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/18/drm_consumer_opposition/
Obviously I’m not the only one troubled by the fact that I
cannot move digitally recorded movies from my Tivo to my DVD
recorder (purchased for precisely that reason, but before I
knew it wouldn’t work) I only found out that I couldn’t
record movies from the Tivo to the DVD recorder when I called
Pioneer client support to ask why the recorder wouldn’t
record my movies. It seems that I may only move digital
movies from the Tivo to my computer (which I found I could do
with free Tivo Desktop software when I called Tivo customer
support.)
So rather of recording directly from my Tivo to my Pioneer
DVD recorder, I have to move the movie over to my computer
via Tivo Desktop software, then burn a DVD from my computer.
Very smart move on Tivo’s part, as it means I definitely
won’t buy the DVR from my satellite TV provider because they
don’t aid skipping commercials, nor do they support
moving movies to my computer.
This likewise means I don’t NEED my Pioneer DVD recorder – so
their DRM which stops Tivo digitally recorded movies from
recording to DVD means that I won’t use that Pioneer DVD
recorder and will now trade it. The other DVD player connected
to my other television will suffice. If I want to record
something, it goes on the Tivo because it is so easy to use
and works so exceedingly well. I’ll use the free Tivo Desktop
software and move it to my computer and burn DVD’s of my
recorded television and movies there.
Clearly Tivo is doing all they may to make their device
consumer friendly – but they are being besieged by television
and movie content producers, who are screaming at them to
stop the “piracy” of their users. Tivo now disables the 30
second mercantile skip button every day (which you have to know
how to program – Select, Play, Select, 3-0, Select). They do
this by way of mechanically modified internal software because
advertisers screamed at them for assorted years in regards to the
consumer capacity to skip commercials. The result is that I
reprogram that function every day anyway – annoying, but not
nearly as annoying as not being competent to control my own device
the way I want to.
I’m convinced that content makers will lose this battle
over the long term and I’ll do all I may to fight them
myself, like supporting anti-DRM groups wherever I find them.
And I’ll exploration more exhaustively before buying products
which comprise DRM to make sure they will work with my
existing widgets – meaning no Sony CD’s or DVD’s. There have
been rumors that Apple is creating a set-top box and service
similar to Tivo and I’d buy one in a split second as I’m sure
I could use my iPod, iMac and iPhoto seamlessly amidst all
devices.
Maybe they’ll make a phone with a Mac OS and a PDA as well (I
actually applied to own an early Apple Newton PDA and oh, how I
wish they had continued to manufacture that terrifi little
thing). I’m happy to use anything Apple formulates – but I
won’t switch cell suppliers or switch my Satellite TV
provider. Interoperability and standards are necessary to me.
It’s with regards to choice. Pioneer fixed my selections and lost a
customer and Motorola lost my ROKR iTunes phone business
because the device is only available from Cingular.
Obviously, I’m a Mac user and had studiously avoided
purchasing Windows machines until I had to buy a Windows box
to run business software not available for my Apple machines.
So I purchased an exceedingly cheap $299 PC to run the three
programs that won’t run on my Mac. That cheap machine now
serves as my DVD burner for movies (with a cheap external
hard drive as movie storage drive). Pioneer lost a customer
because they don’t concede me to record movies to DVD from my
Tivo. How with regards to a Tivo/Apple partnership? That would be a
marriage made in heaven due to the customer-centric design
and usability so elegantly addressed by both companies.
I’ll put up with Apple’s walled garden (iTunes and
proprietary AAC files) and their own DRM only as long as
everything they make works seamlessly together. Apple
products always have worked elegantly together and probably
always will. Somehow most third party software seems to
interact well with everything else on the Macs. The moment
Motorola makes that ROKR iTunes phone available through MY
cellular provider, I’ll consider buying that phone.
Being in the market for a phone, I had been looking at a Palm
Treo 650 phone/PDA and was excessively affected emotionally when they introduced the
new 700 model, just as I was with regards to to make that purchase. So
I read a few reviews and ran into to my horror that Palm
just fell victim to the dominance of Microsoft and replaced
their own well designed Palm operating system on that new
Treo 700 with a buggy, slow and cumbersome Windows OS!
