Swiss knife of the digital age. Review of the "combine" Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3
Hi, Giktayms! We have already briefly talked about the MobileLite Wireless G3 multifunctional wireless card reader ; now, as promised, we are returning to you with a more detailed overview. All modern devices are becoming more versatile, and in many cases it makes no sense to buy sets of gadgets separately, when there are offers that can solve a lot of problems. Let's say inexpensive compact cameras are almost no longer available - they were successfully replaced by smartphones with built-in cameras. Even e-books are moving away from their basic functions towards more multimedia. Well, our multi-functional gadget Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 combines a wireless card reader, a portable router and a charger for a smartphone or tablet.
This device resembles a small external hard disk, both in shape and approximately in size (115x80x24 mm). And it weighs 192 grams. Collecting a big backpack for a trip, you will hardly feel an extra two hundred grams. In addition, fablets sometimes weigh even more, and nothing - people calmly carry them in their pockets.
In Russia, the “combine” is available only in white (in Ukraine and in the CIS, the MobileLite Wireless G3 Pro version is also available, which is distinguished by its black color and the presence of 64 GB of internal memory). Plastic matte, with the exception of the upper glossy cover. On the case there are three indicators: battery charge status, wired internet connection and Wi-Fi activity. From the ports there is a slot for SD-cards with the supplied adapter for microSD, USB 2.0, Ethernet-in and microUSB connector for charging the device itself.
The full list of MobileLite Wireless G3 features is as follows:
You might think that this is primarily an external battery, and the rest of the chips are added "to be." But in fact, the main role of MobileLite Wireless G3 is a wireless card reader. It allows you to copy files to a smartphone, directly from a memory card or flash drive to watch movies on the go and without wires. Connecting a USB drive to your smartphone is a true epic, the same goes for SD cards - especially if you have an iPhone. The device from Kingston eliminates any difficulties, even the cable does not need to connect the card reader and phone.
Simply download the program for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kingston.mlwg3) or iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/ru/app/mobilelite- wireless / id1053288883? mt = 8), which will open access to files on a flash drive. Windows Phone, which is still trying to prove its right to life, is also not deprived of attention: access to the flash drive can be obtained directly from the browser using this page (http: //mobilelite.home/). The smartphone connects to the MobileLite Wireless G3 via Wi-Fi, and you immediately see the file system. You can easily listen to music or watch a movie.
The gadget allows you to free up space on your mobile phone. Any data can be sent to a USB flash drive through this device. Conveniently, when you take a lot of photos and videos on the phone. Memory scored to the eyeballs - to transfer immediately to the USB flash drive, and the space on the smartphone again freed. MobileLite Wireless G3 supports simultaneous connection of several devices: that is, insert a memory card and a USB flash drive into it, and then transfer files from one drive to another.
You may notice that it is easier to immediately buy a smartphone with a large amount of memory, or an external USB flash drive with a suitable connector. Here appears a few "but." Firstly, manufacturers sometimes openly overestimate the price tags for devices with more capacious drives (hello, Apple), and then a device like MobileLite Wireless G3 becomes more profitable, because, besides a card reader, it also has a lot of things. Secondly, external flash drives for the same Apple technology are, to put it mildly, a little expensive, besides spoiling the look of the device. So wireless access to SD cards and USB flash drives from a smartphone or tablet is very practical and convenient.
The next function of the device is a router. It may well replace your home router, if suddenly there is such a need. The model also knows how to work in bridge mode. So you kill two birds with one stone: strengthen the Wi-Fi signal and get, again, a wireless card reader for your computer. At the same time access to the Internet will remain. However, you cannot use the gadget as a classic card reader by connecting it to a computer via microUSB. The device works only by air. You don’t need to download a program to work with a PC or Mac: just open a browser and, as is the case with the device on Windows Phone, enter mobilelite.home, having previously joined MobileLite Wireless G3 via Wi-Fi. But it is better to use the SMB protocol, because you cannot upload files through a browser - you can only view and download.
In order to connect a laptop (or any computer with a Wi-Fi module) via SMB protocol, select the item “Connect to Server” in the Explorer or in the Finder and enter the address 192.168.202.254. After that, the contents of all connected to the MobileLite Wireless G3 will be displayed as in any local folder. However, the same can be done if you enter the same address in the browser, but this method is unlikely to be more convenient.
