2011 Subaru Outback gains in-car WiFi option, strange Maine birds not included

Slowly but surely, the future is creeping up on us. In-flight WiFi is getting there, and in-car WiFi is following suit. Autonet Mobile already sunk its teeth in at General Motors, and now it's doing likewise over at Subaru. The automaker that insists it's all about love is about to give prospective buyers of the 2011 Outback an option to install a router within their ride for a one time fee of $534 (including activation). Of course, it's on you to pay that $29 / month premium that keeps the signals flowing, and yes, you're still better off buying a MiFi and just bringing it along. But hey, there's nothing like factory integration, right? Well, aside from seagulls checking their Twitter accounts while you explore Acadia National Park... freeloaders.

[Thunderaus Posted Jul 16th 2010 11:26PM]

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess Maine was meant to be Marine...

[Seieibob Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:50AM]

@Thunderaus

Nope. He mentions Acadia National Park, which is in Maine.

[Evileclipse Posted Jul 16th 2010 11:27PM]

Wow! I can't wait for this to become a little more mainstream. I'd sign up tomorrow if it has decent transmission speed.

[forcegoat Posted Jul 16th 2010 11:32PM]

My Tribeca has wifi hot spot in it... It's called a Palm Pre and it's a lot less expensive. I do support the idea of the eventual ubiquitous web so good on ya, Subaru.

[wirtjesone Posted Jul 17th 2010 12:39AM]

I hate to point out the obvious but isnt that car in the picture a forester? come on engadget, ik your better than that.

[blacktectonic Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:14AM]

Umm, the picture is of a Subaru Forester, not an Outback. Oh well, at least there is less "nerd hate" here in this post.

[Amusednow Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:43AM]

Those are incoming tweets on the roof.

[Seieibob Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:53AM]

Hah! Oh, that's funny. Internet? In Acadia National Park? I want a toilet made of solid gold, but life isn't fair that way.

Talk about a sparsely populated national park... three quarters of the state doesn't have internet, let alone cellular internet.

[ryanbballer54 Posted Jul 17th 2010 9:50AM]

This feature is for people who have more money than they know what to do with. I mean just how connected to the internet does one need to be, especially if you already have an internet phone?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 17th 2010 11:32AM]

Isn't outback Australian English slang.
Has it been adopted into mainstream English in the US nowadays?
If so cool, we actually have cultural influence! ;P

[thegarland28 Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:46PM]

They really need to change the picture to an Outback. We don't see a Razr when talking about a Motorola Droid do we?

[SRChiP Posted Jul 18th 2010 6:44AM]

Was it me, or did he say 'Skynet mobile'

[whiskers Posted Jul 19th 2010 12:11PM]

Masshole representin'?