Free WiFi turns coffee-shack into freelancer It Spot
Grok Headline matches for Free WiFi turns coffee-shack into freelancer It Spot
A Prime Example: WiFi at Timothy?s
Coffee Shop
A Prime Example: WiFi at Timothy?s
Coffee Shop
12/29/2003 11:54 PM"WiFi is better experienced than explained. Timothy’s coffee
shop on Kent Street in Charlottetown is bathed in an open wireless
access signal. Come by, enjoy the fine coffee and sandwiches, and
browse the web and check your email. We’re sitting there right
now.
We’re adding..." (71 words - posted by steven) 8 replies
Free open WiFi on Tacoma-Washington
train, courtesy WiFi hacker
Free open WiFi on Tacoma-Washington
train, courtesy WiFi hacker
03/24/2005 08:15 PMCory Doctorow:
A Seattle wireless hacker rides a commuter train from Tacoma every day
with a battery-powered WiFi hotspot in his backpack that's linked up
to the Internet with a
14.4 144k wireless modem. Catch his
train and get free WiFi on your commute.
The open wireless node can be found in the first car of the last
morning train and in Car 403 on the 5:10pm return trip. Use SSID
"FreeInternetAccess" or "seattlewireless" to connect - You may have to
assign yourself an IP in the range 192.168.0.0/24 and use the Default
Gateway 192.168.0.1 as the DHCP is sometimes flakey
Link
(
via Make)
Hermosa Beach, California Launches Free
Citywide WiFi Service using advanced
WiFi-Plus obstruction penetrating
antennas.
Hermosa Beach, California Launches Free
Citywide WiFi Service using advanced
WiFi-Plus obstruction penetrating
antennas.
08/05/2004 03:39 AMLos Angeles Beach Community WiFi service made possible by WiFi-Plus
antennas. Makes internet available on the beach. [PRWEB Aug 5, 2004]
Cold Computing Turns Hot(spot)
Cold Computing Turns Hot(spot)
04/17/2005 01:26 AMPC World Online Apr 17 2005 5:57AM GMT
Cold Computing Turns Hot(spot) (PC
World)
Cold Computing Turns Hot(spot) (PC
World)
04/14/2005 09:48 PMPC World - Intel employees deploy wireless networking near the North
Pole.
Microsoft turns off WiFi gear
Microsoft turns off WiFi gear
05/11/2004 07:50 AMZDNet May 11 2004 12:05PM GMT
"coffee and free wireless stuff"
"coffee and free wireless stuff"
07/03/2004 02:10 AMBootable CD turns 486s into meshing WiFi
routers
Bootable CD turns 486s into meshing WiFi
routers
04/28/2004 04:00 PMGlenn Fleishmann has written a blog entry about an amazing new WiFi
project at Champaign-Urbana, to create a bootable disk image that
turns its host machines into meshing wireless repeaters.
The CUWiN project wants to allow self-forming, noncentralized,
mesh-based Wi-Fi networks using standard, old PCs with no
configuration. Slightly more advanced units could be ruggedized boxes
using Compact Flash, but the basic unit would be a 486 or later PC
with a bootable CD-ROM or bootable floppy that bootstraps a CD-ROM.
Once booted, a unit finds other similar units without any other
configuration or control and forms a mesh.
"We've been developing software now since about 2000, and our idea is
to build software that is super user friendly, super easy for someone
who doesn't understand the nuances of the technology or community
wireless networking to set up their own system," said Meinrath. It's
an attempt to enable community networking to spread beyond the folks
who are self-starters.
Link
(
Thanks, Glenn!)
LinSpot turns WiFi routers into
commercial hotspots
LinSpot turns WiFi routers into
commercial hotspots
03/06/2004 01:55 AMWant to make a few extra bucks from your wireless Internet access?
Start-up
LinSpot announced on
Wednesday that their LinSpot 1.0 application for Mac OS X allows you
to do just that, with the company taking a 15 percent cut for services
sold over your wireless network.
Minneapolis Coffee Chain Promotes Its
Free Wi-Fi
Minneapolis Coffee Chain Promotes Its
Free Wi-Fi
04/04/2005 01:45 AM
Dunn Bros. is a beloved Twin Cities institution, according to
the folks there: Dunn offers Wi-Fi at no cost in
its coffeeshops that have the service in contrast to competitors like
Caribou (SBC FreedomLink) and Starbucks (T-Mobile). Not unusual. But
Dunn will take to magazines and buses promoting its free service. Once
you push something like free Wi-Fi you need to ensure that
all of your locations sport it.