Ethernet-connector allows you to connect to the Internet where there is no Wi-Fi. For example, you entered a hotel, and there is only a cable in the room (as is often the case in Asian countries), there is no wireless access - and get out of your way. The device in such a situation will be indispensable. Or you can use MobileLite Wireless G3 as a home router, only power needs to be arranged. By the way, if all of a sudden electricity was lost in the apartment, the router-powered router would be an incredibly valuable thing. MobileLite Wireless G3 Wi-Fi module operates in two bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz - this will avoid interference and speed reduction in places with a large number of wireless networks.
Through the MobileLite application, you can view only MP4 and MOV files. Movies with MTS or MKV extensions do not open or play. However, you can install VLC Player, which supports almost all existing formats, and watch videos with MobileLite Wireless G3 through it. To do this, select the Local Network in the VLC main menu, connect to the MobileLite Wireless G3 via the SMB protocol (enter the address 192.168.202.254), and then select the desired file on the SD card or USB media.
Another nice feature is backing up photos, videos, as well as contacts and calendar data. Corporate application MobileLite allows you to make a backup in just two clicks. In the role of storage can be any SD-card or USB-drive. There are two options for creating a backup - a full backup (it is better to first make sure that the amount of data on the smartphone or tablet does not exceed the capacity of the drive), as well as a selective backup. In the latter case, you need to manually select certain photos / videos. Restoring from a backup is just as easy - click “restore” and ... ready!
If these capabilities of the device seem small, then here is another one. The model has a battery capacity of 5400 mAh, from which you can charge almost any mobile device: phone, tablet, camera, smart watches and so on.
To disassemble it is not so easy. It is necessary to unscrew the two screws from the bottom (hidden under a large sticker), which hold the top cover. And if you do the same, exactly at this moment you lose the guarantee - it is canceled if the integrity of the stickers is violated. You can remove the cover with great effort - it is held not only on the screws, but also on the plastic latches, which are additionally taped. The internal device is simple, as all ingenious. Approximately one third of the space is occupied by the battery, and the rest of the space is occupied by two boards, which when assembled are placed one above the other.
The battery is assembled in China, but from Japanese elements.
This is a Wi-Fi b / g / n / ac controller in the 5 GHz band - Mediatek MT7610EN - the same used, for example, in TP-Link Archer C2.
And this is a router-on-chip or, more simply, a Wi-Fi b / g / n 2.4 GHz supercombine — the Mediatek MT7628AN — this is a miracle of technology that has a built-in USB controller and a card reader connected directly to it. Mediatek initially planned to use this chip for the Internet of Things, but for Kingston Mobile Wireless Lite G3 it would work very well.
Next to it, the WInbond W9751G6KB25I buffer memory chip - 64 megabytes DDR2 - this should be quite enough for the device to work correctly and quickly
In the mode of copying pictures from the SD card to the smartphone and back, Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 works quite quickly. 24-megapixel images that "weigh" 8-10 megabytes are copied in just 2-3 seconds. But the main thing - the application almost instantly downloads thumbnails of photos for easy preview. The same copy takes 2-3 seconds in the opposite direction - the speed “down” and “up” is the same.
Photographers obviously will not give up the possibility of copying the footage from the SD-card to a USB-drive. In the case of the Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3, the process of copying 16 GB of data from an SD card to a USB flash drive connected to a USB takes approximately 20 minutes. It all depends on the size of the files, say, copying a package of 40 megabyte photos fits into 20 minutes, and if you deal with small files (2-3 megabytes each), then the process will take about 30 minutes.
The read speed of data from the SD card installed in the MobileLite Wireless G3 is almost 6 megabytes per second, the write speed is 3.5 megabytes per second.
When testing the device in the home router mode, there were no differences in speed with the home router. First, we drove SpeedTest on a large home router, and got 50.7 Mb / s in download and 53.4 in upload. The claimed speed from the provider is 60 Mbps.
Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 showed a slightly better result (52.7 for download and 53.9 for upload), but such a small difference can be attributed to the error in testing.
The device itself charges from four to six hours - it all depends on the source. For example, it takes about 4 hours to charge from the dual-USB USB port of the MacBook Pro. The cable that comes in the kit can be connected to any charger. But it is better to use adapters from tablets (for example, from iPad), since they usually give more current and charging goes faster.
