Posted by @peterkay via Road Runner Mobile
Peter Kay
Sure, we’ve all seen the glamourous posts of 4G speeds at exotic locales. But what really rocks about the 4G network is that it’s available everywhere including those not-so-exotic places like this one where I needed a connection nestled right between two trucks in the lot where I drop off my friends in the morning.
A speed test indicated I was cranking 5mb/sec down and just over 1mb/sec up.
In the parking lot.
Between two trucks.
That’s cool.
Posted by @peterkay via Road Runner Mobile
Scenes from Our IntelliGo Launch Party
The Oceanic Time Warner Cable Production staff did an excellent job putting together this piece about our IntelliGo Launch Party. The launch party took place on July 29, 2010 at the Road Runner Music Hall where members of the media (traditional and social media), current Road Runner Mobile customers, key employees and partners, and more, were all in attendance. Watch the video above for some highlights!
Check out @worldwideed’s coverage of the launch event as well!
Late last month, Oceanic Time Warner Cable introduced an exciting, new product to add to the Road Runner Mobile lineup. Nicknamed IntelliGo, the Sierra Wireless W801 Personal Mobile Hotspot acts like a portable mini-router and allows you to share your Road Runner Mobile connection – on the go! – with up to 5 friends via standard Wi-Fi connectivity.
The IntelliGo, from Oceanic Time Warner Cable
Dimensions and Features
This portable little device (3.15″ x 3.15″ x 0.61″ and 4.6 oz) has a 1.4″ LCD display (displays key messages like your SSID and password, battery level, and amount of connected users), and comes with an 1800mAh battery (est. 6 hours of use) and USB/AC charger. There is also a microSD slot that can hold a card of up to 32GB. See below for a diagram and a hands-on video of the IntelliGo.
Diagram of the new IntelliGo
IntelliGo – Sierra Wireless W801 Personal Mobile Hotspot Unboxing
Technical Specs
Technically speaking, the IntelliGo receives in both 4G (WiMax – 2.5GHz) and 3G (CDMA – 800/1900 MHz) frequencies and transmits Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) using the 802.11 b/g standard protocols.
What does this mean exactly? In layman’s terms, this simply means that the IntelliGo will get the greatest coverage (both 4G and 3G) wherever you go, and will share that via a common Wi-Fi signal that many of your devices already speak to.
Several examples of Wi-Fi devices that you might use are:
- Laptops
- Netbooks
- iPads
- Mobile phones (e.g. iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, Garmin Nuvifone, etc.)
- iPod Touch
- Nintendo DS
- Sony PSP
- Eye-Fi SD memory cards
- Microsoft Zune
Easy Set Up
The IntelliGo is really, REALLY easy to set up. Out of the box, all you would have to do is pop in the battery and hold down the power button to turn the puppy on. It will go through its cycle for a few seconds and display your default SSID (network name) and password on the external display (you can edit these in the settings later). Since it’s shooting out standard Wi-Fi, there isn’t any software to install device(s)!
Ed’s Tip: On the initial setup, I would recommend you use a laptop (something with a larger screen), as the setup wizard will guide you through several screens to configure your settings. I used my HTC EVO 4G (mobile phone) initially, and, although I was still able to get it done, it was a little tricky reading text and hitting buttons.
Once the IntelliGo powers up completely and has your default SSID and password displayed, go to your laptop and scan for new wireless networks. Select the IntelliGo’s SSID (named “TWC4GMobile-xxx”) and enter the password provided (a series of 6 random numbers). The LCD screen will then prompt you to open a web page, which will automatically redirect you to the Time Warner Cable’s Terms of Service page, which you must review and accept. This is a one time process.
One time Agreement screen
Once you have accepted the terms of service, you’re “All G”, unless you would like to configure your device further (change the SSID, password, encryption method, etc.).
Ed’s Tips: By default, the device uses WEP encryption. Probably for compatibility reasons (with older devices). I would recommend changing that to WPA or WPA2, as long as your connecting devices are compatible. I would also recommend changing the default SSID and password to something more personal and secure (the default 6 digit password is easy to crack). Lastly, I would recommend changing the default administrative password (“password” is used to access the IntelliGo’s administrative portal).
All of the above can be accessed by going to the administrative portal at http://twc4gmobile (192.168.0.1) while connected to the IntelliGo. This admin backend acts much like the 192.168.1.1 backend on your Linksys wireless router at home.
The IntelliGo’s Administrative Portal
Via this backend, you can also set up and control two other neat features of the IntelliGo: 1) GPS, and 2) the microSD Card.
You can use the GPS to find local points of interest, like hotels, restaurants, banks and gas stations. You can even pull up local Time Warner Cable offices! Sweet! With the microSD card configured, you can share files, music, pictures and more to your 5 connected devices.
