In-car wifi is equal parts mind-bending and irresponsible-seeming. But you know you want it, and Americans have only been able to get it in brand new cars that are already computers on wheels. Until now, that is!
AT&T just announced a new gadget called Mobley that plugs into a car’s on-board diagnostics port, and when you turn on the car, you’ve got a wifi hotspot. That means that it will work with most American models built after 1996. (Here’s a small list to see if a pre-1996 vehicle has the correct OBD II port.) When you turn your car off, the Mobley turns off, so you won’t have to worry about charging a battery, like you do with other mobile hotspots. The new device will be available here, and AT&T starts shipping on September 11 — though there’s no word yet on whether Telstra et al will be joining in the fun.
The Mobley is equipped with a Qualcomm MDM9215 processor and allows up to five people to use its LTE network. AT&T are charging you $0 for the device itself, for those who sign up to a two year contract.
Just imagine popping that badboy in a late 90’s Mazda Miata and zipping down a pristine mountain road while streaming Netflix on a laptop in the passenger’s seat while checking your email on a tablet strapped to the dash. Just kidding! Don’t you dare do that — it’s extremely dangerous. Don’t text and drive either. Just drive and leave the internet surfing to your kids. Or just listen to the radio like we used to.
Images via AT&T