Quickie: Sierra Wireless Overdrive

A couple months ago, I received a Sierra Wireless Overdrive review unit – a 3G/4G pocket router – thanks to the lovely people at Sprint!

I used it for several weeks, mostly on 3G. I also visited the nearby Silicon Valley for 4G, since there’s no coverage in San Francisco yet…

Overall, the Overdrive works as advertised, but 3G performance is somewhat underwhelming. The device is bulky compared to other (3G-only) pocket routers, but features a handy little OLED status display.

Ultimately, with most smartphones now providing the same functionality for less money, it’s difficult to recommend the Overdrive for anyone but heavy business users.

Device pictures (slide show) and video:

Pros:
– 4G (WiMax) support
– Small OLED display
– MicroSD card reader
– Lots of settings

Cons:
– Bulky and thick
– Underwhelming 3G performance
– Limited battery life
– Cost compared to smartphones