Orange Option Icon 2 USB

The thinking behind the Option Icon 2 USB is clever - it's an HSDPA wireless modem combined with a small read-only memory stick that contains the driver software. In theory, this should provide the simplest possible mobile internet access, and in practice it was straightforward to use, helpfully installing itself when it was first plugged in. The connection software was simple and intuitive, and in areas of good coverage it worked very well indeed. The device is for mobile data only - there's no Wi-Fi adapter - and it needs a fairly strong signal to work effectively, but as a means of connecting your laptop to the web while you're away from a hotspot it doesn't get much easier. The device is free on contract, with Orange charging £25 per month for up to 3GB of UK data.

Author: Paul Ockenden