AT&T USBConnect Mercury Broadband USB Modem

AT&T’s latest broadband USB modem, the USBConnect Mercury, is also the smallest – why didn’t they call it the USBConnect Pluto instead? Oh yeah, Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet. This broadband USB modem is slightly different from the rest as it comes with a built-in microSD memory card slot as well as plug-and-play software installation. Here’s an initial take on it.

Released in September and often available for free with a two-year $60/month DataConnect contract, the modem has recently begun to show up new or used (but always contract-free) on eBay. That’s where I picked mine up in brand new, still sealed-in-box condition a few days ago. If you’re looking for something portable, versatile, and HSPA-flavored to accessorize your UMPC, netbook, and/or the Aigo MID you could win (and hack), then the USBConnect Mercury could be the end of your search. The reason I bought the Mercury when I already have the Option GT Max 3.6 Express is an obvious one: more devices have USB ports than ExpressCard slots. Simply put, I wanted a single accessory that would provide 3G connectivity to more than just my Vaio TZ and Kohjinsha SC3 (the HP 2133 has an ExpressCard slot, too, but it doesn’t get along with the modem).

Would that help you make the plunge?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Computers, Gadgets