A fully charged battery Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 is enough for three iPhone 6 charges, which has a battery capacity of 1810 mAh. As a wireless card reader with continuous use of the battery should be enough for about eleven hours. This is enough, for example, to watch movies non-stop during the Moscow-Vladivostok flight, including waiting for boarding and the way to the airport. The battery on the average tablet is discharged earlier than in the MobileLite Wireless G3.
MobileLite Wireless G3 itself is equipped with a dual-amp USB port, so gadgets charge pretty quickly. For example, iPhone 6 fully charges in two and a half hours, and iPad mini 4 in about 4 hours. And, by the way, a small tablet can be fully charged from 0 to 100%, and there will still be a margin for 15-20 minutes of work in the wireless card reader mode.
In total, up to 5 devices can be connected to the Kigston MobileLite Wireless G3. True, stream Full HD video on each of them will not work. You can watch the video on one device, and use the rest to view the contents on the memory card. Copying individual files, as well as viewing files is available to all participants of such a Wi-Fi party without noticeable drops in speed.
MobileLite Wireless G3 impresses with excellent features besides the card reader itself, which requires neither a socket, nor a cable to a mobile device to transfer files from a USB flash drive. A battery with an impressive capacity is enough to charge two powerful smartphones or one tablet, and the router is useful for improving the signal. In general, an extremely useful thing in the household, like a Swiss knife. By the way, the brand warranty on the device is two years.
Well, for clarity, the main technical characteristics of the model.
Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3
Thank you for your attention and stay with Kingston on Hiktatimes!
And besides, we have prepared for all readers of our blog a special promotional code geekpromo for the purchase of a MobileLite Wireless G3 wireless mobile device in the Ulmart network with a 10% discount. You can use the promotional code until July 24, 2016, share information with friends!
For more information about Kingston and HyperX products, visit the company's official website . In choosing your kit HyperX help page with visual aids .
How does it look
This device resembles a small external hard disk, both in shape and approximately in size (115x80x24 mm). And it weighs 192 grams. Collecting a big backpack for a trip, you will hardly feel an extra two hundred grams. In addition, fablets sometimes weigh even more, and nothing - people calmly carry them in their pockets.
In Russia, the “combine” is available only in white (in Ukraine and in the CIS, the MobileLite Wireless G3 Pro version is also available, which is distinguished by its black color and the presence of 64 GB of internal memory). Plastic matte, with the exception of the upper glossy cover. On the case there are three indicators: battery charge status, wired internet connection and Wi-Fi activity. From the ports there is a slot for SD-cards with the supplied adapter for microSD, USB 2.0, Ethernet-in and microUSB connector for charging the device itself.
What can
The full list of MobileLite Wireless G3 features is as follows:
- powerbank (charging smartphones, tablets, cameras - any technology that supports charging via USB),
- wireless router (connection to Ethernet and “distribution” of the Internet via Wi-Fi),
- multimedia hub (watching movies and listening to music from an SD card or USB drive on a smartphone or tablet),
- mobile photo bank (copying photos and other files from the memory of a smartphone or camera to a USB flash drive),
- copying data from SD-cards to any USB-drive and back with control through a mobile application.
You might think that this is primarily an external battery, and the rest of the chips are added "to be." But in fact, the main role of MobileLite Wireless G3 is a wireless card reader. It allows you to copy files to a smartphone, directly from a memory card or flash drive to watch movies on the go and without wires. Connecting a USB drive to your smartphone is a true epic, the same goes for SD cards - especially if you have an iPhone. The device from Kingston eliminates any difficulties, even the cable does not need to connect the card reader and phone.
Simply download the program for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kingston.mlwg3) or iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/ru/app/mobilelite- wireless / id1053288883? mt = 8), which will open access to files on a flash drive. Windows Phone, which is still trying to prove its right to life, is also not deprived of attention: access to the flash drive can be obtained directly from the browser using this page (http: //mobilelite.home/). The smartphone connects to the MobileLite Wireless G3 via Wi-Fi, and you immediately see the file system. You can easily listen to music or watch a movie.