Free As in Free Coffee
Free As in Free Coffee
01/22/2004 05:04 PMAt LinuxWorld in New York this week, Microsoft's booth is one of the
busier ones.
It turns out that "free" car from Oprah
isn't so free after all
It turns out that "free" car from Oprah
isn't so free after all
09/24/2004 01:46 AMYou get bumped into a higher tax bracket .. Chicago Sun Times ..
suntimes
suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-oprah22.html
track this
site | 4 links
Coffee With Networking for Macmillan's
World's Biggest Coffee Morning
Coffee With Networking for Macmillan's
World's Biggest Coffee Morning
09/13/2004 03:17 AMWorlds Biggest Coffee Morning Event to auction off lots from original
works of art to lunch with IT/telecoms journalists. Great fun for a
great cause. [PRWEB Sep 13, 2004]
A Rent-Free Place, if You Can Find a
Spot to Park
A Rent-Free Place, if You Can Find a
Spot to Park
05/08/2004 12:40 AMJimmy Hines has been living curbside in his camper for six months, and
he swears he will never have a landlord again.
WiFi Free-For-All
WiFi Free-For-All
02/11/2004 01:23 AMHere Comes More Free WiFi
Here Comes More Free WiFi
02/10/2004 02:41 AMWe've maintained in the past that there are two situations in which
someone can charge for WiFi: (a) there is no reasonable chance of
competition in that location, such that you have captive users or (b)
you are offering up something special on top of the WiFi that people
value (which could be convenience, security, reliability, etc.). When
looking at case "a", this pretty much left only some hotels and
airports for the time being - since they could cover enough ground to
(somewhat) monopolize the WiFi offerings. However, the trend seems to
be changing on that as well, as both hotels and airports are realizing
there's a lot more benefit in offering WiFi for free
than trying to charge for it. The prices were too high, and not too
many people were using it. However, when they offer it for free, it
attracts more customers to their locations. In other words, once
again, it's the publicity factor that makes it worthwhile.
Hacking free WiFi at XML 2003
Hacking free WiFi at XML 2003
12/09/2003 06:10 AMBen Hammersley's at the XML 2003 conference, where the WiFi password
costs $40. He and Bill Kearney and the other RSS-wonks in the room
have interpreted the confernece organizers' charging for basic
conference functionality as damage and are routing around it:
In answer to the long held question, can a TiBook with one Wifi card
act as a repeater and relay access to everyone else in the room
without them having to pay, the answer it turns out is yes. How do we
do this? Well, first turn off the built-in Apache installation on the
OSX machine that is online. Edit httpd.conf to load mod_proxy (there
are about 20 or so lines to uncomment). Turn Apache back on. Go to
network prefs, and find out your assigned IP address. Write it on a
piece of paper, and pass it around the room, telling them to set it as
their web proxy.
Li
nkPhilly: Let Free WiFi Ring
Philly: Let Free WiFi Ring
09/01/2004 09:54 AMCBS News Sep 1 2004 2:26PM GMT
.Mac members get free 30-day WiFi trial
.Mac members get free 30-day WiFi trial
04/07/2005 10:40 AMAmerican .Mac members will receive a free 3-day trial of the T-Mobile
HotSpot WiFi service. The trial launches June 29 and offers users
full internet accessat HotSpot locations including Starbucks, FedEx
Kinko's Office and Print Centers, Borders Books & Music, airports,
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, and select airline clubs and Red Roof Inn
locations. Users also get 20 free iTunes tracks if they choose to
subscribe to the HotSpot annual plan.
Philly considers free WiFi for all
Philly considers free WiFi for all
09/01/2004 11:34 AM
Xeni Jardin:
Patricio López says, "Let's hope
this becomes the norm in a few years! For about $10 million, city
officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia
into the world's largest wireless Internet hot spot."
Link to news story
Is free municipal wifi good?
Is free municipal wifi good?
09/02/2004 08:06 AMPhiladelphia is considering investing $10M to blanket 135 square miles
with wifi coverage. Some people for whom I have the highest respect,
and from whom I've learned a lot, I anticipate are going to denounce
this. Their argument is that the government is exactly the wrong
entity to make decisions best made by the market. Why? Because:
Government agencies are ill-equipped to make technical decisions.
