Sprint’s latest WiMAX device, the Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot from Sierra Wireless has recently been announced and you’ll be seeing it available March 20, 2011. Pricing is marked at only $49.99 after a $50.00 mail-in rebate. This device will allow Sprint users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices to share a 3G/4G connection.

Sprint expresses to consumers that this is one great device. It’s not only smaller than their original but it also has major improvements in power up and down time as well as a larger LCD display. Sources suggest this device may be shown at the CTIA convention next week so we will hear about just how well it works then.

Take a look at the press release below:

Available March 20, Sprint’s 19th announced 4G-capable device is the next generation of the popular Overdrive mobile hotspot, with an increased number of shared users from five to eight, and a 45 percent larger LCD screen.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and VANCOUVER, Canada–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sprint (NYSE:S) and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR) (TSX:SW) today announced upcoming availability of Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless. As the second generation of the popular Overdrive device, Overdrive Pro allows users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously – including laptops, tablets, eReaders, gaming devices, cameras and even smartphones from other carriers – through a single connection (via Wi-Fi) to a 4G network offering download speeds up to 10 times faster than today’s 3G service.

Overdrive Pro creates a connection between the Sprint 4G network and virtually all of the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled electronics devices owned by or available to customers today. Beginning on March 20, customers will be able to purchase Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot exclusively from Sprint for $49.99 (excluding taxes) after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year service agreement. Customers can purchase the device and sign up for 3G/4G plans at select Sprint retail stores, through business sales, Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

“There are endless possibilities for how our customers can take advantage of the easy wireless connection to Sprint 4G through this small device,” said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “Teams can travel and share access on-the-go, families can be connected in one household with tablets, game consoles and televisions, and shuttle buses can provide Internet access to their customers while en route to a destination. With Overdrive Pro, customers no longer have to look for mobile hotspots because they always have one with them.”

With Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, the benefits to consumers and businesses are endless:

• Stream a favorite TV show or movie from Hulu or Netflix® to your Netbook or tablet while simultaneously surfing the Web in another room
• Wirelessly connect an Xbox 360 and game real-time with someone located across the country
• Move pictures wirelessly from a camera to a digital picture frame and surf the Web on a laptop while streaming Pandora®
• Work remotely anywhere in a 4G coverage area (or virtually anywhere with 3G) and easily connect a laptop, smartphone, tablet or wireless phone through a single connection
• Teams that are travelling can share Internet access with each other at hotels, airports and conference centers
• Taxis, limos and shuttle buses can provide Internet access for customer use while en route to their destination
• Healthcare teams can rely on an easy, reliable, power-up-and-go solution to use in Emergency Response Team (ERT) Go Kits, or while treating patients bedside
• Engineering, construction and insurance teams can instantly upload data, pictures of sites, accidents and images remotely
• Reporters first on the scene of a breaking story can share access to upload stories and photos while at the scene, without missing a beat.

Overdrive Pro offers several enhancements over its predecessor, Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, focused on performance and usability, including a 35 percent improvement in power-up and power-down times. Overdrive Pro’s integrated LCD screen, which provides valuable information like signal strength, battery life, and number of devices connected, is 45 percent larger than the previous version for a wider viewing angle, while the device itself is smaller for easier portability. The LCD display has also been made even more informative, with detailed connection and device information available through additional screens that can be accessed by double-pressing the power button.

Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless requires activation on a Sprint 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Plan starting as low as $49.99 per month.2 Device can be used on both the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. This flexibility allows customers to enjoy 4G performance in any of the 71 Sprint 4G markets or to use Sprint’s reliable, nationwide 3G network.

“Overdrive Pro, combined with the power of Sprint’s 4G network, is a valuable tool for both consumers and business users looking for the best way to stay connected on the go,” said Dan Schieler, senior vice president and general manager, Mobile Computing for Sierra Wireless. “It’s remarkably easy to get up and running, and with support for eight Wi-Fi connections and a range of up to 150 feet, it’s equally useful to a remote work team sending reports and presentations back to the office as it is to a varsity team posting highlights from their winning game.”

Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless offers an easy way to keep all of your Wi-Fi-enabled devices connected, even when you’re on the move:

• Connects up to up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices
• Provides all the information you need to connect and monitor your connection through a simple user interface with integrated LCD screen
• Offers up to 150 foot range for Wi-Fi connections, providing flexibility in device placement and freedom of movement for users
• Supports 802.11n for wider compatibility with new Wi-Fi devices
• Shared microSD storage, GPS support and location-based services available to all connected devices
• Integrated security out-of-the-box requires no additional setup and provides peace of mind when working in public areas.
• External antenna ports, to be used with the separately sold docking station, coming soon

As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 71 markets in 28 states. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

Let us know what you think. Have you used Sprint’s WiMAX device before? Do you see room for improvement and consider getting this one? Let us know what you think.

Source: BGR via Sprint

AT&T and Apple came together in 2007 to provide the United States with the most innovative smart phone that swept the market by storm. Year after year since then, they have broken sales records and haven’t looked back. This seemed like a match made in heaven, and for both parties involved, it was. There is a problem with this match made in heaven though, and AT&T knows it’s time to change. Consumers have bad mouthed AT&T for quite some time now due to the network issues that the iPhone has caused, especially in the metropolitan areas. I don’t blame them either.

The company has been working hard to try to keep the network running as smooth as possible, but it’s pretty hard to do with a device that’s known to be a data hog, even when it doesn’t seem to be. AT&T also hasn’t had the best rep when it comes to promised 3g deployment across the USA.  Well, AT&T has made some bold statements, a lot of which are publicly available 24/7 right on their website. Statements that will mean a better service for their customers in what seems to be a very near future. I’m talking about their 2011 3g  and LTE deployment (Labeled as 4g by the mobile giant to compete in the marketing department with other big players).

Finally they are breaking free of the hold that iPhone exclusivity has had for the past 3.5 years, and is expanding on what consumers have been begging for. Now before you think I’m bashing the iPhone, I’m not. I’m simply stating that with having a great selling phone like the iPhone, AT&T had no real need for any other high end devices that would compete with it. They could do it all based on the iPhone. With the threat of the iPhone going to other carriers, however, AT&T now needs to put the focus onto new bleeding edge devices, and needs to put their new mobile broadband deployment into the reality of it’s consumers.

AT&T seems like they’re heading in the right direction too, with the ever promising Motorola Atrix 4g and the rest of the high end Android lineup at&t has revealed at CES 2011. Without the iPhone being the center of attention at AT&T, they know that they need to bring it hard when it comes to top of the line Android devices, since they seem to be the future. Any way, the whole point of this post, is that I want to know what you, the community, thinks of AT&T’s direction and where they’re going with the device line up and network improvements they spoke about CES 2011. Discuss below!