The gadget allows you to free up space on your mobile phone. Any data can be sent to a USB flash drive through this device. Conveniently, when you take a lot of photos and videos on the phone. Memory scored to the eyeballs - to transfer immediately to the USB flash drive, and the space on the smartphone again freed. MobileLite Wireless G3 supports simultaneous connection of several devices: that is, insert a memory card and a USB flash drive into it, and then transfer files from one drive to another.
You may notice that it is easier to immediately buy a smartphone with a large amount of memory, or an external USB flash drive with a suitable connector. Here appears a few "but." Firstly, manufacturers sometimes openly overestimate the price tags for devices with more capacious drives (hello, Apple), and then a device like MobileLite Wireless G3 becomes more profitable, because, besides a card reader, it also has a lot of things. Secondly, external flash drives for the same Apple technology are, to put it mildly, a little expensive, besides spoiling the look of the device. So wireless access to SD cards and USB flash drives from a smartphone or tablet is very practical and convenient.
What else can
The next function of the device is a router. It may well replace your home router, if suddenly there is such a need. The model also knows how to work in bridge mode. So you kill two birds with one stone: strengthen the Wi-Fi signal and get, again, a wireless card reader for your computer. At the same time access to the Internet will remain. However, you cannot use the gadget as a classic card reader by connecting it to a computer via microUSB. The device works only by air. You don’t need to download a program to work with a PC or Mac: just open a browser and, as is the case with the device on Windows Phone, enter mobilelite.home, having previously joined MobileLite Wireless G3 via Wi-Fi. But it is better to use the SMB protocol, because you cannot upload files through a browser - you can only view and download.
In order to connect a laptop (or any computer with a Wi-Fi module) via SMB protocol, select the item “Connect to Server” in the Explorer or in the Finder and enter the address 192.168.202.254. After that, the contents of all connected to the MobileLite Wireless G3 will be displayed as in any local folder. However, the same can be done if you enter the same address in the browser, but this method is unlikely to be more convenient.
Ethernet-connector allows you to connect to the Internet where there is no Wi-Fi. For example, you entered a hotel, and there is only a cable in the room (as is often the case in Asian countries), there is no wireless access - and get out of your way. The device in such a situation will be indispensable. Or you can use MobileLite Wireless G3 as a home router, only power needs to be arranged. By the way, if all of a sudden electricity was lost in the apartment, the router-powered router would be an incredibly valuable thing. MobileLite Wireless G3 Wi-Fi module operates in two bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz - this will avoid interference and speed reduction in places with a large number of wireless networks.
Through the MobileLite application, you can view only MP4 and MOV files. Movies with MTS or MKV extensions do not open or play. However, you can install VLC Player, which supports almost all existing formats, and watch videos with MobileLite Wireless G3 through it. To do this, select the Local Network in the VLC main menu, connect to the MobileLite Wireless G3 via the SMB protocol (enter the address 192.168.202.254), and then select the desired file on the SD card or USB media.
Another nice feature is backing up photos, videos, as well as contacts and calendar data. Corporate application MobileLite allows you to make a backup in just two clicks. In the role of storage can be any SD-card or USB-drive. There are two options for creating a backup - a full backup (it is better to first make sure that the amount of data on the smartphone or tablet does not exceed the capacity of the drive), as well as a selective backup. In the latter case, you need to manually select certain photos / videos. Restoring from a backup is just as easy - click “restore” and ... ready!
If these capabilities of the device seem small, then here is another one. The model has a battery capacity of 5400 mAh, from which you can charge almost any mobile device: phone, tablet, camera, smart watches and so on.
What's inside? Geek Pron. 18+
To disassemble it is not so easy. It is necessary to unscrew the two screws from the bottom (hidden under a large sticker), which hold the top cover. And if you do the same, exactly at this moment you lose the guarantee - it is canceled if the integrity of the stickers is violated. You can remove the cover with great effort - it is held not only on the screws, but also on the plastic latches, which are additionally taped. The internal device is simple, as all ingenious. Approximately one third of the space is occupied by the battery, and the rest of the space is occupied by two boards, which when assembled are placed one above the other.
The battery is assembled in China, but from Japanese elements.
This is a Wi-Fi b / g / n / ac controller in the 5 GHz band - Mediatek MT7610EN - the same used, for example, in TP-Link Archer C2.