In the procedure they lost another customer, because I can’t
stand the clunky way one ought to navigate with Windows
(reviewers agree) and refuse to buy that machine now, the
same way I fended off all other PDA’s running Windows for the
past 10 years. This is all because Palm couldn’t port
Microsoft documents and Windows affiliated bits to the Palm OS
when corporate users required that interoperability. Thanks
to Gates & Company, Palm lost another client – and their
own graceful OS.
If mainstream electronics device manufacturers carry on to
take the path of least resistance by kowtowing to content
producers, lowest mutual denominator software and stifled
functionality and interoperability, then buyers will
eventually find a way to take back the control. We’ll avoid
buying productions (CD’s & DVD’s, “rented” music) that don’t
work with their existent widgets (Tivo’s, DVD recorders,
PDA’s, iPods) and will find companies that make all of this
stuff work together and buy from them – but only so long as
ALL gimmicks and ALL content work with each other
interchangeably.
If you experience dropped calls and poor cell phone signal quality in your car, home, or office, then the Wilson MobilePro Cell Phone Signal Booster Kit is the solution. Increasing your cell phone’s power by more than 12 times, the Wilson MobilePro significantly improves the performance of your cellular and data gimmicks by increasing the power output of your cell phone signal where you are experiencing a weak signal. Designed for portability and mobility, the MobilePro includes various power adapters, and is without apparent effort moved from your vehicle to your home, hotel, airport, or office, creating an bettered cellular signal.
 |
MobilePro Cell Phone Signal Booster Kit
At a Glance:
- Increases cell phone signal by more than 12 times, bettering reception and selective information rates.
- Designed for portability and mobility; outstanding for use in your office, car, hotel, airport, or home.
- Plug & Play Kit–easy installation; everything you need is in the box.
- Compatible with all US and Canadian cellular providers, excluding iDEN, Nextel, and MIKE.
|
|
 |
|
Setting up the MobilePro takes just minutes. View larger. |
 |
Everything you need for better reception is included in the box. View larger. |
It’s All About Power
The important cause of dropped calls is low signal output power from the cell phone to the cell tower, which limits the phone’s capacity to commune with the tower. A typical cell phone provides merely one-fifth of a watt of output power. To address this problem, the amplifier and the included magnet mount antenna work together to increase the phone’s output power by more than 12 times over using just the phone alone.
Enjoy Premium Reception and Fewer Dropped Calls
Living or working in an area with fixed cell phone coverage, which is caused by natural and man-made impediments or by living out of range from a cell phone tower, you know how discouraging and hindering weak reception may be. By increasing the power output of your cell phone signal, the Wilson MobilePro helps eliminate most of the signal loss caused by these obstructions. It’s crucial to note that the firmest signal is received when the MobilePro is within two feet of your cell phone, laptop, or data card. If you sit at a distance more outstanding than two feet, merely set your phone next to the MobilePro booster and use a Bluetooth headset.
The MobilePro comes with assorted power options, including a vehicle cigarette lighter adapter, a USB power cable, and a general five-volt AC/DC adapter. The assortment of power choices ensures that you’ll have a boosted signal whether you’re driving in your car, journeying with your laptop, or working at your desk. Included with the booster kit is a commodious carrying case that fits neatly inside a briefcase, handbag, or suitcase.
Once installed, the MobilePro may simultaneously support multiple cell phones and data cards. You’ll experience less dropped calls, clearer call quality, and bettered info rates–even with 3G technologies.
Installing the MobilePro
Installation is quick and easy; everything you need for installation in a building or car is included in the kit.
In a Building
To install, plainly attach the suction-cup window bracket to the inside of the window and place the magnet mount antenna on the bracket. Connect the magnet mount antenna to the amplifier. Power the amplifier by using the included USB power cord and plugging it into a computer’s USB port, or by using the ordinary AC adapter. Place the MobilePro within 12 inches of your phone, laptop, or selective information card to receive an bettered signal.
In a Car
To install, merely attach the magnet mount antenna to the roof of your vehicle. Connect the cable of the magnet mount antenna to the amplifier. Mount the amplifier to the dash or other area using the supplied mounting hardware. Power the amplifier using the cigarette lighter adapter, or by plugging the USB cord into your laptop computer. Now you’re ready to take delight in a more inviolable cell phone signal specifically within two feet of the amplifier.
