These (ear)buds are for you … and so is this pocket hot spot

A hot spot in your pocket and some very comfortable noise-canceling earbuds are featured in today's edition of Net Notes.

•Verizon Wireless MiFi

(http://bit.ly/2YqXcB)

Connecting your laptop or smart phone to a Wi-Fi hot spot is now as easy as reaching into your pocket and pressing the power button on a device about the size of a half-deck of playing cards. The portable hot spot from Verizon is password-protected and can connect up to five devices at once.

I gave MiFi a thorough workout over a four-week test recently that included a trip to Chicago. I found the connection very reliable. I was able to stay connected to my work network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for five-plus hours without losing the signal.

The MiFi's battery lasted about three hours, making it perfect for short-term use in airport gate areas or for quick connections. I kept it plugged into an AC outlet as much as possible to keep the battery charged and to maintain a longer connection. Sharing the connection is simple, as the password for the secured network is found on the bottom of the device.

My connection was very adequate for normal Web activities such as e-mail, Web browsing, watching online video or updating Facebook and Twitter status.

Upload speed is not so hot; a long wait began when I needed to upload about 35 photos to a photo site. I don't recommend you use the MiFi for jobs like this if you have other options, such as burning the images to a compact disc or waiting until you get to a more robust connection.

The MiFi device sells for $99.99 on the Verizon Web site and is compatible with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 2000, Windows XP and Vista operating systems, Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 operating system or higher, and Linux.

Customers with a two-year contract can buy a 5 gigabit data plan for $60 per month, a 250 megabit plan for $40, or a daily plan for $15.

•Klipsch Image S4 Headphones

(http://bit.ly/OW8zS)

What can be new about earbuds? A simple design change, that's what. Klipsch got it right when it put oval-shaped tips on these in-ear headphones. The oval design better fits the natural contours of the ear canal, making these earbuds comfortable.

The design works to filter out almost all ambient noise passively. I am used to wearing bulky, battery-powered sound-blocking headphones when flying and listening to my iPod. I was surprised to find the S4 earbuds did the same job while taking up a fraction of the space in my carry-on. Batteries not required.

The buds sell for about $80 and include three sets of ear tips, an aluminum carry case and a cleaning tool. The case is a bit large -- about the size of an Altoids can -- with a lid that doesn't close tightly unless the cord is wrapped just so. It's obvious the designers concentrated on the earbuds.

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