With the sheer amount of media we consume on a daily basis, the mobile market is constantly evolving with newer and newer ways for us to store and transfer all this data. A while back I reviewed Carry Technology’s Wi-Reader Pro and was impressed by the functionality and usefulness of a portable, wireless cloud device and today I am back again with another similar device. Join me as I take a look at Kingston’s MobileLite Wireless Reader and put it to the test to see if it can bring anything new to this budding market.
Product Name: Kingston MobileLite Wireless Reader
Review Sample Provided By: Kingston
Review By: Debo
Pictures By: Debo
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Specifications |
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Device |
MobileLite Wireless Reader |
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Standards |
IEEE 802.11g/n |
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Wireless Data Rates |
Up to 100mbps |
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Security |
WPA2 |
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Antenna |
Internal |
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Operating Range |
Indoor/outdoor; Up to 10m |
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Devices Supported |
iOS 5.1 or above; Android OS 2.3.3 and above |
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Battery Life |
5 hours via 3.7V/ 1800mAh internal battery |
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Storage Inputs |
USB 2.0 and SD (SD, SDHC, SDXC) |
Packaging
Right away we are greeted with a view of the of the MobileLite Reader on the front of the packaging along with very brief mentions of a few of the devices capabilities and a pair of familiar logos telling us where we can provide app support for iOS and Android devices.
The side of the box is much of the same with another overhead picture of the MobileLite as well as views of both the SD slot and USB port.
Once we open the package it is finally time to get our hands on the MobileLite, itself, (wrapped safely in a bubble-wrap jacket) and all of the included accessories. Included with the actual unit is a quick Users’ Guide, a small USB 2.0 to USB Micro-B cable for charging and connecting to a PC or laptop, and a MicroSD to SD adapter. This adapter come in handy since the reader will only work with standard sized cards.
Overview and Features
The MobileLite’s primary function is to act as a card reader, whether plugged into you PC with a USB cable or connected to any supported iOS or Android device possessing the app. Again, this allows for easy management and sharing of media across up to three devices wirelessly as well as the ability to transfer and back up data on any SD cards or thumb drives you might have laying around.
The SD card slot is capable of handling anything you could possibly need to plug into it with the included adapter and the device is fully capable of recognizing SDXC capacity cards for those big file transfers.
As far as USB devices go, anything that can plug into the slot will be recognized though be aware that any USB 3.0 devices will be limited to USB 2.0 operation speeds. This means you aren’t just limited to thumb drives but also many external hard drives and the like.
Status and activity lights, a reset pinhole and the power button are the last things of note on the outside. Having a decently sized internal battery allows the MobileLite to function as a small charging station for a single device and through the app software you can set the device up as a bridge with another wireless connection to grant you internet access should it be available with the entire network protected with a WPA2 password of your choosing.
Software
For wireless operation with a smartphone or tablet, the MobileLite Reader requires a simple app download available on either the App Store or Google Play Store. This review will focus on the Android version of the app but both the iOS and Android versions look and act the same.
After connecting to the MobileLite’s wireless network and opening the app up, we are greeted with the Devices page. From here you can select either the media on your own devices, the media attached to the reader, or the media in any of the other devices connected to the MobileLite’s network.
For now we will select the small question mark in the upper right and check the settings menu to set up the device. The aptly named General tab gives us some general information on the device and lets us rename it should we want as well as lets us know how much juice the internal battery has.
The Connection Settings are where you set the MobileLite’s visibility and WPA2 encryption password. It is always a good idea to set up the security first before sharing any media.
The Network Connections tab is where you can bridge the MobileLite’s network to another Wifi connection to maintain internet access. This functionality is seamless and simple requires a quick device reset.
With the MobileLite setup all that is left is to share and move data around. Within the app you can browse folders or create new ones within your own device or any card or USB storage connected to the reader. Moving and copying files takes nothing more than a simple button press.
Files can be sorted based on types ranging from documents to pictures, movies to music. These can also be opened and streamed natively or with another program of your choice. And should you lose connection or need to close the streaming, the MobileLite reader will actually save and remember your place.
Performance
A nice list a features, a sleek design and a simple to use app will only get you so far. When it comes down to it the MobileLite Reader needs to preform and to do that I assembled the same test files use to test the Wi-Reader products: a JPG picture, a MP3 song, a PDF document and a 1.5GB MP4 movie. These represent the bulk of the media most would find themselves transferring around and sharing with friends and family.
Moving the files from the reader to a PC by USB is as fast as you can expect from USB 2.0 which makes it a decent card reader at the very least but those are a dime a dozen. The internal battery is meant to act as a small charging station but with the rather small 1800mAh battery I wouldn’t expect to even get a full charge out of it. Still, in a pinch there is enough juice to probably get an emergency call or two out of it.
The wireless transfer rates are listed as “up to 100mbps” in the specifications and while transferring them from a thumb drive to my phone I averaged about 72mbps. While not stellar it is enough to stream music or a movie and transfer a few pictures or documents for safe keeping. Just be aware the default Android video player doesn’t support files bigger then 2GB natively.
Overall and Final Verdict
These portable wireless readers continue to impress. On top of being a solid device with the ability to stream movies and music from device to device, the Kingston MobileLite Wireless Reader adds in a few nice touches to bolster its overall package. The ability to bridge Wifi connections means you can enjoy all the benefits the device has to offer without sacrificing your internet connection and the internal battery, while small, is even ready to provide you with some emergency power should you need it.
The MobileLite’s signal is strong and allowed me to stay connected to the network every bit of the 10m distance it boasts. Being able to support all SD capacities is a big plus and the included adapter means you won’t have to go looking for one. The device overall feel solid despite being smaller than a smartphone and the only complaint I could find was the need, perhaps for a larger battery.
The Kingston MobileLite Reader impressed me from opening, through setup and testing and well into casual usage. This small, thin reader has a bevy of features packed into it and I see no reason why if you are in the market for a quick and easy media transferring solution why you shouldn’t give the MobileLite Wireless Reader a look.