Compatible with Most Cell Phone Models and Providers
The Wilson MobilePro is compatible with all US and Canadian cellular providers, excluding iDEN, Nextel, and MIKE. The kit supports CDMA, TDMA, GSM, and AMPS cell phone technologies, as well as selective information protocols such as GPRS, 1xRTT, HSDPA, EVDO, and EDGE.
The use of radio distribution instrumentation that enhances, extends or amplifies a wireless signal may be prohibited without the consent of the wireless carrier upon whose network such instrumentation will be used. You ought to consult with your carrier before purchasing such instrumentation to use with that carrier’s service.
Specifications
- Frequency: 824-894 MHz / 1850-1990 MHz
- Gain: 40dB / 42dB
- Max Output Power: 500 mw
- Max RF (downlink): +8dBm
- Noise Figure: 3.5dB nominal
- Flatness: ±4dB
- Isolation: > 90dB
- Power Requirements: 5V – 8V
- Connectors: SMA Female
- Dimensions: 2 x 4.75 x 1 inches
- Weight: 3 oz
What’s in the Box
MobilePro unit, 12-inch magnet-mount antenna, USB power cable, cigarette-lighter power adapter, five-volt AC/DC adapter, two commodious mounting options, and carrying case.
Reduce the incidence of dropped calls and bad reception in your car, home, and office. |
Most helpful client reviews
53 of 55 people found the following review helpful.
 Works well, simple
By M. Quinlan
I purchased the version with the 12-inch antenna to use in my home office, and got it a couple days ago. The package says it installs in a minute, and that’s basically true. It took me 15 minutes because I read the instructions and had to think with regards to where to put it, but if I did it again, I could in all probability genuinely take the items out of the package and get it in place and operating in a minute.
It works very well. My provider is AT&T, which I’m stuck with because I have an iPhone. My wife gets a outstanding Verizon signal, but my AT&T signal ranged from no service to two bars at any given time at any place in my house. A few seconds after installing the Wilson device that changed, and now I get from 2 bars to 5 bars within my home office.
I looked at another device that claims to provide a whole-house bettered signal, and perhaps it does. The problem for me is that installation seemed perplexed due to the need for very wide separation amongst the antenna that receives the outside cell signal and the amplifier that retransmits the more inviolable signal, which included getting wiring through wall or ceilings etc. In the case of the Wilson device, all you need do is keep the two detached by 8 feet or so, which was better for me.
I’m not a techy but it seems that the tradeoff is that the separation requisites are lower with this Wilson device, but the rebroadcasted signal is less powerful, so the signal betterment range is not whole-house, but more room sized. Fortunately, that works fine for me.
I have three windows together set up like a bay window of sorts. I applied the suction cups to mount the antenna in the upper right of that set of windows. I then ran the antenaa wire over the top of the windows to the amplifier hanging on the left. I didn’t even affix the amplifier to the wall, it just hangs from the antenna cord. It’s behind the curtain so it’s not seen.
I placed the antenna, reached up and ran the wire over the sill, connected the amplifier to the end of the wire and plugged it in. A second later the light went green, meaning that the separation distance is OK, and my phone went from 1 bar to 4. Easy.
The packaging seems to emphasize use in cars and trucks, so I’m guessing that this is for the most part used by truckers and commuters who drive through a lot of weak signal areas. But it likewise gives directions for installing in a home or office, which is what I did, and I may report that it works well for that purpose, at least in my situation.
40 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
 It works
By AK
I’d like to part my experience using this product which I purchased to boost my cell phone signal in my home office. First, let me say that finding a solution for my queer circumstances and needs was difficult. There appear to be numerous merchandise out there starting in this price range (and going much higher) that assert to boost signal strength. From my informal exploration on the topic (obtained for the most part by reading online USER reviews of respective products), I found that user feedback on cell phone signal boosters tended to be sparsely available. And when feedback was available, it was all over the place – numerous humans said the product they purchased worked well and others said it didn’t work at all.
BACKGROUND INFO:
In my 3 story condo, my typical cell phone signal strength ordinarily is 1 or 2 bars (out of a total of 4 bars). The best reception occurs near windows on the 3rd story. My home office is on the 1st floor which is partially under ground level. The part that is beneath ground level is bounded by concrete. There are 2 very little windows in my home office located in the percentage that is above ground.
