Anyone that’s attended any modestly crowded tech convention knows that the first thing to fail is the convention’s Wi-Fi. Attendees all rush onto the network as soon as the presentations start, researching presenters, checking emails, reading online news. And it is not long before the network goes kaput. Any presenters attempting live online demos can kiss their dignity goodbye.

If you’re a reporter or blogger who’s trying to get a story out – or even live-blog an event, which I did this week – it’s even more frustrating. News really doesn’t matter if you can’t post the words or upload the images to your site.

But I am learning (regardless of what my parents say) and for our DEMO live coverage I used Novatel Wireless’ V640 Express Card over Verizon’s EVDO network. I used the same card at CES, when the pressroom Wi-Fi was totally unusable and I had to file news throughout the day. Now I’m using the card to send this story to WWD from my friend’s kitchen Los Angeles – it’s the only real option, since my friend’s only broadband access is an unsuspecting neighbor’s unsecure Wi-Fi connection.

So far the card has worked mostly flawlessly, and has brought me a wireless broadband connection throughout Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland. The GigaTeam has swapped the device around and have all taken turns on it when needed and found the same good stuff. Once it didn’t work because of cell tower coverage issues, but we live-blogged the Apple iPhone event through a Blackberry.

Of course with today’s EVDO connections close to 50 to 70 kbps, it’s slower than most Wi-Fi connections, and takes its sweet time when doing tasks like uploading photos to Flickr. Hopefully we’ll get our mitts on some of the Rev A cards soon enough.

Though, overall this card is the safest way to file news from conventions that promise Wi-Fi but hardly ever delivers. For web workers in general, I’m surprised not more people are connecting to wireless operator’s broadband networks using laptop cards. Well, I’m not surprised considering the price. Of course you can get a really good deal from Sprint if you opt for their USB modem. It will be worth it – because once you try EVDO it’s hard to go back to searching

Over the past month the Giga team has been debating over what smart phones to use. Last month I abandoned my Treo 650 for a BlackBerry 8700 after deciding mobile email is my chief concern. A few weeks ago Liz went the same route, and last week Om took the BlackBerry plunge too.

For now we’ve been converted, but if we hadn’t all jumped on the BlackBerry bandwagon before last week, we might have considered Nokia’s new E62. The device went on sale in the U.S. for Cingular last Friday. While a few GigaOM readers have derided the E62’s specs in comparison to its more high-tech European brother the E61, the E62 is actually a really good deal for its price: $150!

That is an almost unheard price for a pretty decent smart phone these days. And it’s a smart development by Nokia and Cingular. U.S. “pro-sumers” are looking for more mid-tier smart phones these days, and a device that can undercut BlackBerry and Treo on price could do really well.

The E62 has a QWERTY keyboard, QVGA screen and is based on Symbian 9.1 series 60. It doesn’t have the E61’s WiFi radio (too bad), but works over EDGE and has Bluetooth. The device also has video and music players, but its unclear whether the audio player is in stereo or not.

Pre-Blackberry Om had been using the swankier E61, which he has been raving about. If the E62 can offer a similar experience at that lower price point, Nokia and Cingular likely have a new winner on the market. Om also likes the fact that he can get a plug-in to help the E-series sync with Macs, made by German company Nova Media. Hopefully the E62 will be included in that soon.

Anyone have any good or bad experiences with Nokia E-series? And is anyone planning on checking out the E62?Also, what is your smartphone of choice?

Decentralized working has its upsides, as we’ve all been writing about on WWD, but one thing definitely suffers: my shoulders. It seems like everywhere I go – cafes, hotspot-enabled parks, office space – I’m lugging my laptop around, ready to work at a glimmer of a broadband connection. After a few blocks even the lightest laptop bag strap starts tugging on my shoulder like it’s holding the 9-lbs Dell, I spent a grand on for my first reporting job.

Now that my newer laptop is pretty light, and I’m still smarting, I’m starting to think it’s the bag. Maybe I should actually invest some time and energy checking out the ergonomics and design rather than opting for the free hand-me down from coworkers or friends. (No more thrift store buys.) I guess I should also pick one that looks decent enough, given its going to get worn more than my favorite sweatshirt.

A friend sent me a link to a company called Everquest Design which sells laptop bags with authentic pieces of the landing parachute from the Soyuz International Space Station, or cloth from Mount Everest expeditions. They’re probably pretty sturdy, but then I remembered that I’m not an aging business man trying to relive my extreme-sports youth. The idea is a little too Richard Branson for me.

Does anyone have a favorite laptop bag brand that has been their stalwart through endless telecommuting?