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I travel a lot. It is a tech thing and those involved in the tech industry tend to see the world just a bit more than others. In a typical year, I might find myself in Las Vegas (CES), Germany (ceBit), Taiwan (Computex), Korea (Samsung), California (Flash Memory Summit), in addition to the countless other business invitations to China, Texas and numerous Silicon Valley trips. This doesn’t include time out for family escapes. Throughout the years, the constant difficulty with this travel has always been maintaining communication. Skyroam Hotspot has solved this.
Trying to keep track of SIM cards was a job in itself. Add to that the fact that you needed to provide a copy of your passport in the Asia’s should you want a SIM, had to tackle language barriers, and still were left with carriers that suffered connectivity problems. And then there was the issue of limited data and/or battery time. In all my years of travel, there has yet to be a perfect solution to this dilemma, one that guaranteed connectivity everywhere, regardless of continent, land or sea. Until Skyroam…
FEATURES AND PRICING
The Skyroam Hotspot provides unlimited global WiFi… available in just about any country you can think of and for only $8 per day regardless of where you go. With instant coverage in over 100 countries on just about every continent, this device just may be unparalleled. For each 24 hour period of use, you purchase a Day Pass at $8. You can share the hotspot amongst 5 devices, there is no SIM card necessary and the connection will reach 3G/4G data connection (HSPA+ technology). Did I mention that data is unlimited?
Operation is simple. Turn it on and activate a Day Pass, anywhere in the world. Pricing is $9.95 per day to include the Day Pass if you rent the device, or $8 per Day Pass if you purchase the Skyroam Hotspot device at $99 from Skyroam. It is also available on Amazon , along with day passes and accessories.
OUR SCENARIO
So… we were invited to take the Skyroam challenge. Our trip originated in Canada, through Taiwan and to Thailand, throughout various parts of Thailand and back to Canada, through Taiwan, on to another trip to the USA. We were provided 12 Day Passes for evaluation and our Skyroam Travel Case included the Skyroam device, an extra battery and charging cable.
The Skyroam Hotspot device is constructed of a clear glossy LCD front, and the body is surrounded by an orange cover that can be removed for battery replacement. Much of our adventure included travelling within the Strait of Malacca in Thailand, much of which left us without any view whatsoever of land, or cell towers. This shot may help you along.
PRODUCT ANALYSIS
Impressed is an understatement when describing the Sky Roam Hotspot. It is simply turned on and activated, providing one with a username and password for the data connection. We NEVER lost connectivity during our entire trip. Connectivity reached as high as 4G on a few occasions. 3G was typical in major centers such as BangKok, Taipei, Toronto and Buffalo, but most importantly, we always had access to the internet for our website business uses that included article composition and approvals, Facebook updating, e-mails, translator and money conversion apps, and most importantly travel planning and use. We ALWAYS had a GPS and map available on our iPhone to assist with our travel, thanks to Skyroam.
A single battery charge lasted 8 hrs +. To say I was shocked at being able to take pictures of scenery or monkeys or rare bats on a remote Thailand Island and send them off immediately through Skyroam, leaves me a bit speechless. I can’t describe the number of times my trusty partner would steal the Skyroam Hotspot away, only to be found sitting back on the beach and checking out her FB. In fact, there were a few occasions that we invited fellow travelers to share in our WiFi as they were left without service. To me, that says it all.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Skyroam has truly launched a product that holds its own and we would recommend it wholeheartedly. It is very simple to operate, has worldwide connectivity, provides unlimited data that is VERY reasonably priced at $8 per 24 hour period and enables connectivity of up to five devices.
It can reach 4G transfer speeds, and equally as important is the fact that the battery lasts. Want to be frustrated for just a bit? Land in Thailand or Taiwan and try to register for the Airports free WiFi, only to receive notification that authorization will be sent to your e-mail… which you can’t access without WiFi. This is just one of the frustrations that Skyroam takes care of.
Editors Choice! This is a ‘Must Have’ for any traveler.
Check Out Skyroam Pricing and Accessories on Amazon