If anything I wrote above went right over your head and confused you even more, here’s a more practical (and visual) look at what the IntelliGo (Sierra Wireless W801) is and how you can use it. It’s Hawaii’s resident tech expert Peter Kay breaking things down in simple, easy-to-understand terms in his video below.
Peter Kay’s Testimonial
Exciting huh? The IntelliGo is a pretty powerful device that I, personally, have been having a lot of fun playing with, and sharing with anyone and everyone who will listen. If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me using the form to the right or post a comment below.
If you’d prefer to educate yourself, feel free to check out one of the following, pertinent links:
- What Is Road Runner Mobile and Where Does It Work?
- AndHere.com Road Runner Mobile Blog (visually shows you where Road Runner Mobile works here in Hawaii)
- IntelliGo Sierra Wireless W801 Product Info Page
- Road Runner Mobile National Elite Plan (the plan you need for the IntelliGo)
If you can’t contain your excitement and know this is something you really want… NEED even 
, visit the ordering options page where you can order directly online via My Account, complete an inquiry form for a follow up, chat with one of our online reps, or call Oceanic Time Warner Cable direct.
Ready for some 4G/Wi-Fi fun? On your mark… Get Set… IntelliGo Go GO!
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| Great News! If you order between now and June 30th, 2011 (with a two year contract), you can have the IntelliGo for just $49 ($50 mail in rebate).Order Road Runner Mobile Here |
Here’s a simple example of how the 4G network really changes everything. Just the other day I had a 1030am client meeting. In the old days, I would have normally dropped my kids off at school at round 7ish, headed back to the office until about 10am when I would leave for the meeting. The back and forth commute (school-office-office-client) would cost be about an hour of time but this would be offset by the productivity advantage.
No more.
This time, I dropped the kids off and then found the nearest location to the client office where I could sit down. In this specific case, I got free covered parking at Ward Centre, then grabbed a table right outside Mocha Java. Didn’t cost me anything (I usually grind/brew coffee at home in the morning) and I enjoyed delightful time with broadband connectivity.
Now as it turned out, I decided to treat myself to a French toast breakfast, but that was just icing on the cake.
So here’s the point: having what’s essentially island-wide wifi gives you a whole new level of increased productivity and freedom. It really does change the way you work.
Posted by Peter Kay via Road Runner Mobile
Check out Peter Kay’s video testimonial for Road Runner Mobile!
Shot at the Road Runner Music Hall.
On the first Thursday of every month you can (should!) attend a Neighborhood Board Meeting at the Aina Haina Public Library. I just so happen to be a board member and am proud to report that the RRmobile 4G network is doing its Patriotic Civic Duty.
How?
I use my laptop to record each meeting’s audio proceedings (you can access all of them via the Neighborhood Board #2 Web site) and many times situations come up during the meeting when we really need Internet access.
Case in point:
Just a few minutes ago, the State Civil Defense was making a presentation about disaster preparedness. The speaker referred to the state’s web site for more information. I wanted to verify that site so I could share it with the others present. I could not have done this without my RRmobile 4G access.
Many times the discussions refer to news articles that I need to bring up. Other times we need to present Google maps, especially with street view. Having wifi-like speeds really makes this a breeze.
BTW I clocked this badboy at:
Download Speed: 5375 kbps (671.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 143 kbps (17.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
See our location below. Join us next month!
Posted by Peter Kay via Road Runner Mobile
I’ve learned now to always bring my laptop with me no matter how unlikely it seems to be needed. Today that played itself out as it does so many times.
There I was in a client meeting in Kailua, right next to the marsh (see map below) and we were discussing creative, strategic issues. One of the folks in the meeting started referring to what they had seen on YouTube and suddenly the conversation really zoomed into this discussion about the videos they had seen.
Only one problem. No YouTube computer.
To the rescue! I whip out ye olde trusty laptop. Guess what? Road Runner Wifi Hotpot shows up! The signin web page shows up and I’m off and running. (Slight disappointment as I was going to show off my coolness 4G RRmobile superfast high speed thingamagiggy).
Well as it turned out, the wifi connection, while real, was not so hot.
So I disappeared into a nearby phone booth and put on my Mr. Computer Minute Guy superhero outfit, quickly returning with my 4G USB stick in hand. I performed a brief dramatic ceremony as I connected it to my laptop (you know, a rain dance, whole burnt offerings, small animal sacrifices, the whole bit) and voila!
Full strength 4G wireless pops up and I’m connected, ripping at lightning speeds. Now we’re not just talking about the YouTube, we’re YouTubing it. Everyone is impressed. Once again I claim to be an X-Men mutant with mysterious superpowers. Once again the day is saved.
