Nighthawk M1 Mobile Router

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  • 2017

  • Product
    Consumer Electronics

Commissioned By:

NETGEAR

Designed In:

Canada

The Nighthawk M1 is the world’s first Gigabit class 4G/LTE mobile router, featuring simultaneous dual band WiFi with available WiFi/Ethernet offloading and combines media streaming via microSD, USB Type-C or external hard drive to all connected devices.


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  • CHALLENGE
  • SOLUTION
  • IMPACT
  • MORE
  • The styling of the Nighthawk M1 is initially targeted at the enterprise or business sector. With this in mind the overall aesthetic was developed to have a refined look and color palette. The soft, multi-directional curved profile of the central, metallic finish enclosure is designed fitc comfortably into the user's hand and at the same time feel at home when being carried in a jacket pocket. The top of the product features a radial texture pattern which is designed to frame the central, circular LCD display and usage meters, bringing the consumer's eyes to the main focal point of the product.

  • From the outset the Nighthawk M1 was designed to be the fastest mobile router product available anywhere in the world. Through the combination of cutting edge antenna design and software architecture the M1 was the first ever mobile device capable of a 1 Gigabit download speed which can then be shared through simultaneous dual-band, dual concurrent WiFi.

  • As the needs of the modern digital consumer have evolved so have the required functions of devices such as mobile routers. With this in mind the Nighthawk M1 was develop to meet those media streaming needs. Through the inclusion of an on-board microSD port as well as USB Type-A & Type-C ports the user is able to stream media content to any device that is connected.

  • As the needs and digital education of consumers have evolved the need for on-board touchscreens on mobile routers have become less. As a result the Nighthawk M1 has been developed to work in conjunction with a dedicated, intuitive mobile app. This app provides the user with an efficient, easy to access means to manage their WiFi connections, configure settings, check data usage, play media files and set up parental controls. As it was still very important to have an on-device display the M1 uses a round LCD display, a unique design element in this category, along with a pair of usage meters. This simple display provides users with a quick reference to connection status, data and battery consumption.

    The M1 is the first mobile router or hotspot to bare the Nighthawk brand. This marque is a symbol of not only premium quality, as is the case with all NETGEAR products, but it also represents a higher standard in speed and performance. The investment of industrial design in the generation of a new and unique form factor which includes category first features is expected to not only boost the status of NETGEAR within the category which will in turn see a swift return on investment with regards to the design.

    The Nighthawk M1 is at its core a true example of innovation in the field of mobile data products. Through our association with Qualcomm and Telstra the M1 was developed to be the world's first mobile data product capable of download speeds up to 1 gigabit per second, a new benchmark in speed. The integration of a simple and aesthetically dynamic circular LCD display is also a first for the mobile router category. Additionally the integrated streaming features and connectivity options which include Ethernet offloading help to further push the boundaries for the mobile router category.