Governments are corrupt. The incumbents have too much influence. Even
if Philadelphia makes the right decision, it will lock the city into
one technology that will be hard to displace. There is no such
thing...
Free municipal WiFi in Jerusalem
Free municipal WiFi in Jerusalem
09/05/2004 11:56 PM
Xeni Jardin:
Following up on
last week's post about the city of Philadelphia considering free
wireless 'net access for all, BoingBoing reader
cyphunk says, "Pfff. Jerusalem
(Israel) is already rolling out free wifi for the ENTIRE city --
starting with major commercial areas."
Link to news story.
Free WiFi in Toms River, NJ
Free WiFi in Toms River, NJ
01/08/2004 08:45 PMFree WiFi in Toms River, NJ from Wireless Freedom. Just go and buy a
cup of Java at the Java Joint on Main Street.
Free WiFi Good For Business... But... It
Ain't Everything
Free WiFi Good For Business... But... It
Ain't Everything
08/03/2004 04:17 PMPopular bread maker Panera is making some noise today talking about
how wonderful their free
WiFi offering is going, saying that it has improved business.
They've found that it keeps customers in the stores longer --
especially during off-peak hours. Oddly, they don't say if it
actually increased sales, which is the key. Panera's claims sound
pretty similar to what
Schlotzs
ky's Deli had been saying about their free WiFi. Of course, some
of
Schlotz
sky's numbers seemed a tad overhyped, such as the claim that
40% of customers choose Schlotzsky's because of the WiFi. The
only way that really makes sense is if very few people are going to
Schlotzsky's at all... and, oops, that might just be the case. Today
the
c
hain declared bankruptcy. So, while free WiFi may be good for
bringing in business, it's certainly not the be all, end all of being
in business. You still need to sell some food and make some money.
Free WiFi in the National Mall
Free WiFi in the National Mall
04/29/2004 09:20 AMOpen Park is a community wireless group that is bringing free, open
WiFi to the National Mall in DC, so that the next time you find
yourself on the steps of the Supreme Court -- or wandering a
Smithsonian building -- you can get online.
Link
(
Thanks, Fred!)
Free wifi at Babbas Lounge
Free wifi at Babbas Lounge
04/09/2004 04:11 PM"A local favourite restaurant and bar, Babbas Lounge, is now offering
free wifi.
Babbas Lounge above Cedars Eatery at 81 University Ave. in
Charlottetown. It is home to fine trivia on Sunday nights, and great
music on most weekends.try the Chicken Shawarma.
Thanks for the wifi!" (43 words - posted by steven) 3 replies
Kansai Int Airport Free WiFi
Kansai Int Airport Free WiFi
04/12/2004 02:17 AMIf any of you travel thru Kansai Int in Osaka be sure to sit near the
window as you can...
Free WiFi coming to Best Western
Free WiFi coming to Best Western
01/24/2004 08:19 PMEvery Best Western hotel in the US, Canada and the Caribbean will have
free open WiFi by Sept 1. Tell you what, I've got a new default choice
for hotels when
I travel. Let's start finding ways of holding
conferences at BW's instead of high-ticket Hyatts and Marriotts with
their craptacular $10/day WiFi.
"It's the No. 1 amenity requested by virtually everyone, especially
businesspeople, said Tom Higgins, CEO and president of the
Phoenix-based hotel chain. "High-speed Internet for free is going to
be where it's at."
Link
(
via matthowie)
Free mall WiFi on the rise
Free mall WiFi on the rise
04/30/2004 02:11 AMShopping malls across the US are adding free WiFi:
A very small number of the 1,130 malls in the United States have
wireless access. But, she said, an increasing number are thinking of
installing the capability.
For instance, Westfield America Trust said most of its 62 regional and
super regional shopping centers will soon offer the service. Taubman,
which owns or manages 31 malls, began offering Wi-Fi services
yesterday at its The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, Texas.
"If you look at malls in general, you are really seeing owners bring
in things that allow for more people to come do a variety of things at
the center," Duker said. "The mall has become more than a place to
shop."
Link
(
via WiFiNetNews)
Freelancer
Freelancer
03/16/2003 07:14 AMOk, Freelancer is starting to get interesting, now that I'm on the
run from the Liberty Police. Finally the story is going somewhere. I
do find it odd that every person in every station is played by the
same (bad) voice actor, and that all of them say the same thing.