And this is a router-on-chip or, more simply, a Wi-Fi b / g / n 2.4 GHz supercombine — the Mediatek MT7628AN — this is a miracle of technology that has a built-in USB controller and a card reader connected directly to it. Mediatek initially planned to use this chip for the Internet of Things, but for Kingston Mobile Wireless Lite G3 it would work very well.
Next to it, the WInbond W9751G6KB25I buffer memory chip - 64 megabytes DDR2 - this should be quite enough for the device to work correctly and quickly
Testing
In the mode of copying pictures from the SD card to the smartphone and back, Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 works quite quickly. 24-megapixel images that "weigh" 8-10 megabytes are copied in just 2-3 seconds. But the main thing - the application almost instantly downloads thumbnails of photos for easy preview. The same copy takes 2-3 seconds in the opposite direction - the speed “down” and “up” is the same.
Photographers obviously will not give up the possibility of copying the footage from the SD-card to a USB-drive. In the case of the Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3, the process of copying 16 GB of data from an SD card to a USB flash drive connected to a USB takes approximately 20 minutes. It all depends on the size of the files, say, copying a package of 40 megabyte photos fits into 20 minutes, and if you deal with small files (2-3 megabytes each), then the process will take about 30 minutes.
The read speed of data from the SD card installed in the MobileLite Wireless G3 is almost 6 megabytes per second, the write speed is 3.5 megabytes per second.
When testing the device in the home router mode, there were no differences in speed with the home router. First, we drove SpeedTest on a large home router, and got 50.7 Mb / s in download and 53.4 in upload. The claimed speed from the provider is 60 Mbps.
Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 showed a slightly better result (52.7 for download and 53.9 for upload), but such a small difference can be attributed to the error in testing.
The device itself charges from four to six hours - it all depends on the source. For example, it takes about 4 hours to charge from the dual-USB USB port of the MacBook Pro. The cable that comes in the kit can be connected to any charger. But it is better to use adapters from tablets (for example, from iPad), since they usually give more current and charging goes faster.
A fully charged battery Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3 is enough for three iPhone 6 charges, which has a battery capacity of 1810 mAh. As a wireless card reader with continuous use of the battery should be enough for about eleven hours. This is enough, for example, to watch movies non-stop during the Moscow-Vladivostok flight, including waiting for boarding and the way to the airport. The battery on the average tablet is discharged earlier than in the MobileLite Wireless G3.
MobileLite Wireless G3 itself is equipped with a dual-amp USB port, so gadgets charge pretty quickly. For example, iPhone 6 fully charges in two and a half hours, and iPad mini 4 in about 4 hours. And, by the way, a small tablet can be fully charged from 0 to 100%, and there will still be a margin for 15-20 minutes of work in the wireless card reader mode.
In total, up to 5 devices can be connected to the Kigston MobileLite Wireless G3. True, stream Full HD video on each of them will not work. You can watch the video on one device, and use the rest to view the contents on the memory card. Copying individual files, as well as viewing files is available to all participants of such a Wi-Fi party without noticeable drops in speed.
Conclusion
MobileLite Wireless G3 impresses with excellent features besides the card reader itself, which requires neither a socket, nor a cable to a mobile device to transfer files from a USB flash drive. A battery with an impressive capacity is enough to charge two powerful smartphones or one tablet, and the router is useful for improving the signal. In general, an extremely useful thing in the household, like a Swiss knife. By the way, the brand warranty on the device is two years.
Well, for clarity, the main technical characteristics of the model.
Kingston MobileLite Wireless G3
- Device type: wireless card reader, Wi-Fi router, external battery
- Wi-Fi options: 2.4 GHz 802.11b / g / n, 5 GHz 802.11ac
- Interfaces: USB 2.0, SDXC, 8P8C (Ethernet), microUSB (for battery charging)
- Battery: Lithium-Ion, 5400 mAh
- Dimensions: 115x80x24 mm
- Weight: 192 g
Thank you for your attention and stay with Kingston on Hiktatimes!
And besides, we have prepared for all readers of our blog a special promotional code geekpromo for the purchase of a MobileLite Wireless G3 wireless mobile device in the Ulmart network with a 10% discount. You can use the promotional code until July 24, 2016, share information with friends!
For more information about Kingston and HyperX products, visit the company's official website . In choosing your kit HyperX help page with visual aids .