Mobile wireless and file sharing in one package from Sprint

When Verizon launched MiFi, it was immediately welcomed as an incredibly useful service for those who need to access the internet on the go (hands up all bloggers and journalists). According to a “leak”, Sprint is now following up with a 4G version of its own called Overdrive - which combines 3G and 4G wireless with a pretty sweet file sharing option.

How does this work?

The Overdrive (revealed by BGR) would be a small modem that picks up local 3G and 4G signals and turns them into a small, local wireless network. If your phone can get a connection, then your Overdrive can too - and it can create a network fro that which will support up to five devices with wireless modems.

How is that different from the Verizon MiFi?

It has two small but noteworthy additions. First, it supports 4G. Ok so that isn’t very exciting if you don’t live in one of the very small number of American cities with an operating WiMAX network from Sprint, but it’s still a differentiating factor. Second, the Overdrive has an SD card slot in it - and any SD card placed into that slot will act has a shared drive between devices connected to the Overdrive. Which is a pretty cool service.

It also boasts a 100 foot signal - but whether that’s for both 3G and 4G or just for 4G remains to be seen.

What we think?

It may be eight months late to the party, but the Overdrive is still a pretty funky device. The idea of a portable Wi-Fi network is generally pretty awesome, and Sprint has made the effort to make its one a little sexier. Of course, all of the above the details are gleaned from a training document… there have been no official announcements from Sprint yet. So details like price and availability have yet to seen, and those are important factors.