Vodafone Mobile Connect Card

Do you have a notebook computer and fancy treating it to an always-on internet connection that will work almost any place you choose to log on? That is the precise promise of Vodafone's new Mobile Connect Card.

It fits into a vacant PC Card slot in your portable PC and, after installing the supplied software, you're ready to get surfing.

Well, nearly. First, ensure that you've signed up for an airtime contract. Then pop out the card's spring-loaded aerial and get ready for action.

The trouble is, the first time we attempted this action, the tiny antenna detached from the card and leapt across the room like a frightened frog.

Amusing, perhaps, but also a sign of shoddy construction.

With the plastic projectile retrieved and pushed back into place, we experienced no problems when using the Mobile Connect Card to get our test notebook hooked up to the internet.

Connection speeds vary (the device uses GPRS technology), and typically the mobile internet experience will be a fair bit slower than using a traditional dial-up modem. But if you're not in the business of sending emails with multi-megabyte attachments, this is unlikely to be a concern.

Contact: Vodafone 0808 001 3013
www.vodafone.co.uk