And the Road Runner 4G network was there [below] for me.
Some of you asked “What YouTube was it?”, well, I can’t share that due to client confidentiality but HOWEVER I will share a favorite of mine that goes out to all my geek friends:
Weird Al Yankovic – White & Nerdy
Posted by Peter Kay via Road Runner Mobile
I was talking to some friends today that were themselves considering getting the 4G service and I was thinking about how to explain the benefits to them. Now, you gotta understand, after doing Your Computer Minute for over 12 years, my brain has gotten wired to think and communicate in sub-minute soundbites. I have to explain anything in less than a minute.
So how do I explain the coolness of 4G?
“It’s island-wide wifi”.
That’s pretty much it. You basically get wifi speeds nearly anywhere on the island. My friends @parkrat and @melissa808 are just burning up the airwaves demonstrating my point by going all over the place.
The real benefit here is that island-wide wifi gives you a freedom unlike any other I’ve experienced. While I love to go to the beach, to me it’s wonderful just to park my car in a covered, free, parking stall and fire up the laptop. In the time it takes to boot up, I’m instantly productive. And of course if you make heavy use of cloud-based services like Google docs and such, your office is really wherever you want it to be.
What I find myself doing now more than ever before is just taking my laptop with me wherever I go, even if I might not be needing it. Why? You never know when you might get stuck in a situation where you have to wait on something (like, an oil change, for example) and there’s no reason why you can’t transform that normally wasted time into productive effort.
That freedom, that productivity, is really what 4g is all about.
It’s island-wide wifi.
Posted by Peter Kay via Road Runner Mobile
About a month ago I was charged with facilitating a meeting of a political party scheduled for about 50 people total. The task at hand was to discuss the party’s platform, one of the key documents of organizations like this. We had the neighbor islands calling into a conference bridge and we would rely on my laptop’s screen, projected on the wall locally and rebroadcast to callers via gototmeeting.com. The location: Dave and Busters in the “Showroom” on the 2nd floor.
These days I just naturally assume wifi is enabled at places that have projectors and screens and power, so I don’t even bother asking for Internet connectivity. Besides, I’m not the guy coordinating the room reservations. No problem, right? (Can you tell where I’m going with this?).
So, of course being the Professional Facilitator, I show up about ½ hour early to make sure everything is setup right. Power? Check. Screen? Check. Projector? Check. Wifi Up? What Wifi?
Me: “What’s your folks wifi password?”
Nice manager guy: “Uh, I’m sorry Mr. Kay, you folks didn’t reserve wifi and for us to get it enabled we have to contact the corporate office and since today is Saturday I don’t think we can get it setup for you on such short notice”.
(Meanwhile, attendees are starting to pour into the room and neighbor island folks are calling into the conference bridge. My heart rate slightly increases and a very mild cold sweat begins).
Hey, wait, I just noticed a sign right outside D&Bs about RR 4g. I just so happen to have my handy-dandy adapter right here. Please God, grant me good reception in what feels like a very closed room.
I plugged in the 4G USB thingy. Fired up the connection software. Watched it go through its phases of connecting to a signal.
FIVE BARS LIGHT UP, EXCELLENT RECEPTION! I start doing the Tarzan dance on the table and repeatedly pound my chest, demonstrating to all that yes, I’m still Peter Kay, dammit!
I connect to gotomeeting. Works like a charm. No problemos. The meeting starts. Everybody is stoked. I kick into meeting faciliator mode.
The result? A new platform is written and weeks later, ratified. Politics in Hawaii makes a huge leap forward. People cheer. Women Swoon. Men swagger. Babies dance. The seas part. The world will never be the same.
Had it not been for Road Runner High Mobile High Speed 4G coolness, I would have had some very upset and not-kept-in-on-the-loop neighbor island folks and there’s a darn good chance the platform would not have been completed or ratified. My reputation as Mr. Computer Minute guy would have been shattered.
And here’s the best part: everything happened so smoothly, so seamlessly, no one even knew about the high stakes drama that was unfolding, (primarily within the mind of a geek on a mission to change the world).
All because of my trusty little usb-thingy-I-plug-in-to-get-superfast-Internet-access.
Posted by Peter Kay via Road Runner Mobile
To help us illustrate what Road Runner Mobile is and how and where you can use it, we’ve enlisted the expertise of local tech guru Peter Kay. Starting today, Peter will document his ongoing Road Runner Mobile adventures via Twitter and his personal video blogs. Later, we will catch up with him to get some valuable feedback of his experiences. To view Peter’s live tweets, please visit @peterkay on Twitter.
| Read Peter Kay’s posts here! |