"Hi. First time here? I work for [insert company name here]. I
don't own this place, but I [pick one: have an understanding/have a
stake with] the people who do. I have heard a rumor."
[Screen comes up showing the rumor. It's about as exciting as
watching paint dry.]
Your character usually responds with something lame like:
"Interesting."
No, it really isn't. This game is pretty fun if you follow the
main story, but the minute you're left on your own, zzzzz....
The multiplayer might be interesting. I haven't tried it yet.
Free WiFi planned for Washington Mall
Free WiFi planned for Washington Mall
04/28/2004 05:26 PMCNN Apr 28 2004 9:36PM GMT
Free WiFi influences 40% of Schlotskys's
customers
Free WiFi influences 40% of Schlotskys's
customers
02/18/2004 12:00 PMSchlotzky's is a deli chain that gives away free WiFi -- they were
among the first to do so, in a bold expeeriment at one of their
flagship restaurants on the main drag in Austin, TX, after Starbucks
set up shop directly across the street (Schlotsky's also took the
incredibly canny step of renaming their coffee sizes Tall, Grande, and
Venti and putting a starbusian combinatorial explosion of
caffeine-delivery systems on the menu). The company has released new
market research showing that free connectivity is a selection-factor
for
40 percent of its customers.
Glenn writes,
I've met the CEO and the marketing director when I invited the CEO to
speak at a panel I moderated at Wi-Fi Planet last year, and the most
interesting aspect of the Wi-Fi is that they're not excited about the
technology but its uses. There's a financial aspect to this, of
course: the average purchase price of a Schlotzsky's customer is about
$7.
But the CEO wasn't a geek; he liked seeing entire families or sports
teams or groups of parents and kids come in and spent time using the
high-speed connection. It's important to recall that a small but
significant minority of Internet users have broadband; for the rest,
Schlotzsky's offering is a profound (and free) pleasure.
Link
(
via WiFiNetNews)
Schlotzsky's Continues Their Free WiFi
Push
Schlotzsky's Continues Their Free WiFi
Push
02/18/2004 07:58 PMSchlotzsky's has been the poster child for putting free WiFi access in
their restaurants, and their latest announcement
continues to support that decision, as they say they've found
that 40% of their customers cite the free WiFi as a factor in deciding
to go to Schlotzsky's to eat, while 6% say it was the key factor.
While we've been a big fan of this model (offering free WiFi to get
more customers), 40% sounds like an awfully large number. Considering
the number of folks you see using free WiFi at many locations, even
here in Silicon Valley, I'd be amazed if 40% of all customers at
Schlotzsky's were aware of the WiFi, so I'm curious how they measured
this. In the meantime, this program has clearly been a success for
Schlotzsky's, and I'm surprised that other large chains haven't
followed with similar plans. It seems that too many of the for-fee
WiFi guys are running around telling these chains just how much direct
revenue they're going to get by becoming an ISP, and neglecting all
the potential indirect revenue from new guests (or guests who come
during off-peak hours).
T-Mobile offers free WiFi in Charley's
wake
T-Mobile offers free WiFi in Charley's
wake
08/14/2004 04:50 PMIn the wake of Hurricane Charley
Free wifi spots in fort collins,
colorado
Free wifi spots in fort collins,
colorado
12/02/2003 10:20 PMHELLO PEOPLE! First wifi spot: MY HOUSE. D-Link DI-614+ (22Mbps)
BSSID: free net )( Location: Winfield Ct. Also: Go to Mugs, great
food and coffee! I found a bunch of open WiFi's all up and down
Constitution Ave. and im sure there is plenty more! bye for now.
Dayton, Ohio: Free City-Wide WiFi
Dayton, Ohio: Free City-Wide WiFi
04/04/2005 04:17 PMJocks & Jills announces FREE WIFI
ACCESS
Jocks & Jills announces FREE WIFI
ACCESS
04/09/2004 04:10 PMJocks & Jills, based
in Atlanta, GA, has announced that all of the Sports Restaurants in
the corporation now have FREE WIFI. The network is open for public
use with the SSID being "JOCKS". They have the following locations in
and around Atlanta: Midtown, CNN, Galleria, Brookhaven, Alpharetta,
and Norcross.
Also, the Jocks & Jills in Charlotte, NC by the
Colesium also has FREE WIFI.
