In the last weeks NetCom, the 2nd largest mobile net provider in Norway, have advertised that tomorrow, Monday 22nd of March, they will announce a spectacular new product. They claim that it will be the first of its kind in Norway.
So what is it?
A journalist at DinSide mentioned that it could be the launch of Google's Nexus One mobile phone, but that was quickly disregarded when a reader pointed out that the Nexus One is already buyable in Norway.
"Small to bring, completely wireless and easy to share".
A portable WiFi gadget
A reader with some speedy reflexes managed to get some screen shots from the unofficial landing page for the advertisements.
The landing page claims that the new product is going to be what NetCom call a "miniruter". Directly translated, it's "minirouter", but technically, it's a portable WiFi spot. This means that the user of this gadget can bring along a WiFi spot wherever the user is. Nifty.
NetCom states:
"We thought it would be a tool for bloggers on the move".
Existings products?
There is already some existing products, combined, that could give you the same thing, but not in that small size and , not totally wireless. You have several applications for mobile phones that can turn the mobile phone to a portable WiFi as long as it has got a WiFi chip (i.e. HTC). Another mobile net/mobile broadband provider, ICE.net, provides a WiFi router that utilizes the old NMT net, but requires an AC adapter to use it.
Update!
It turns out, you can already BUY the "miniruter" (the Huawei device that NetCom use aswell) through a norwegian webshop. So NetCom is actually just selling a new subscription plan..