Dubai Stu

Has anyone check out this device? It turns your Android device or jailbroken iPhone/iPad/iPod into a a dual sim phone (Android & iPhone) or adds GSM telephony to your iPad/iPod.

Flahusky

I maybe over simplifying things but, Seems its nothing more then a 'hot spot' with apps for IOS and Android.
I can understand the convenience of being able to have 2 'lines' active on a device and in the case of the iTouch/tablet devices another avenue to make/receive calls. However, you are still essentially carrying 2 phones/devices around.

Dubai Stu

It is probably the size of a MiFi. It really isn't a hotspot device. While it can provide data, it only is 2g (not 3g). I'm mostly concerned with people's experience with it and how well it works.

Whether you carry two phones or one is an exceptionally personal decision. For me, I have a jailbroken iPhone 4 grandfathered on ATT's international data. Because of this, I really don't want to pop the SIM out and put a foreign one in and repurchase data. I have a couple of foreign SIMs which I travel with and call forward my phone to them when I am outside the US. When I can make a call over 3g I do so, when I can't I trigger a callback from my iPhone to the other phone. Doing all this from one phone seems simpler. Additionally, I have a Tom-Tom GPS clip that I attach my phone to in rentals. It gives me Bluetooth handsfree, GPS, and I stream from it via a patch cord to the car's sound system (or occassionally pretend it is a 1970s transistor radio and just play it from the Tom-Tom speaker). Doing everything from one place sounds nice.

Additionally, if I owned a CDMA iPhone or Android this would turn the phone into a World Phone.

Stu

nmenaker

If it only connecting over bluetooth with the iphone, I would wager that the throughput is going to be poor. While the iphone 4s and the latest bluetooth version 4.0, the ipod touches do not and I would wager this device doesn't either.

Dubai Stu

This might be a case of a fool and his money being quickly separated, but I purchased one for $75 and will let people know how it works.

Flahusky

From the products spec listing: Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
So yeah not even near the latest BT Spec
If they could be had for $35-$50 U$D I might get one for a tech toy.

robroy90

Please do let us know how it turns out. I am interested myself.

Dubai Stu

I just received the unit this afternoon. Since I'm in the US at the moment, my use was only running a few tests with a spare prepaid TMobile SIM.

The first thing I should say is that it works. I can make and receive calls over it without a problem. I haven't bothered with data. The calls are clear and it works very similarly to the factory Apple dialer app. In bound calls can be answered outside the locked screen even when the password is on, but while this is going on there is a security vulnerability. You can hit the home button twice and access any other open program. If you switch over while the phone is ringing, the phone will not relock. This however, assumes that the thief has stolen both your iPhone and your GMate. As long as you keep the two in separate places, this doesn't seem to be much of a real world threat. At the same time, I'd hate to make this argument to an IT Department.

The device is very small and light. Inside my jeans, I barely feel it. When your phone is bonded with GMate, you seem to lose the ability to have a bluetooth connection with your handsfree.

All and all, my opinion is fairly favorable, but it is not been subject to real world testing.

nmenaker

Wow, that was fast shipping. Let us know what your data throughput on the device is (make sure WIFI is off, well duh, I feel stupid for even mentioning that to you DStu)

also it would be good to know how long the device will last when connected and simply paired? If it IS going to be a phone, the device should technically last a full day with some use.

Also, is the battery replaceable and what is the size/form factor or any numbers? We could try and find alternates.

Do you know the range of frequencies that are supported? I know it shows the standard GSM frequencies, but those are mostly the voice frequencies and not the data frequencies like 3G 2100, HSDPA or HSDAP+, like with a newer AT&T iphone sim or t-mobile 4g data sim.

thanks! quite the pioneer

Dubai Stu

It doesn't have 3g. Their support forum also says that. I'll pop for a day's worth of data from TMobile and see how bad it is on Edge. I think we all know it won't be set the world on fire, but I managed to do a VOIP call over EDGE using Fring last year and get acceptable results. It was good enough for the wife. I wouldn't try to do a million dollar deal over that connection. I'll try to get some comparisons up against another EDGE device, but I'm a little burried at work and that may take some time.

Here is a comparison picture of it and a Samsung Hotspot:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/13/imagehpa.jpg/

Here is a picture of it with the back off (not an overly easy job):

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/862/imagexwg.jpg/

Here is the battery on its own if that helps:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/403/imagekmx.jpg/

I bought mine from Amazon and was surprised that it actually showed up in an Amazon box. I'll give it a try with an Android as well and report back.

Dubai Stu

I bought a days worth of unlimited 2g data and talk/texting from TMobile. I've diverted all incoming calls to it. The dongle remains connected just fine. At 11am Eastern Standard, my battery is at 76% which is lower than normal (particularly given the fact that my voice calls are going out bluetooth), but they were all clear as bell.

I'm not trying to use data. It is EDGE, but on the slower side of EDGE. Definitely your data SIM should be on the device SIM.

Another problem I have found is that when I tried to use a dual-IMSI roaming SIM (eKit), I could not access the SIM unlock PIN on it. On ekit, you enter 1-XXXX when you are outside North America to unlock it on its Jersey identity and 2-XXXX to unlock it on its US MVNO identity.

nmenaker

Looks like it could be a relatively standard nokia type battery. The Bl-4B is standard, not sure what the S is for.

Dubai Stu

It definitely reminded me of a standard Nokia battery. I have a couple of Nokias laying around, I could play with that. My current solution is to carry my iPhone 4 and a Nokia E66 when I am abroad. I really like the Nokia phone, but there is a convenience in doing everything on one phone and the GMate takes less space/weight in my pockets. I'm divided, however, because my Nokia is 2100mhz 3g and I have Jokuspot on it which opens up foreign data options to me. While my ATT SIM covers my foreign data, I am also sensitive to the fact that ATT pays attention to users on this plan and don't want to abuse myself. When I was in Cambodia and Hong Kong, I could buy gigs of data for pennies. When a gig of data cost me $4 it seemed stupid to press my luck.

Steph58

Anyone tried it recently? It has, of course, been updated since this string in 2012. Sounds like a simple, reasonable answer to the expensive international wireless and data dilemna. My daughter is doing a 2 week study abroad college course in London soon. HTC One Android phone, AT&T, & will have her laptop. London hotel has a ridicuous daily wifi charge. Was going to sign her up for the new AT&T Passport plan, but the data limits still make me nervous. The Skyroam 3GMate is $10/day for unlimited data, 5 days included in the purchase price of the device. Seems a whole lot easier than buying an unlocked phone, sim card switch out etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Skyroam-3Gmate...skyroam+3gmate

xichang08

Update: saw this product recently and decided to give it a try.

Purchased via Lufthansa Worldshop and had it delivered to our gate as we were connecting in Frankfurt.

We have now used the unit successfully in Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

We normally have 2-3 devices attached to the unit without any problems.

So far we have been pleased!