Frankie's, owned and operated by
Jocks & Jills, at the Prado shopping center is also offering FREE
WIFI. For more location information go to
www.jocks-frankies.com.
Free WiFi at the Dana Street Roasting
Company
Free WiFi at the Dana Street Roasting
Company
01/12/2003 02:27 AMThis is too cool. One of the nearby links in my GeoURL neighborhood is
for the free WiFi at the Dana Street Roasting Company. If I was a
coffee drinker, I'd be all over that. As a blogger, I think...
Free WiFi, VoIP at X-Prize launch on
Sept. 29
Free WiFi, VoIP at X-Prize launch on
Sept. 29
09/18/2004 01:15 PM
Xeni Jardin:
So cool. BoingBoing reader
Inder says,
I want to let boingboingers know that WanderPort will be providing a
free wi-fi network at the launch of SpaceShipOne for the Ansari
X-Prize in the Mojave Desert September 29th through to the second
launch. If any bloggers are attending the launch and want to have a
mac address pass-through to make sure they can file, just send us an
email info@wanderport.com and we'll make sure they can get their
blogs posted. We'll also be providing a few WISIP phones for free
North America phone calls.
Link to Ansari X-Prize home.
Grok Description matches for Free WiFi turns coffee-shack into freelancer It Spot
GrokA matches for Free WiFi turns coffee-shack into freelancer It Spot
Starbucks Says WiFi Now Available in
3,100 Cafes (Reuters)
Starbucks Says WiFi Now Available in
3,100 Cafes (Reuters)
07/06/2004 07:58 PMReuters - Starbucks Corp. (SBUX.O) said on
Tuesday that it had installed wireless Internet connections, or
"WiFi," in more than 3,100 U.S. cafes, including 110 in stores
far from technology-rich coastal areas.
Review: WiFi Seeker / WiFi Spy
Review: WiFi Seeker / WiFi Spy
07/16/2004 04:50 PMA few weeks ago I got Chrisalis Developemnt's
WiFi Seeker, a convenient
keychain-sized wireless network locator. Marware's recently announced
WiFi Spy is a
rebranded version of the same device, so it should perform
identically.
To locate a wireless network simply press the button and watch the
LEDs. When the lights stop sweeping back and forth, the number that
remain lit will show the strength of the wireless signal. If the
lights continue to sweep back and forth, you're not in range for any
wireless network. Unlike other devices, the WiFi Seeker isn't fooled
by other 2.5 GHz signals like microwave ovens or cordless phones, and
it doesn't depend on 802.11 client activity to detect the access
point. It detects both 802.11b and 802.11g.
A little WiFi to go with your Big Mac
A little WiFi to go with your Big Mac
03/13/2003 10:20 AMIn a sign of the times I think McDonald's is going to score a home run
in offering 1 hour...
Me and My Wifi
Me and My Wifi
04/13/2004 02:24 PMMy access point is in the house and the home office is a seperate
building. Because my PowerBook casing and two solid walls interfere
with my signal, I'm developing a weird relationship with my
technology. I've tried the Pringles can,...
WiFi in the UK
WiFi in the UK
08/09/2004 08:02 AMAccording to today's
Independent (a UK broadsheet) and Intel, only a
1/3 of people living in the United Kingdom know what WiFi is. WiFi,
which stands for Wireless Fidelity, allows mobile users to connect
their laptops to the internet and other devices without having to use
standard hardwire networks.
The survey, conducted recently, found that many people thought that
the phrase WiFi was cockney rhyming slang (e.g. Dog and Bone : Phone)
for "Wifey". Other people who participated in the survey
answered that they thought Wifi was a Japanese island, or an exotic
fruit.
Asides from showing a shocking level of IT ignorance in the UK, the
results do highlight Intel's attempts to get Britain wirelessly
connected. Combined with a motivation for shifting Centrino packages,
Intel is really hoping to raise awareness and get people using the
wireless hot spots they've been setting up with BT over the last year.
Intel and the Wireless industry would love to see the UK brought up to
the same level of wireless proliferation as in the USA.
View:
IntelRead full story...Wifi-0.01
Wifi-0.01
01/02/2005 05:55 PMWifi-0.01a
Wifi-0.01a
01/02/2005 05:55 PMWiFi 4 U
WiFi 4 U
05/11/2004 12:41 AMWiFi
Against Bush
"Inspired by the web site, Bluetooth Users
Against Bush, I decided to do the same thing with WiFi.
