2 Questions About The Internet Connection

[gametaku]

would it be possible to use a device like this: http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=AT%26T+USBConnect+Quicksilver&q_sku=sku3020359 with the Pandora to use an internet connection? I know that it does have a full sized usb port, but I don't know how usb 3G adapter would work on it. If it does, and they take orders on the second batch after the first is released, I'd love to internalize one and use it like a phone with a skype or other voip account.

Are there any programs that can be ported to the Pandora that monitor internet usage (data, length of time, etc...)

 

[iprice]

Firstly the Pandora will have wi-fi, so you won't need a USB internet connection. You can pick up wireless routers for peanuts nowadays if you haven't got one.

Secondly, if you have concerns about your intenet usage, then perhaps upgrading to an unlimited type account will allay those fears. I'm sure that you'll be using the Pandora over the net a lot more than you initially intend to!

Thirdly, you've posted this in a Wiz forum.

 

[Exophase]

He wants to use a 3G connection, not a wifi one. Probably for when he's not around a hotspot he has access to.

Will it work on Pandora? I doubt it, since it doesn't list Linux as a supported OS, and even then wouldn't have drivers available for Pandora. But I don't know if there's a standard USB profile that can accommodate something like this - if there is, and it identifies itself as one, then it should be possible to use it on any USB stack that supports it. But I doubt this is the case. It probably appears as some kind of simpler USB device (like a serial port, for instance) and particularly encoded data packets will have to be sent and received over it. It may be feasible that someone could reverse engineer it, since USB would still be hiding at least some of the physical details, but I don't know how difficult it'd be.

 

[Squidge]

Moved to pandora forum.

Secondly, iprice, if you know of any unlimited 3G internet connections, I'd like to know about them. The best wording I've found so far is "Unlimited internet. Download as much as you like. Fair use policy 500MB, if you download more than this we reserve the right to charge you for the additional data amount and/or restrict your connection. No streaming data services such as video allowed. We reserve the right to restrict your connection if we suspect you using such a service."

 

[iprice]

Sorry, I missed the 3G bit completely. Makes more sense now. D'oh!

 

[bzar]

Moved to pandora forum.

Secondly, iprice, if you know of any unlimited 3G internet connections, I'd like to know about them. The best wording I've found so far is "Unlimited internet. Download as much as you like. Fair use policy 500MB, if you download more than this we reserve the right to charge you for the additional data amount and/or restrict your connection. No streaming data services such as video allowed. We reserve the right to restrict your connection if we suspect you using such a service."

Well this is Finland, but... just about every unlimited 3G data plan here is really unlimited as far as I know. I just went through the small print for one and it clearly states multiple times, that it will not have additional costs on top of the monthly payment no matter how much you transfer data. However any P2P filesharing is explicitly denied, legal or otherwise.

 

[-Tj-]

I have an unlimited 3G plan on my phone here, US, through AT&T. I regularly clock in 65GB of data a month, usually because of YouTube and other video sites. It's my main connection, and they haven't warned me or charged me extra yet.

I've been wondering if there's a way to get 3G on Pandora, myself. If that's possible, I'd be able to separate my data plan from my phone, get a cheaper phone, and just do internet on Pandora instead.

A quick Google search for "linux usb 3g" turned up some interesting leads:
http://polishlinux.org/linux/ubuntu/three-uk-3g-modem-in-ubuntu-linux/
http://tuxmobil.org/linux_on_laptops_with_umts_cards.html
http://oozie.fm.interia.pl/pro/huawei-e220/

Seems like this Huawei modem is supported, at least in Ubuntu.

 

[hobbyman II]

here in the UK, buy a "3" PAYG modem dongle thingy and it costs £15 a month for three gigs, if it runs out then just get more credit, you can also get packages that last a year of varying sizes, and the "3" modems work under Linux just fine, plug and play (drivers included in current kernels by default), in Ubuntu, plug it in, tell the wizard your provider, click finish and you are online, simple.

edit: yeah, its a Huawei modem, like I say, all kernels support it, Huawei do a wireless router adaptor for their modems too, the router runs on Linux, so obviously they wrote Linux drivers for it to get it to work, I guess they open sourced em since they where included in the Linux Kernels default build as of a year or so ago.

 

[sterling976]

I've been wondering if there's a way to get 3G on Pandora, myself. If that's possible, I'd be able to separate my data plan from my phone, get a cheaper phone, and just do internet on Pandora instead.

I've been thinking along the same lines, and the two most attractive solutions (for me, anyway) are a cheap Symbian phone running Joikuspot (share your data connection over Wi-fi) or a MiFi router. Either solution mitigates the need for drivers or device-specific linux support.

