Gizmodo: hot spots

Picking up Wi-Fi is Like Picking up a Prostitute

Danny Allen — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:40:00 EDT

This fun video personifies the prowl for Wi-Fi. You could pay the password-pimp for a fast connection, but what about that loose hotspot? Jumping on free Wi-Fi is easy, but only while it lasts, and you gotta watch for viruses:

Two things the video misses:
1. Trying out a bunch of standard passwords before getting bored and moving on.
2. That asshole at every airport pulling the "Free Wi-Fi" ad-hoc network scam. You'll get online, but they'll swipe your passwords. Sort of like a pimp not making you pay, but filming and selling a video of it without you knowing.

By the way, am I the only one that thinks free Wi-Fi looks kinda like Juliette Lewis? Who woulda thunk it.

Clearwire Prepping a WiMax Wi-Fi Router For Portable 4G Hotspots

John Mahoney — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:40:00 EST

Clearwire early Wimax adopters will soon be able to buy a portable wi-fi router that will broadcast your ultra-fat 4G pipe to everyone within range of your pocketable little router.

Sidecut Reports spotted the little rig (in prototype form here) at Clearwire's Portland WiMax launch. It's basically a Cradlepoint device (it may even be made by them, as this Sprint EV-DO router is), and it will supposedly be on sale for around $125 by February in Clearwire's launch markets.

But don't believe the marketing hooey from Clearwire though that they're the only network provider encouraging such uses—he obviously hasn't seen Sprint's Cradlepoint. [Sidecut Reports via Electronista]

AT&T's Free Wi-Fi Hotspots for iPhones Now Online for Real

Kit Eaton — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:02:00 EDT

It's been a saga of the on again, off again, on again, off again type, but it looks like AT&T's free Wi-Fi hotspot access is live at last. 17,000 sites across the US are available to iPhone users, including the fabled Starbucks sites. According to AT&T's website, which also offers a hotspot locator tool, AT&T knows "Wi-Fi is hot, and free Wi-Fi even hotter, which is why we are proud to offer iPhone customers free access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi hotspot network." Interesting... after all the shenanigans, it looks more like AT&T thinks Wi-Fi is just "lukewarm", or maybe "tepid." But at least it's finally come good. UPDATE: Well it looks like Wi-Fi isn't here quite yet. AT&T posted the info by accident and made a fail. [AT&T via MacRumors]

AT&T Says Free Wi-Fi for iPhones Will Come... Someday

Elaine Chow — Sat, 10 May 2008 09:45:00 EDT

All AT&T's flip-flopping between offering free wireless at Starbucks and then taking it away—turns out it was some peon screwing up after all. An spokesperson for the company told the New York Times that the confusion was due to a "human error." But the day when iPhone users can definitively access the internet while sipping on frappuccinos will come, the PR flack assures, AT&T is just refusing to say when. Oh, come off it, AT&T. The cat's out of the bag already, you might as well roll out the service now. I'm sure there will be plenty of secrets you can accidentally release before deadline in the future. [New York Times]

Makayama Pocket Wi-Fi Radar Software Now Available for Pocket PC

Charlie White — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EDT

Now Makayama Pocket Wi-Fi Radar software is available for the Pocket PC platform, showing you exactly where those free Wi-Fi networks are. Formerly available just for Windows XP, this $14.95 software download shows you an animated radar screen that not only indicates exactly where the hotspots are, but it automates your connection to that network with almost no effort at all. In fact, you can walk around with it running, and as soon as it finds a spot it will link up automatically. Cool.

The software works with a long list of Wi-Fi-capable devices, as well as any Pocket PC model with a wireless add-in card, or if you want to use it on Windows XP, that version is free. Looks like it could be useful, not only for legitimate users looking for a Wi-Fi hookup, but for those who drive around suburban neighborhoods looking for a wide-open Wi-Fi network so they might "borrow" a bit of bandwidth—or worse. Keep that in mind if you're one who's currently comfortable with leaving your Wi-Fi router wide open. [Makayama Software]

AT&T is adding 9,000 Wi-Fi hotspots around...

Mark Wilson — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 09:41:35 EDT

AT&T is adding 9,000 Wi-Fi hotspots around Europe, a roughly 30% increase. [prnewswire]

WiFi Liberator Ends Tyranny of Pay-Per-Use Wireless

Adam Frucci — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:00:00 EST

Nothing is more annoying than plopping down in a coffee shop with your laptop and trying to connect to the WiFi only to be told that you need to pay some ridiculous amount like $9.99 to use it for 24 hours. I'm buying your overpriced coffee, the least you could do is let me use your WiFi without gouging me for a quarter of what I pay per month at home.

Well, this WiFi Liberator has cheapskates like me in mind. The sneaky device is designed to "liberate" pay-per-use wireless networks, hijacking the signal and distributing it for all to enjoy. It even has a built-in moochproofer, forcing anyone who uses it to share their access with those around them. Sounds great to me, who cares if its legality is clearly dubious? Bring on the WiFi Liberator! –Adam Frucci

Coin Operated [via We Make Money Not Art]

Skype Places Bet on FON Revolution

Charlie White — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 17:14:36 EST

Let's take the old phone companies and slam dunk them straight into the ash heap of history. Leading the way is FON, a company that aims to become the largest hotspot network in the world by the end of this year. The idea is to install the FON software on your WiFi router, place your antenna next to the window and then share your bandwidth with the rest of the world. Suddenly, you're a FONero! This status gives you the right to use the bandwidth of any of your FON comrades.

Now FON has gotten a bit of a turbocharge from global P2P phone pioneer Skype, another company that knows a little about putting a wrench in the works of the fat-ass telcos of the world. Skype has plunked down an unspecified amount of money as an investment in this new FON company, which has exponentially multiplied from zero users to more than 3,000 in just 90 days. Is it a revolution driven by the power of community? We can only hope. Viva la revoluci n!

FON Site

Skype invests in FON to increase Wi-Fi availability