Cheap Android phone for use as a Mifi device?
 

Saw this posted in another forum:

Telefoni UMTS e Smartphone - Vodafone

It supposedly offers tethering (by Wifi and cable) but I can't tell if it's something you have to pay extra for or if tethering is included in most prepaid data plans -- in the US, carriers charge extra so Android users root their phones and install software that tethers without going through the approved means.

Can't tell if it's locked either only to Vodaphone.

Will be interesting to see user reviews and maybe see if they come out with a way to root it, as they do for popular Android models.

Allthough some Europen operators have data tariffs that are limited to handset usage, but I've never seen software restrictions on a phone (except for the iPhone), that would hinder you from tethering. And except for France I've not seen any operator yet, who actually monitors your data traffic and bills data separately if you do not use a handset browser but a browser on tethered computer (anyway there's an effective workaround by changing your browser's USER_AGENT).

Regarding the mentioned phone there's a much better Android phone available in several European countries, the ZTE Blade sold as "San Francisco" by Orange in the UK and Switzerland (and under several other brands by other European operators). While it runs at GBP 110 in the UK in Switzerland it costs just € 85 and is unlockable easily.
It comes with a 800*480 WVGA display, 600MHz CPU, 512MB RAM and all the standard features Android phones have (AGPS, WiFi, etc.). Debranded ROMs including some based on Android 2.2 (Froyo) are available at ZTE Blade - Blade.MoDaCo.com - Android @ MoDaCo

However you should be aware that not every Android phone running Froyo supports the hotspot mode, as there are special hardware requirements. E.g. the Motorola Droid and Milestone both have a WiFi-chip that does not support Froyo's native hotspot mode. Allthough there are third party apps allowing to use these phones as a hotspot, too, the phones get quickly very warm, so one should probably better tether by USB.

Well going to Barcelona in March and Sicily in June so hoping there will be other models or the existing models will be cheaper.

So the battery life on the ZTE isn't that great by Wifi? Because I wanted to use Wifi to tether more than one device sometimes.

Had some hopes for the Nexus S but it's not HSPA+ and the it's not of much use for US except T-Mobile.

The San Francisco mobile is a Android phone . It will also have Mi-Fi support so it can act as a personal router. This phone is available in the market.