WalkingHotSpot Turns Smartphones Into Wi-Fi Routers

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:45:34 EDT

Screw HotSpot @ Home—now there's HotSpot @ Wherever The Hell You Are. It seems like an obvious idea: turn your 3G Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone into a Wi-Fi router for you and maybe other people simultaneously, instead of using it as a more complicated one-to-one tethered modem requiring wires or Bluetooth. Taproot Systems' WalkingHotSpot software for Windows Mobile and Symbian does precisely this, though there are some catches:

• The free demo available at Taproot Systems will support only one Wi-Fi connection.

• Though the system will work with any 3G platform (provided the WinMo or Symbian smartphone has Wi-Fi, duh), it will only allow voice calls through on HSDPA networks like that from AT&T.

• Taproot wants to sell this software to carriers and not to you, dear individual readers. Man, if I don't see a ridiculous monthly fee being attached to what would otherwise be an awesome use of bandwith you're already paying for!!!!!.

If you get a chance to test it out, though, please let us know how it works. [PC World]

Update: There's also a free one for Windows Mobile phones called WM WiFiRouter. -JC

Gizmodo: taproot systems

WalkingHotSpot Turns Smartphones Into Wi-Fi Routers