Skyroam Solis

[Zbig]

If the first few responses below don't make much sense to you, it's because I have revised my original post. I apologize for that to everyone who has responded so far.

In retrospect, I found my original post far too negative, emotional and hasty. I felt kind of like a dick afterwards and that's why I decided to alter it.

Skyroam Solis is a global WiFi hotspot that employs an interesting (from the engineering point of view) Virtual SIM technology. The $9 a day for 500 MB of data usage a day doesn't seem that great of a deal in places where you can get a cheap pre-paid SIM but could be a lifesaver in places you can't.

I found the power bank function a bit lacking in the current capacity department but I'm currently in touch with Skyroam's engineering and will update this post as I find more about the issue.

[KL27x]

I'm getting an ad for some kind of vitamin pills for dogs. And I don't have a dog.

[free_electron]

I'm getting an ad for some kind of vitamin pills for dogs. And I don't have a dog.

Maybe they thing you are the d...

[wraper]

ADDED:
And I can see the advert for the bloody thing right below, right now, on EEVBlog Forum

Search for it more and it will be shown for you even more often. If you google porn and visit porn websites, you'll see porn ads as well. But seriously, clear your cookies.

[Zbig]

Search for it more and it will be shown for you even more often. If you google porn and visit porn websites, you'll see porn ads as well. But seriously, clear your cookies.

Yeah, thanks, I'm aware how this ad tracking works. And I still prefer to see the ads that are at least to some degree relevant to my needs and interests than, say, women's hygiene products. That's why I keep the advertisement IDs enabled in my browsers, etc. It's only I was so pissed at the Skyroam thing I found the situation ironic in a way at the time, adding insult to injury. Oh, and it's always best to use your browser's "Incognito mode" or equivalent for porn It doesn't persist any cookies in this mode.

[Ultrapurple]

It looks like a hideously expensive way of doing what can normally be achieved with an Android phone and a local (eg anywhere in Europe) SIM card. I can't speak for other parts of the world but the principle generally works. (I also don't know if Apple devices work as hotspots). True, not all SIM-only deals officially support tethering, particularly of things other than phones and tablets, but even so...

On a recent 10-day visit to Egypt I spent £30 or so on an umpteen-gigabyte local SIM and used it to death; by the time I'd uploaded one photo it'd paid for itself versus my out-of-EU roaming charges.

One of the better worldwide guides I've found is the prepaid-with-date site.

[Zbig]

It looks like a hideously expensive way of doing what can normally be achieved with an Android phone and a local (eg anywhere in Europe) SIM card. I can't speak for other parts of the world but the principle generally works. (I also don't know if Apple devices work as hotspots). True, not all SIM-only deals officially support tethering, particularly of things other than phones and tablets, but even so...

On a recent 10-day visit to Egypt I spent £30 or so on an umpteen-gigabyte local SIM and used it to death; by the time I'd uploaded one photo it'd paid for itself versus my out-of-EU roaming charges.

One of the better worldwide guides I've found is the prepaid-with-date site.

I wouldn't call it "hideously expensive" and I still consider it a good solution for where there are no other options available. I don't swap SIMs in my daily driver smartphone - I've put my local SIM there after I got it and it's there to stay. I want to be available via my usual number if needed. For cases when I do have a possibility to use local prepaid card, I get it and put into my standalone mobile WiFi router ("MiFi"). You're right it's a much cheaper solution in many cases. During my trip to Thailand last year, for example, I got one of at least two available offerings right at the airport - cheaply - and it lasted me for the whole stay. But cheap pre-paids (or any prepaids at all, for that matter) are not available everywhere and then you're screwed. Like I was during my last duty trip to Canada. In some countries they make you jump through various hoops before they let you use a pre-paid SIM (like they need you to have a permanent address there and ask you to prove it), some just don't do pre-paid at all. Still fresh after the roaming bill shock I got after my trip to Canada, I no longer think $150 upfront and then $9 a day is that bad of a deal in places like these.