Here's what you do. Set the name of your wireless access point to
'WiFi Against Bush'. Now, when anyone in your immediate area, such as
in your dorm or apartment complex, checks to see what networks are
available, they will see your little 'bumper sticker.' It'll piss off
Repubs and let other sane folks out there know that they are not
alone." [Daily Kos, via Scripting News]
I point this one out to show how creative you can get with naming
your library's wireless network. How about "libraries rule," "we
answer questions, too", and "fall to your knees and worship a
librarian."
Okay, so I'm kidding with that last one, but you get the point.
New: WiFi Spy
New: WiFi Spy
07/16/2004 09:59 AM
For $29.95 you can get a compact wireless network detector.
WiFi Becomes A Commodity
WiFi Becomes A Commodity
07/06/2004 09:49 PMOn Tuesday, Conexant Systems Inc. preannounced lower earnings for the
cureent quarter, based on an influx of low-cost WiFi chips produced by
Taiwan manufacturers. Conexant executives said that the price of
802.11g components is now on the order of 802.11b chips in certain
markets.
Speaking of WiFi
Speaking of WiFi
09/06/2004 01:26 AMEverybody's been talking about Pennsylvania thinking about going to an
all-state, WiFi, so I thought I'd mention a press release at
Michigan's Web site. Michigan has deployed WiFi at two...
Handheld WiFi?
Handheld WiFi?
05/31/2004 12:36 PM
Agere Systems announced a "mini-module" providing 802.11g (WiFi) for
handheld consumer electronic devices.This embedded system-in-package
(SiP) delive...
WiFi Security
WiFi Security
05/31/2004 02:43 AMSeems consumers are pulling WiFi devices out of the box plugging
them in and surfing with the default systems more times than not. The
question I want to ask is why are people that stupid. Would they
invite a complete stranger into their house and go to bed while the
stranger surfed the net a looked around inside their computers. I
don't think so but running WiFi equipment straight out of the box is
inviting just this to happen. [Yahoo]
WiFi hotspots not all that hot
WiFi hotspots not all that hot
05/28/2004 06:14 AMSan Jose Mercury News May 28 2004 10:32AM GMT
WiFi in Nepal
WiFi in Nepal
05/27/2004 08:03 PM
Yak
farmers in the mountains of Nepal are using WiFi to keep in touch
with their families thanks to the
Nepal Wireless Networking
project.
[Via /.]
First WiFi MP3 Player
First WiFi MP3 Player
01/22/2004 02:29 AM
TwinCities.com reports on a new MP3 player that adds WiFi (wireless)
capabilities, allowing you to transfer songs from your PC via WiFi
(802.11)Once a...
WiFi lab notes
WiFi lab notes
07/19/2004 06:35 AM
Wish-list item: A database that lives on my laptop, constantly
updated, with WiFi access points. Doesn't just have to be free access
points. This is a project Intel could fund, with contributions from
the commercial access providers. It wouldn't be that expensive. I
bought a Sprint wireless adapter for my laptop, it works (where Sprint
is available), but it's far too expensive.
By the way, the WiFi was down at both Starbucks I went to in
Santa Fe. I'd never seen that happen before. And the men's room had
been vandalized in one of them. I said to the guy at the counter it's
irresponsible to sell iced coffee without a working bathroom. I wasn't
joking.
WiFi Hotels
WiFi Hotels
01/24/2004 02:49 PMThe news that every Best Western hotels in the US will have free
wireless is great to hear. I don't know if they're doing this
based on market research, but personally I will be staying at their
hotels as much as possible when I travel now. I searched and searched
for Southern California hotels that had free wireless and after giving
up on a few places that claimed to but didn't, I accidentally found a
Holiday Inn in Orange County with multiple default Linksys base
stations in the hotel. I've ended up staying there the last four times
I went down to see my family, even though it's a pretty shabby hotel
and probably overpriced (it's around $70-80 a night).
It's good to see Best Western recognize this, it's not like I want
to just camp out online when I travel, but it's nice to catch up with
work and personal email when you get to the hotel at night without
having to hassle with dialups and outbound call charges. Knowing that
every single Best Western will be equipped will make searching for a
simple cheap place to sleep much easier in the future.
