Most of the tools — almost all of them, actually — that I’ve featured here on the newsletter have been free. That’s my goal: To get great tools into your hands without taking any money out of your wallet.
But every once in a while, I play with a tool that’s really awesome and really worth the money.
Like today’s tool. So…
Over the years, I’ve gotten really good at figuring out where to find free WiFi. In major cities, Starbucks are your go-to. Elsewhere, McDonald’s is a surprisingly reliable spot for internet.
I remember once running through a suburban mall to find a coffee shop so that I could file a story. In Springfield, MO, I often published Stry.us stories late at night while sitting in my car outside a public library.
Obviously, there’s a less insane way to publish your stories from the road.
I’ve played with a number of WiFi hotspots over the years, but this month, I started using one that I actually really love. It’s called MyKarma.
Three great things about it:
1. You don’t have to purchase a monthly data plan. You can buy data in bulk — say, 1GB of data — and that data won’t expire. I only really use a WiFi hotspot a few days a month, so this makes much more sense than buying a hotspot that requires a $40-$60 monthly commitment.
2. You can share your hotspot. Your MyKarma is open for anyone else to log into, and when they do, you’re gifted 100MB of data. So last week, I opened up my hotspot at the airport, and eight people logged in — that’s 800MB for me, for free. Awesome, right?
3. The setup process is almost comically simple. I got my hotspot up and running in about 3 minutes. And the hotspot itself is really small and thin, so it’s great for reporters on the move.
I highly recommend it — you can buy a hotspot and 1GB of data for $99. (Every additional GB is $14.)
(A big H/T, btw to @alexisgrant and @alecperkins for getting on the MyKarma bandwagon early and pointing it out to me!)
Now get out there and tell some great stories today!