
Finding wireless access when traveling with your laptop can be tricky at times. You have to find a location – preferably one with an open and free service, or one where you already have an account. In either case you have to move to within range of the wireless access point.
Internet access on your smartphone is much more reliable – a matter of avoiding dead zones rather than seeking out an access point, but as good as phone browsers are, they are still phones, with small screens and a user interface and functionality that doesn’t compare with a laptop.
One option is to combine the two – connect your laptop to the phone network. This isn’t necessarily a cheap solution (costs very based on service provider), but for reliable Internet connectivity to a laptop as you travel, there is nothing like the phone network.
The Huawei E180 USB phone modem allows you to connect to a variety of phone networks (EDGE/GPRS/GSM). The modem has a distinctive rotating USB head and a slim look that should make it an easy connection to any laptop.