Kyocera Passport KPC650

Setup: 
Installation and activation took barely two minutes, thanks to an intuitive wizard and no head-scratching options. Verizon Wireless’ VZAccess Manager automatically launches each time your laptop boots up, but you have to connect manually—a smart design because your modem isn’t drawing power when you don’t need it.

Features:
The KPC650 features a chunky plastic antenna that swivels, reducing the chances of it breaking off when something knocks into it. Putting the antenna in different positions didn’t noticeably affect performance. (Kyocera sells a $59.99 whip antenna that plugs into the end of the KPC650 to improve signals, but it wasn’t included in our review package.) The KPC650’s overall look is Spartan, with a single blue LED that flashes when connected. If you’re outside Verizon’s EV-DO coverage, the KPC650 automatically switches to the carrier’s 1XRTT network, with average speeds in the 65-Kbps range.

Performance:
Kyocera says that the KPC650 uses special antenna technology to boost signals and data rates. The performance with average rates of 1.03 Mbps and 30 seconds to download a 4MB file was comparable to the other EV-DO modems we tested, with the big difference being consistency. Indoors and out, we got roughly the same data rates and signal strength, and one more signal bar than the other Verizon modems. The antenna technology smoothes out the differences in each environment and wrings the most signal out of the airwaves.

Verdict:
Superior performance indoors and outdoors puts the KPC650 at the top of the list, and recent online discounts from Verizon Wireless have slashed the price to $99.