Wifi is obviously better suited to a mobile environment, but could a smartphone (or tablet even) have an Ethernet or other wired Layer 1 connection?
I think you may want to try Apple's Airport Express. It's a nifty little adapter that's as big as a power adapter for most laptops, but it can take Eternet, expand it to other wireless devices, and do more...
But generally, it's a good solution for Ethernet to phone because it works with pretty much anything that supports WIFI, and if you're in a place where you need ethernet, chances are you'd have a power plug handy.
Like a wireless router then.
I think you may want to try Apple's Airport Express. It's a nifty little adapter that's as big as a power adapter for most laptops, but it can take Eternet, expand it to other wireless devices, and do more...
But generally, it's a good solution for Ethernet to phone because it works with pretty much anything that supports WIFI, and if you're in a place where you need ethernet, chances are you'd have a power plug handy.
This can work on non-Apple devices?
Yeah. It's just creating a wireless access point from the ethernet connection.
ummm, any wifi router does that "and more" (such as being loaded with custom firmware)
Airport Express can share any random USB external drive over the network, and supposedly sharing works with most printers. Plus it can also share a pair of external speakers over the network so you can keep holding onto your phone or tablet while blasting music into speakers 8 feet away.
And it's pocketable. Smaller than most wireless N router. The drawback is the range is subpar, and connection speed is horrible when there are too many devices connected.