Hmm.. looks like Joikuspot now works on Windows Mobile, too.

 

[droneb]

Nice, so there are still some 3G options

i was really wondering if it could support if someday.

hopefully, i get a 3G plan and drop away the old sluggish connection.

 

[aatu]

@B-ZaR:
True. But I'd like to add that the speed is quite limited though. You can get, starting from 384 kbps for 9,80€ per month, to all the way to 5 Mbps for 34,90€ per month. The higher speeds are quite scarcely available, mostly big cities. On our summer cabin I'm lucky if it finds the signal at all. Some operators, maybe even all, also allow to add them to normal GSM accounts.


And regarding unlimited truly being unlimited: false, misleading or unethical advertising is generally very short-lived and frowned upon in here. We even have government-funded agencies to whom you can tattle-tale.

PS. Not sure whether "operator" is the right word outside Finland. Everybody else is probably more familiar with "carrier".

 

[michaeljustman]

Verizon here in the states isn't bad. I get unlimited Data usage on my Blackberry for $30 and adding pairing to the account for $15. Unlimited data on the computer is capped at 5Gb... Not bad considering I can watch YouTube and a few other video streaming services on my phone and I have wifi at home for downloads.

 

[gruso]

Nice, so there are still some 3G options

i was really wondering if it could support if someday.

hopefully, i get a 3G plan and drop away the old sluggish connection.

Certain USB 3G modems should be plug and play. Huawei E160 and E220 are already confirmed.

http://pandorapress....-confirmed-yes/

 

[bzar]

Unlimited data on the computer is capped at 5Gb...

I find it amusing and sad that nowadays sentences like this are not self-contradicting on many occasions

 

[michaeljustman]

Unlimited data on the computer is capped at 5Gb...

I find it amusing and sad that nowadays sentences like this are not self-contradicting on many occasions

It's unlimited meaning I cam use it however much I want, but I will get charged more for it. I understand what you're saying though. It's a real PITA.

 

[berichandcreamy]

Hey -Tj- is your data plan grandfathered? I can't find any unlimited at&t plans on their site =(

All of their tethering plans are:

Rate Plan Details
Included Data 5 GB
Additional data $0.00048 per MB

 

[-Tj-]

Seriously? Last I checked it was unlimited. :huh:

I'll go check and let you know. Pretty sure mine is still unlimited. I don't think it's grandfathered in, either. I just had it started back in March or so.

Edit:
I had my data plan added onto my service back in November, and had to get the info to connect to their data servers from tech support. I have an unlocked phone, and during my last call they didn't know what kind of phone I had.

Also, looks like the plan terms prohibit tethering... eh? I found it strange that I don't recall that particular bit when I last read through it. A quick search revealed that AT&T did change the ToS back in March to restrict tethering, peer-to-peer, video downloading, etc., so perhaps it is grandfathered in, BUT apparently retracted that part of the contract a few days later... but it's still there in the contract. That's probably around the time they added the $65 tethering "option," 'cause that certainly wasn't there when I signed up for it.

Thanks for showing me that. If they decide to drop my data plan or start charging me extra I'll have to look for something else. >_<

 

[openthebox]

Seriously? Last I checked it was unlimited. :huh:

I'll go check and let you know. Pretty sure mine is still unlimited. I don't think it's grandfathered in, either. I just had it started back in March or so.

I've looked at mobile broadband from AT&T, Sprint, & Verizon.
They all have the 5GB limit with charges for over-usage.
I'm surprise that you've been getting away with 65G per month. More power to you brother (or sister)! B)

5GB is just too small for any video streaming on a consistent basis. I will settle for a 10G limit.

Sprint has introduced the 4G network and they are selling that plan as true unlimited download (at least that is how I read it). The only problem is that it is currently only available in 3 or 4 markets, it won't get to my area until next year. I think I will sign-up that plan once it's available. It's not cheap though: $69/month. It's not a mifi plan, so you can't share the connection with another computer.

I've been using my blackberry for my laptop connection, but I doubt it will work with the Pandora. Even if it does, it is currently taking a good 2 minute before a connection is established on my laptop. That is just way too long to wait when you are on the go.

 

[HaCo]

Maybe I'm missing the point, but if you have a 3G phone (I have a simple Nokia 3120) with bluetooth, you don't have an extra cable with modem and simcard to be attached to your pandora. My point is, I hope bluetooth drivers on the Pandora will allow tethering over bluetooth, so I can surf the net without attaching anything extra on the pandora. Wouldn't that be like 100x nicer?

 

[berichandcreamy]

Just finished looking into 4g and San Diego isn't on the time line anytime soon =(

I think I'll just go with a mifi.