PROS:
* The price is competitory with other cell signal boosters I found online.
* The product is very portable and may be mounted in your car if you travel a lot.
* The installation is very fast and easy. I didn’t need to install a permanent antenna to the exterior of my condo – which is a good thing because our homeowners’ association is very restrictive with that sort of thing.
* I was capable to boost signal strength to 3 or 4 bars (out of a total of 4 bars) in my partially underground home office.
CONS:
* Your cell phone will have to be within 6 to 12 inches of the amplifier for it to provide a significant benefit.
* The signal strength appears to fade after a while. When I initial turn the unit on, it appears to provide full benefit. If I come back a few minutes later, my cell signal strength is back down to 1 bar in my home office. If I reset the unit or move the antenna around, it appears to work again for a while.
SUMMARY:
The unit may work if you read the instructions and experiment a bit with the placement of the antenna. For me to get it to work, I set up a docking cradle on my desktop to recharge my phone, and I placed the amplifier within 12 inches of the phone’s docking cradle. I use a bluetooth headset at all times with my cell phone so that I may free up my hands while I speak. This works out well because it allows me to leave the cell phone within 12 inches of the amplifier without restricting my motion too much within the office.
One other note… according to the instructions you will have to place the antenna VERTICALLY near a window if you’re installing inside a building rather of a car. I could not get that to work at all. The amplifier’s status light would turn amber which suggests “overload from the cell site” according to the instructions. I only got the unit to work when I installed the antenna HORIZONTALLY and away from the window.
I am disappointed by the inconsistent performance which is why I gave the product only 3 stars. I don’t mind playing around with adjusting the placement of the antenna while setting up the unit. But it seems that I have to adjust the antenna’s emplacement often times in order to get anything more than the popular 1 bar signal strength in my office. When the product works, it in truth works well. But I haven’t figured out how to make it work consistently.
I’m going to call tech help to see if they may aid me get more consistent results. If I find out anything utile from them, I’ll post an update to this review.
UPDATE 12/26/2010:
One thing I found out subsequently through “experimentation” is that if I shield the antenna from the amplification unit, the signal boost appears to be more stable and lasts much longer. The cable amid the antenna and amplication unit is comparatively short (about 12 feet), so it’s practically out of the question to distinguished them a sufficient distance to prevent interference. So what I found that works is to place the antenna vertically near a window as described in the instructions. And then shield the antenna from the amplification unit with numerous huge object. Basically what I did was move my huge laser printer in front of the window where the antenna was installed. This seemed to block the “line of sight” among the antenna and the amplification unit and perchance scaled down the interference amidst them. So the antenna had good “line of sight” to the cell signals outside my office window, but it was blocked from the amplification unit. After having done this, I noticed that I was getting 4 bar signal strength that systematically remained locked on. In other words, the problem I had earlier with the high signal peformance dropping out after a few minutes seemed to have been solved by this method.
30 of 31 humans found the following review helpful.
This works, but you ought to follow instructions
By P. MSakamoto
Summary
The MobilePro, like all cell phone “signal boosters” ought to be understood for what it is and isn’t in order to keep expected values in line with reality. This is best accomplished by reading the instructions altogether and also by reading this review as well as a post I made regarding a fixed point booster set up a few years ago (Wireless Extenders YX-500 PCS zBoost Cell Phone Signal Booster up to 2500 Square Feet of Coverage for Home or Office (1900 MHz Phones)). The title of that review was “Good if you follow ALL directions (and mine as well)”. Taken within that context, the MobilePro does what it’s supposed to do, which is support fetch weak or locally blocked cell signals from a few feet away to your cell phone. Perhaps the proper name for a device like this is “signal relay” because that is what it genuinely does. It “relays” cell phone radio signals back and forth around obstacles like the walls of home and the metal body of your car.
Pros
* It works – if you have three bars at the window of your car or office, but only two bars inside near your cell phone, you may use the MP to fetch the more inviolable signal to your phone.
* Compact – The whole unit packs nicely into a supplied case and has both wall and car power as well as all cables and the antenna.
