Wireless Internet Reviews

When I have a few free hours, there’s nothing I like more than heading to a local book store, plopping in one of their comfy chairs, grabbing a coffee, and reading a book or magazine. Some might call this freeloading, but I make a purchase more often than not, whereas I might not have even gone to the store at all had there not been an inviting atmosphere. Unfortunately most of my bookstores have closed, falling victim to the ubiquity of stores like Barnes & Noble and Borders, and especially Amazon. To that end, at least one retailer is trying to capture the same market as the local book shops. Barnes & Noble has announced free Wi-Fi will soon be in all of its stores nationwide. This is another way to invite in customers who might not have visited otherwise.

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When we heard in June that New York’s MTA was considering wireless Internet access on various trains, we kind of scoffed. The Authority, after all, has an enormous budget deficit which was somewhat offset by a recent fare hike. How could they raise the funds to add wireless Internet. Of course, it’s an investment, with the hopes that the service will boost ridership. They took another step yesterday, as the MTA and Long Island Railroad issued a Request for Expressions of Interest for wireless Internet on trains and in stations. This doesn’t guarantee funding, but it will certainly bring it under consideration. It’s certainly an experiment, considering all of the failed Muni-Fi projects around the country.

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When one thinks of the beach, a laptop computer isn’t usually atop the list. Sure, a writer here or there might want to accomplish something in the serene environment, but for the most part beaches are not normally associated with computers. That might change, at least in Long Island, as a number of municipalities have installed Wi-Fi hotspots on the beach. The town of Babylon has implemented the service at four of its beaches, and plans to expand this to pools, all beaches, and parks eventually. The service, like most Muni-Fi, is free.

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On-board Wi-Fi has been a big thing for airlines, and Southwest Airlines is no exception. They recently rolled out Wi-Fi on four aircraft as a test. This was apparently for free, but no longer. The second phase of their rollout, which they announced on their website earlier this week. The charge will be between $2 and $12, depending on device and flight length. According to the announcement, the price “to get online will be displayed when a Customer launches his or her Internet browser.” This would be even better if it charged on a time basis. That is, unless you plan on using it for the duration of the flight.

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When you think of Wi-Fi hotspots, what comes to mind? Coffee shop surely has to be atop that list. Laundromats, shopping centers, and others may pop up as well. One that probably doesn’t is an ATM. Why would you need Wi-Fi at an ATM? I’m not sure of the answer, but the folks at Cashbox and BT Openzone in the UK do. They’ve announced a partnership which will bring Cashbox’s ATMs into Wi-Fi hotspots. This will start with 10, and eventually spread to the 2,500 Cashbox ATMs across the UK.

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Many mass transit units across the country have adopted wireless Internet technology to improve their ridership numbers. After all, people are more apt to take public transportation if they benefit directly. Yes, public transit is a more economical means of transportation on the whole, but many people think the convenience of a car trumps it. In one major commuter hub, New York City, there seems to be a lack of these services. While railroads across the country have wireless Internet, the Metro Transit Authority’s Long Island Railroad and Metro-North services are without them. NY Senator Chuck Schumer wants to see that change, and fast.

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We heard when Cablevision picked up subscribers on the strength of Wi-Fi, it became pretty obvious that they were onto something. They rolled out the service on Long Island last September, and expanded it to Connecticut, Westchester/Dutchess county, and along New Jersey Transit train stations. The latest on that front is that users have accessed the network 2 million times since September. Think that’s impressive? They hit the 1 million mark in early April. So yes, things are going smashingly for add-on Wi-Fi.

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File this under: great ideas that everyone should adopt. Apparently landlords in San Francisco, responding to a weak rental market, are offering all sorts of perks to potential tenants. Among them: free Wi-Fi. According to the San Francisco Chronicle report, craigslist is filled to the brim with ads for apartment that come with Wi-Fi as a standard inclusion. They better watch out, though. Work at homers might catch onto this and totally abuse the Wi-Fi service. I’m fairly certain this free offering isn’t meant for high-volume use.

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The Cloud. It’s a term which saw considerable attention last year. While the hype has died down a bit, the concept is still one many in the industry continue to explore. This is mostly in terms of computing power. When there is someone not using their computing power, others can draw from it. This creates a more efficient allocation of resources, as it allows heavy users to draw from computing power that would have otherwise gone to waste. The same concept can be applied, really, to Wi-Fi networks. Dana Blankenhorn of SmartPlanet explores the possibilities.

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