Most Wi-Fi hotspots are plain little bricks that only serve one purpose: to provide a network connection for other devices. The AT&T MiFi Liberate proves that function doesn't have to be boring by tacking on a vibrant, 2.8-inch touchscreen display to the front of its chassis.
Users who already have tethered data via their smartphones may not need a separate device for Wi-Fi tethering, but a hotspot certainly has its advantages. For one, having a single designated device for mobile Internet is best for those who may have limited data plans on their smartphones but need more than their allotted monthly rate. Also, the battery life on a Wi-Fi hotspot will hold out longer throughout a day’s work without needing a charge, whereas tethering on a smartphone typically chews through battery quickly.
The Liberate makes a great case for having a standalone device for data. Its battery life is excellent, and the 4G speeds on AT&T give us throughput that some of our phones can't match. That screen is put to good use, too—the Liberate uses a custom interface with buttons that scroll along the display for quick access to its functions. While it felt hokey at first, now we're not sure we want another hotspot without it.
A hotspot… with a screen?
The Liberate measures 4.05 × 2.88 × 0.88 inches, which makes it a bit bulkier than other comparable devices. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that it features a cylindrical 2900mAh lithium battery pack, which can be removed to reveal the micro-SIM card slot inside. There is also a slot for a microSD card on the bottom of the device, as well as a reset pinhole on the back, while the micro-USB port for charging or tethering the Liberate resides on the right-hand side.
The Liberate proves that the inclusion of a display can be quite handy for this type of gadget. Like other devices in its class, it’s possible to access its configuration webpage in any browser and adjust its settings there, but many of those options are also available on the Liberate’s 400×240 resolution touchscreen display. You can check on connection details and data usage, or view other connected devices and block them if need be—a function that can be especially handy in establishing whether or not the Liberate is picking up a particular device or deterring any malicious activity.
There are settings for turning off cellular data or changing the Wi-Fi range to help save battery life, and you can switch on the GPS to help another device or laptop pinpoint its location if it can’t do so on its own. As for the memory expansion slot, you can hand out a URL for other devices that are connected to the MiFi network to view photos, videos, or playlists stored on the microSD card. As an added bonus, music can be streamed to any DLNA-capable device, though we were unable to test this feature ourselves.
In addition to the many features specified above, you have access to a myriad of other settings through the browser-based MiFi settings page, like the ability to switch the wireless encryption mode between WPA/WPA2 Mixed Mode and WPA2 Personal, enable Wi-Fi privacy separation or port filtering, manually input DNS settings, or create a VPN passthrough. The Liberate is also fit for global travel, as there is an option to purchase international roaming for overseas data via AT&T. The device can receive text messages but cannot send any out. This was especially inconvenient when we received an SMS from an unknown number but couldn't contact the person to let them know the number had been ported over to a MiFi. We could imagine this becoming an issue if the number had been ported over from someone who was a very active text messenger.
Battery and Performance
You may never need a Wi-Fi hotspot to cover a tech industry-focused trade show, but it certainly is the best place to try out this type of gadget to gauge whether or not it can handle the abuse. The AT&T MiFi Liberate did not disappoint us on the walkabout around the CES 2013 show floor, and we can say with certainty that it helped us get our job done.
The Liberate managed four bars of 4G LTE wherever we were—casinos, meeting rooms, the parking garage at the Cosmopolitan—and never once did it run out of juice despite the fact that we were too preoccupied to ever charge it. Its 2900mAh battery pack serves its purpose well; there were days I forgot the Liberate was on in my bag and I was surprised at the amount of battery life left once it was rediscovered. The Liberate lasts ten hours on a charge if it’s under constant use, but it manages far longer in standby. I lasted about a day and a night without realizing the gadget was on in my bag, and even at its lowest point it still gave up enough battery to get through the morning before it needed a charge.
In some instances, the Liberate managed a few bars where our Verizon-fueled devices couldn’t, which was rather surprising given past experiences with various Verizon and AT&T smartphones. The Liberate delivered LTE speeds at an average of about 19Mbps down and 8Mbps up via a MacBook Air, and 10Mbps down and 8Mbps up via an iPad. On the Asus Nexus 7, it also performed well, delivering 14Mbps download speeds and 8Mbps up.
This was much faster than our usual hotspot, the Verizon Wireless Jetpack 4510L, which is also manufactured by Novatel. This particular device had slower download speeds on the MacBook Air, but its upload speeds were often higher than that of the Liberate's. Of the two, AT&T was more consistent in speed tests, whereas Verizon's hotspot fluctuated based on where it was situated in the room.