* Easy to set up – no menus or settings to deal with. No switches. Just plug it all in.
* Clear use instructions
* Well made and has good accessaries for mounting the antenna on windows and magnetic metal. The booster unit itself may sit on your desk or be clipped to an A/C vent in your car.
Cons
* The advertising is a bit optimistic with regards to the results. This does not manufacture signal where there is none. As elaborated in the referenced review, you are in truth transporting the best local signal to your phone from a few feet away. That is, if you have only one bar of signal in your area, even if you go outside and stand on a roof, you are NOT going to abruptly get a lawful four bars using this device. Even if you hook it up and get more bars than the best local signal, it’s not real because your cell phone meter will be influenced by the strength of the signal amongst the booster and the cell phone. I believe Wilson has designed the MP to minimize this effect, but it is still there. So, you’re thinking you perchance have three bars, when in fact you only have one “real” bar of reception.
My Experience
I used the MP in two environments. The primary was in my home office. I was getting marginally satisfactory reception while sitting at my desk and commonly would stand near the window with my mobile (Blackberry Tour from Verizon) when an important call was in process. I then installed the MP on the inside of the window I employed to stand by and then ran the long antenna cord down to my desk near my flat panel monitor. This distance is in regards to six feet, which is in the range of the user manual recommendation. That is, the MP won’t function correctly if you place the antenna too close to the MP electronics. This took all of sixty seconds or so. The MP electronics takes power from a mini-USB cord, so as long as you may supply full USB load from your PC, you may power the unit from either your PC or from the supplied AC source. After installation, including removing my phone from my nerdy belt holster and putting it right next to the MP, I was competent to get the full signal available at the window on my handset all the time. Now, you might say, “Hey, did you have to put your head down next to the phone on your desk?” No, I have a bluetooth headset that I use with this setup so I don’t have to move the phone. Since the range of the MP to your phone is rather fixed (a couple feet), you genuinely want to have a wireless headset since even a corded headset will be too restricting.
The result was very good. I am very happy having this thing on my desk keeping my connection good at all times. On average, it with great success brings the window signal strength to the handset, which means a full three or four bars rather of one or two bars. Now, this isn’t too sheer of a measurement since “bars” aren’t in truth a unit of measure, but in practical terms it means my calls no longer break up at all, my BB downloads emails more immediate and all is well.
The second use is in the car. I had a long “work” call that I knew I would have to carry out while traveling to a family event. Part of the route would take us through marginal signal areas on Route 152 East, which is also known as Pacheco Pass to you who are local to the SF Bay Area. I have driven this route a great deal of times, so I knew where I would ordinarily lose a call. The antenna was attached to the right rear window of our ’06 Prius while I clipped the module to the passenger front vent on the dashboard. I had someone else drive while I conversed from the passenger seat with my BT headset. Of course, this meant that I had to be careful of the antenna cord while entering or exiting the car since it was strung throughout the door. I think I could do better if I took a good deal of time with it, but the test was to just get it in there and get going, so there it lay. In any case, the MP once again made a marginal connection an OK connection. It turned unserviceable into serviceable. Those places where I would ordinarily lose the signal ended up not being a problem. This is dissimilar than saying “perfect” as clarity was scaled down for a little bit. However, it all worked all the way on an hour long call, so I would say “success” again. All that said, I don’t recognise if it would commonly be worth the trouble. i guess it depends on where you are going and how urgent it is for you to talk right that moment.
In areas of good signal strength (e.g. consistent 3 bars or better) the MP doesn’t in truth seem to make a difference, but then this is what I would have expected. I didn’t have any sub-marginal areas of “nearly zero” bars to check out, so I can’t comment. I don’t think I will take the time to go find one and test it out, either.
Conclusion
If you have the need to route cell phone signals around little local obstacles as described above, this is a great deal for you. Remember, it is NOT like more prominent home boosters that make it possible for you to roam around your house with your phone. You have to leave the phone next to the MP and you have to have a heap of signal available at the antenna location. It’s not magic, but it is a good portable cell relay of sorts. Just make sure you have a great deal of signal to work with, and it will work for you, too.
See all 67 client reviews…
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Picture
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Image
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Pic
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Image
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Pic
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Picture
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Picture
Nice Cell Phones Photos 18 Pic
|
