MobileHotspot.com’s Top 10 Favorite Uses of a Mobile Hotspot in 2012

Portable hotspots have surged in popularity lately. There are almost too many uses for the devices to keep track of. They're highly portable, offer high-speed internet access, and can be used with any device you own, whether it's an iPad or virtually any smartphone. Now that 4G hotspots commonplace in the market, the entire hotspot category has just gotten better. Here are the top ten uses for mobile hotspots by the editors of MobileHotspot.com .

• Adding data service to the iPad. Some iPad models don't offer the ability to add a data plan. If you're in that category, you've probably wanted to surf the web or use Pandora, only to play Angry Birds for the thousandth time because you don't have data. Buying an iPad without 3G isn't necessarily a bad idea. Sometimes we underestimate our needs, or our needs change altogether. Either way, you don't have to be stuck in the Wi-Fi trap anymore. With a MiFi hotspot or similar device, you can unshackle your iPad from Wi-Fi networks. The same applies to any other tablet, such as the Kindle Fire or other Android tablets. Any Wi-Fi device can have mobile internet access when you add a hotspot to the equation.

•  Portability. Your router at home only reaches a few hundred feet at most, and trying to find public hotspots can be an exercise in futility. Unlike your home connection and public Wi-Fi networks, a mobile hotspot can go literally anywhere that you have data coverage. If you're subscribing to an AT&T or Verizon plan, that means you'll have nationwide internet access. If you travel a lot or just happen to not be home much, this portability can be a lifesaver. There's no more worrying about whether the hotel you're staying at has free Wi-Fi. Their portability is increased when you consider they're size. Most are smaller than a deck of cards and will easily fit in your pocket or purse.

•  Sharing is caring. Anyone who's ever used a USB broadband card knows the frustration of having to use one device at a time. If you and someone else both need internet access, you have to use the internet in intervals and pass the broadband card back and forth. With a mobile hotspot, this is no longer an issue. Hotspots support multiple users, so you can surf the web on your iPad while your significant other uses a Kindle. There's no need to take turns using the internet anymore.

•  Gaming or streaming movies with 4G LTE. 4G LTE can be faster than your home connection, and is being rolled out by Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. It's so fast, in fact, that an LTE hotspot will probably be faster than your home connection if you have DSL. With an LTE mobile hotspot, playing online games or streaming movies from services such as NetFlix is easy to do no matter where you are. LTE hotspots are also backwards-compatible with 3G networks, letting you continue to game or stream movies even if you travel to an area with no LTE coverage.

•  Mobile hotspots let you get work done on the go. Whether you're doing work for the classroom or the office, chances are internet accessibility is a big part of your work. Unfortunately, we can't always be somewhere with Wi-Fi. Mobile hotspots work around this because you can use them almost anywhere and without restrictions. Once you have a mobile hotspot, you can edit and share things on the go, whether it's through email or a service such as iCloud. You'll be much more productive once you own a mobile hotspot, meaning you'll be more likely to earn an A or get that promotion.

•  Use it with any device. Aside from mobile hotspots, the other most common way to get internet while on the go is to use a USB broadband card. Another method available on some mobile phones is called tethering, where you plug your phone into your laptop's USB port. What do both of these have in common? Both require a USB port! That means that devices like the Droid, Kindle, and iPhone can't use these solutions. Mobile hotspots don't require USB ports, so all of your devices that have Wi-Fi will be compatible.

•  Avoiding the limits of your data plan. All of the major carriers have instituted new data caps. On Verizon, 2 gigabytes of data will cost you $30 a month. On AT&T, it costs $25. Going over your data limit means you'll pay extra money. If you already have a mobile hotspot, you can pair your phone with it once you get near your carrier's data limit and avoid going over. You keep the mobile data access, but avoid incurring extra fees.

•  Security. You've probably used a public or open Wi-Fi network before. These networks aren't ideal for things you'd normally do on the internet, like online banking and shopping. Even logging in to your Facebook account can be risky on one of these networks, because you never know who's listening in on the network's traffic. With a mobile hotspot, you control the security from top to botton. If you like, you can even control who's on the network. You own it. For maximum security, you can set your network to be completely invisible to anyone who doesn't manually enter in the networks' name. Browsing on the go with complete peace of mind is finally possible.

•  Convenience. Home internet from providers like Comcast and AT&T can be complicated. You have to configure your router, designate a username and password, and connect everything. If there's some disruption in your service, you either have to troubleshoot it yourself or wait days for a technician. Similarly, public networks usually require obtaining a password or some other credential to access the service. A mobile hotspot only needs to be turned on. There's no hardware to connect and no complicated hoops to jump through. It's a simple, to-the-point solution.

•  High-speed internet access for the rest of us. High-speed internet in the form of cable and DSL still isn't available everywhere. Most rural areas and even some smaller cities still rely on 56k internet access. Satellite providers require lengthy contracts and costly equipment. Mobile hotspots give you high-speed internet access where it normally isn't available.

There are also a number of other uses for mobile hotspots. Virtually anything you want to do online can be done with a hotspot, and it will be more portable and more secure. If you're tired of having to constantly search for Wi-Fi networks, a mobile hotspot is for you.