WiFi tracking
WiFi tracking
12/29/2003 01:36 PMForget RFID. Well, don't, but National Scientific Corporation has a
prototype of a WiFi tagging system that, like RFID, lets you track
things in real-time...
Fly the WiFi skies
Fly the WiFi skies
11/07/2003 02:04 AMWhile I'm guessing it could be difficult due to airport utilities
restrictions and existing telecom contracts, I'd love to see one of
the national airlines embrace wifi in terminals. An airline that was
wifi-friendly would be known by business people overnight as
the airline to take (or at least the terminal to
hang out nearby when you fly).
Washington Mutual is the only bank in the states that offers free
ATM use for everyone, and it's pretty much ingrained in my family and
friends that if someone needs to stop at an ATM to grab some cash,
everyone prefers the Washington Mutual one. As a result of their kind
gesture, I have explored getting a home loan and business accounts
with them (I always do my personal banking at a credit union), solely
because I regard them as generous for not charging people pointless
electronic transaction fees.
The pro-wifi airline could gain similar publicity and word-of-mouth
buzz by offering free, open wireless access points near their gates.
It wouldn't cost that much to get a DSL drop near a gate and toss 2 or
3 $99 base stations into the ceiling. Annual operating costs for each
airport could be as low as $1k a year, making a nationwide investment
for every airport cost only a couple hundred grand (and I'm sure to
make it cheaper, a company like Linksys or MS would donate the
products if they got to plug them to users connecting). I imagine that
whatever airline did it would be an instant hit with laptop users, and
geeks would no longer need to search online for what airport offers
wifi through whom and for how much. The last time I was in Denver, I
noticed three different wifi vendors offering access in the terminal,
all for different rates, while most airports I end up at don't offer
any at all.
The airline industry is notoriously a cut-throat business and with
decreased leisure travel, razor thin profit margins, and pricing wars,
a good gimmick would go a long way. It's low cost, high utility, and
would please a good deal of people that fly frequently. Eventually the
same airline could outfit planes with wireless and be
the business airline, but I can wait until that's
more of a realistic possibility; for now putting wireless in all their
terminals should be the goal.
What do you say American? Alaska, are you in? JetBlue, want to do
something even better than TV in every seat? Southwest, you're known
for keeping people sitting around your terminals, how about making
them happy? United, you've been near bankruptcy for a couple years and
we bailed you out, how about giving the people something back for all
the money they gave you? Anyone?
(note: written while stranded wi-fi free in PDX, posted from my
Vancouver hotel room
which features open, free wireless. Canada knows how to party.)
WiFi Me, Baby!
WiFi Me, Baby!
11/04/2003 02:33 PMWhoo-hoo! I'm on the third floor of the convention center with
wi-fi! Here, aggregator, aggregator, aggregator. I'm also briefly on
Trillian if you want to catch up. :-)
In other news, though, I'm thrilled to hear that library hotspots
are now listed in JIwire. If you
use the Power
Search, you can view a list of library
hotspots (up to 100 of them, anyway). Hey Austin Public
Library - $19.95 per month to play????
Wifi-ing the Big Apple
Wifi-ing the Big Apple
06/24/2005 09:58 PMAndrew Rasiej, running for the obscure post of NYC Public Advocate,
has put forward a plan that would connect wireless routers on city
lamp posts using the city's dark fiber. The total cost would be less
than $10/person (= $80M) and would provide free wifi access in public
places; businesses and residents would pay about $20/month for basic
high-speed service. Of course, the incumbents, always zealous in their
protection of the free market (hah!) are lobbying hard to prevent
municipalities from providing this service. [Technorati tags: rasiej
wifi]...
WiFi wars, or can't we all just get
along?
WiFi wars, or can't we all just get
along?
11/18/2003 04:28 PMWiFi chipset maker Broadcom Corp. accuses a competitor of interfering
with the operation of its products.
WiFi Gone Wild
WiFi Gone Wild
06/10/2004 07:47 AMTap into neighbors' WiFi? Why not, some
say
Tap into neighbors' WiFi? Why not, some
say
07/04/2004 05:43 AMBoston Globe Jul 4 2004 9:27AM GMT
Semper WiFi
Semper WiFi
08/19/2004 09:45 AM18,000 wifi hotspots in NYC
18,000 wifi hotspots in NYC
07/29/2004 08:45 PMsure, as soon as i leave, the whole island becomes network nirvana
Free WiFi turns coffee-shack into freelancer It Spot
