Kingston MobileLite Wireless G2 Review

In the hardware world we often concern ourselves with finding the right hardware to fit out builds.  Searching for said hardware can often take us down some scary roads full of confusion and budget overruns.  Of course our hardware quests don’t always stop with the PC and while Hardware Asylum may not review much in the mobile space that doesn’t mean we ignore our enthusiast roots. 

As some of you know I take an annual trip to Taipei Taiwan for Computex which is one of the largest computer trade shows in the world.  One problem that has plagued me over the years is connectivity.  You see in the US I have an unlimited mobile data package but that goes away when I leave the country.  I’m also one of the lucky ones to have a locked phone so there is no way for me to get a "local" TW number or data plan.  Likewise, I have also been plagued with trying to I keep my social media updated while roaming the show floor.  Sure they offer Wifi but, short of carrying one of my Asus tablets around there isn’t an easy way to photos from my DSLR to the internet.

In this review I wanted to introduce you to a new product from Kingston called the MobileLite Wireless G2.  This is a second generation product builing on the existing version and brings with it even more features. 

Extend Storage
Read Media
Stream Media
Charge Smartphones
Stay Connected

The G2 comes with a single USB port and SD Card reader and no onboard storage.  This is how you stream data to any device connected to it and also gives you the ability to swap and update the available data.

Onboard you get a 802.11 g/n access point that supports WPA2 data encryption.  Considering that Wifi is the only way to access the MobileLite G2 having a fast and secure connection is rather important.

You will notice a single RJ45 jack on the side.  If you plug this device into a LAN with internet access the G2 will function as a Wifi router and pass internet access to the mobile devices.  If a LAN connection is unavailable you can also configure the same to happen over Wifi or with a supported 3G dongle.  

The onboard battery will power the G2 for up to 13 hours or can be used to charge your mobile devices.

Configuring the MobileLite Wireless G2 is extremely easy using the MobileLite software available for free from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.  You can also change some of the basic settings from any PC by accessing its internal web server.  The mobile application is the preferred option since you are allowed more control.

The Mobilelite software also allows you to access the data on the G2, configure wireless connectivity and enable the 3G dongle for mobile data access.  I have pixilated the access points in my area but, you get the idea of what is available.

There are some obvious advantages to using the MobileLite Wireless G2 and the ones I like most are the SD Card reader, wireless access + internet router and 3G dongle support.  Those three things give me cheap mobile data access while I’m traveling and would allow me to take photos off my DSLR and use my phone to push to them to G+ and Facebook.  If I had my Slate or Transformer I could publish them to Hardware Asylum not be limited to the finding a Wifi hotspot and risk my personal security.

The interesting thing about the G2 is that for a single device it does a lot and, for what it does there are other devices that can do the same.  A Mifi is a popular option for a mobile data access and most are unlocked to accept SIM cards.  Likewise there is nothing stopping you from using a 3G dongle on a tablet or laptop and then sharing the internet connection with others.  Of course both of these options are great until you consider that a Mifi is rather expensive when you consider the contract and using a laptop to stream media only works for a short time.  With the MobileLite Wireless G2 you can create a mobile network anywhere and entertain people on a long drive and later share out photos of your trip without needing to download anythying to a computer first.

The G2 is described as a mobile device but works just as well in the PC world.  On the network it shows up as a media server but you can access the files directly when using the network address.  You can also change configurations using the web interface but more options available using the mobile app.

For me this is a perfect all-in-one device that solves a few unique issues I had traveling and even adds a few convenience features I may start using in the future.