Oh! Gizmo

By Evan Ackerman

We’re running out of places to hide from the internet, and cars are the latest casualty. Starting next month, Cadillac will offer an option for a dealer installed 3G wireless router in their CTS Sport sedans. You can expect typical 3G download speeds (supposedly 400-800 kbps but your mileage may vary), and if no 3G is available, you’ll be lucky to see 200 kbps. The router itself cost about $500, $450 of which probably gets sunk into that Cadillac logo.

The service is actually being offered through a company called Autonet Mobile. It costs about $30 for 1 gig a month, or about $60 for 5 gigs a month… There doesn’t seem to be any unlimited plan. A gig a month is just about enough for you to check email, download attachments, maybe listen to the occasional song. But personally, I hate having to worry about caps. And with so many mobile devices with unlimited data plans out there, what’s the appeal of having a piece of hardware that’s restricted in bandwidth AND restricted in location? I guess maybe the idea is, if you’re buying a new Cadillac, things like “cost effectiveness” just aren’t that high up on your list of priorities.

[ Autonet Mobile ] VIA [ CNET ]