There were also several instances where the Jetpack 4510L could not manage more than one bar of service, but the Liberate kept a constant and healthy four bars available whenever we needed it. Even when it had several devices leeching off of it—including an Android phone, a MacBook, and a MacBook Air—the Liberate performed so well that it could upload high-resolution photos from a tethered DSLR back to the Ars Orbiting HQ without any strain. But again, this whole experience depends entirely on where you live and whether AT&T provides adequate coverage in your area.
Lastly, new AT&T customers can get a 5GB data plan for the Liberate for $50 a month (existing customers can also add it to a shared data plan). Beyond that, AT&T charges $10 extra per gigabyte. We've stuck with Verizon's Jetpack 4510L thus far because of its flexible plans and the fact that it's pay-as-you-go rather than a locked-in monthly deal.
The verdict is in
The AT&T MiFi Liberate from Novatel is an absolutely solid device. After some time with the Liberate, it made sense that a Wi-Fi hotspot with this much functionality and customization would need to have those settings available on the device itself, so we're sold on the display. We were also surprised at how well it performed in varying situations, especially because our experience with AT&T hasn't always been the most pleasant. The numbers and anecdotal experience show that this little gadget will produce some amazingly fast LTE speeds, and it’s also global-ready, which makes it the right companion for an Ultrabook that travels often. The Liberate will cost about fifty bucks with a new contract at AT&T—a pretty fair price for a device that delivers this much bang.
Good
- 4G LTE speeds were consistent and reliable
- Inclusion of display isn't as gratuitous as it seems
- All of the Liberate's settings are available directly on the device
- Extra settings can be easily accessible via the browser-based Web portal
- Battery life was more than stellar
Bad
- Touchscreen isn't as responsive as your smartphone
- At present, only one type of data plan, regardless of use
Ugly
- Ability to receive SMS, but none to send (which led to a few text messages from unknown numbers)
23 Reader Comments
"Lastly, new AT&T customers can get a 5GB data plan for the Liberate for $50 a month."
$50 a month for 5GB? ha ha ha ha ha ha...
It's required that mobile telephony providers text you at 80% and 100% of your data usage allowance.
My Three MiFi had the ability to receive text messages for that reason.
Last edited by divisionbyzero on Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:33 am
What if you want to use a Liberate to get rid of your phone, though? Hang, say, an iPod touch off your Liberate hotspot, running Talkatone using your Google Voice number? Then you're still paying the same for data, granted, but you're not paying for a voice plan any more. Anyone been doing that? I've been seriously considering diving in to see if it's viable.
The physical form factor may be a problem for some people - I've seen personal mobile hotspots attached to the backs of laptop screens, for example, with Velcro (hook & loop). That cylindrical battery compartment is a stand-off there, perhaps forcing the user to leave it laying loose somewhere. Not a huge deficit, perhaps, and a battery life trade-off. One of the zillions of YMMV factors, I guess.
Curious to know if there is a connected device limit with this?
$50 for 5GB is madness though, I pay $30/month for 15GB (including device cost/taxes/etc. - total bill is £18.98/month.)
I note that EE have LTE coverage in my area though and their prices are similar to AT&Ts - which I put down to lack of competition. Don't think I'll be bothering to upgrade to LTE until the other networks have their LTE services online later this year - hopefully that'll drive prices back down to sensible. The only time I feel the need for faster service than I already have is when the PS3 decides it wants to download a 500MB patch before I can play a game...
It's required that mobile telephony providers text you at 80% and 100% of your data usage allowance.
My Three MiFi had the ability to receive text messages for that reason.
This might make more sense for why the device has SMS capabilities, since it's meant to be used globally.
An Internet-On-The-Go mifi from Wal-Mart is a superior deal. Both hardware and data plans where unused data roll over forever.
An Internet-On-The-Go mifi from Wal-Mart is a superior deal. Both hardware and data plans where unused data roll over forever.
FreedomPop is even a better deal as its free.
"Lastly, new AT&T customers can get a 5GB data plan for the Liberate for $50 a month."
$50 a month for 5GB? ha ha ha ha ha ha...
Two movies in a weekend and your month is shot. The promise of 4G from greedy (there's no other word to describe them) companies like AT&T.
Considering that it's an AT&T-branded device, I should think not.
"Lastly, new AT&T customers can get a 5GB data plan for the Liberate for $50 a month."
$50 a month for 5GB? ha ha ha ha ha ha...
Two movies in a weekend and your month is shot. The promise of 4G from greedy (there's no other word to describe them) companies like AT&T.
While I can certainly see that use case for someone who travels constantly, wouldn't it make more sense for the majority of people to buy or rent movies at home and transfer them to the device in question for viewing on the road?
Not that I don't agree that data plans are absurdly overpriced - they are. I'm just referring to usage optimization.
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