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Starbucks reveals plans for a Digital Network, made up of 'exclusive and premium' digital content
Free WiFi not enough of an enticement to get you to step into a Starbucks? Don't worry, the ubiquitous frappuccino purveyor has another card up its mocha-stained sleeve. Beginning this fall, Starbucks locations will be enriched with a new Digital Network, a freely accessible portal unto exclusive content from some of the more highbrow providers. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today will flesh out the news offering, Yahoo will pick up business and career duties, and Apple's iTunes will provide free downloads to sate entertainment needs. Curiously enough, nobody is exchanging any cash up front -- Starbucks isn't paying for this and neither are you -- but the trick is as always to try and upsell you on to even more premium goodies, in which case the coffee chain and content provider have a revenue-sharing deal in place to split the profit. Doesn't sound like the worst idea in the world to us, bring on the freebies!
Starbucks begins offering free two-click WiFi access in US and Canada
Mmm... nothing like the smell of a warm caramel macchiato in the morning being masked by the smell of fresh greenbacks being burned, right? All jesting aside, we're pretty stoked about the world's most recognized coffee joint turning off the paywall surrounding its in-house WiFi hotspots, and in case you missed the original announcement, we're here to remind you that the free-for-all begins today. As of this very moment, the next US / Canadian corporately-ran Starbucks that you enter should be offering free one two-click WiFi, meaning that no password is required and no time limits will be set. Of course, this also means that you'll never see an open chair in any Starbucks ever again, but hey -- that's why sidewalks were created, right? Update: Ha, as our good friend Dave Zatz points out, it's actually two-clicks, not one: 1) agree to terms and services, 2) connect. But let's not let the facts ruin a snappy press release.
Starbucks sets its own Independence Day: free WiFi for all starting July 1st
Starbucks has been providing gratis WiFi to iPhone users and AT&T subscribers for years now, but everyone else has been conveniently shunned. All that's fixing to change on the first of July, with the famed coffee shop announcing via Twitter that WiFi will be completely free to all patrons in around a fortnight. Show up, pop your collar, have a seat, look sexy, sip gently and initiate a single click to get online. It'll be as easy as blowing $7 for a warmed beverage that you've never been too fond of, anyway. [Thanks, Paul]
Samsung CL80 will come with three months free Boingo WiFi, oh joy
While we're still waiting for Sammy's 14 megapixel, WiFi-enabled point-and-shoot to make its stateside appearance, it seems it won't be lacking for software when it crosses the pond -- this week, ubiquitous hotspot host Boingo announced that its service will be preinstalled on every new Samsung CL80 and ST5500, and the cameras will come with three free months of use. After that point, you'll still be able to upload your pictures from Starbucks, never fear -- you'll just have to pay $8 monthly for the privilege. PR after the break.
McDonald's starts dishing out free WiFi at most of its U.S. restaurants
McDonald's promised that it would be make its in-restaurant WiFi service available for free in "mid-January" and, right on cue, it's now kicked things open to everyone with a laptop and a fast food craving starting today, January 15th. That service previously cost customers $2.95 for two hours of use, and it's already available at 11,500 of the company's 14,000 locations. Incidentally, that also makes McDonald's one of the largest providers of WiFi hotspots (free or otherwise) in the United States, with the company itself claiming that no less than 16% of reported WiFi hotspots in the U.S. are located at McDonald's.
McDonald's WiFi will be free like obesity starting January
If you live in small-town America then you're already familiar with the hippest hangout around: McDonald's. Now everyone in the US, not just Zune owners, will be treated to free WiFi to go with their manufactured food purchases. Starting mid-January, some 11,000 Mickey Dee locations will partner with AT&T to scrub the $2.95 for 2-hours of WiFi fee according to David Grooms, CIO of McDonalds USA. The idea is to hook the nation's loitering youth into purchasing additional items in between Facebook updates chronicling late-night brawls with local rent-a-cops. Thank gawd there's a middle-aged man-clown out there who likes to babysit children.
Borders pulls a B&N, offers free WiFi to all patrons
In the gory, never-ending war for book store supremacy, Borders has just tapped Verizon in order to match Barnes & Noble's summer efforts to bring gratis WiFi to all who enter. Details of the arrangement are scant, but the takeaway is this: in "virtually all" of its more than 500 stores nationwide, Borders is hooking up with Verizon to bring free internet to anyone who sashays in (note: you literally have to dance upon entering) with a WiFi-enabled device. The service is expected to be fully rolled out by mid-October, giving you plenty of time to select the scarf and skinny jeans you'd like to be seen in by your fellow hipsters.
Barnes & Noble switches to free WiFi, just the thing for your e-book reader
Barnes & Noble and AT&T already went ahead and offered free WiFi to iPhone users (and everyone else, albeit inadvertently) last year, and it's now finally gone and given up on those pesky subscription fees altogether. As the pair of companies jointly announced today, that new and welcome change is now already in place at all Barnes & Noble stores in the US that offer WiFi, and the bookstore is not-at-all-coincidentally taking advantage of the opportunity to promote its recently launched eBookstore, to say nothing of its forthcoming e-book reader. Last we heard, they still have actual books and stuff there, too.
AT&T officially delivers free WiFi to BlackBerry / iPhone users
We thought we'd heard the last of this whole AT&T / Starbucks WiFi deal yesterday, but alas, we were terrifically mistaken. AT&T has come forth today with two fluffy press releases that flesh out the details, and amazingly, there are some inclusions that we weren't made aware of yesterday. For starters, all iPhone / iPhone 3G customers will now have free (and seemingly limitless) access to AT&T WiFi hotspots across the US -- we're talking Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, the whole lot. Additionally, the carrier has welcomed select BlackBerry users -- that's the Bold for now, the Pearl 8120 / 8820 "later this year" -- into the same deal, though the official verbiage mentions that an "unlimited data plan" is required. If you didn't make the cut this time, fret not -- AT&T has plans to invite "more mobile devices" into the fold here shortly.Read - Free AT&T WiFi on iPhone / iPhone 3GRead - Free AT&T WiFi on BlackBerry
AT&T sending out SMS to confirm free iPhone WiFi at Starbucks
Oh, so you know what's hot, huh AT&T? Is flipping the on / off lever back and forth a gazillion times on this finicky Starbucks iPhone WiFi plan hot? Because it feels downright cold over here. While we can only hope and pray that this is the signal to finally close the book on this ridiculous saga, AT&T users all over the US are receiving text messages from AT&T confirming that free Starbucks WiFi (for iPhone owners) is on. Reportedly, the message indicates that their iPhone purchase gives them access to two hours of gratis use per day, though we'd go in with the lowest possible expectations in order to not be let down (again). Good luck, mettlesome ones.[Thanks, Boy Genius]
Akron, Ohio to provide free citywide WiFi, inevitably fail within a few years
Municipal WiFi systems in the US have been pretty much failures across the board, but the good people of Akron, Ohio are apparently in for another go-round -- the city's just committed some $800,000 to build out a free wireless network over the next five years. The service will be installed and operated by a nonprofit called OneCommunity, which just received a $4.5M grant as part of a $25M commitment from the John S. and John L. Knight Foundation to implement digital access projects in 26 cities. The University of Akron has kicked in another $350,000, since the signal will cover its campus as well as the downtown area -- all in, some 90,000 residents and 31,000 workers will get access through the project. The network will start lighting up in the next year -- let's hope it fares better than other city WiFi projects.[Thanks, Glenn]
McDonald's no longer offering free WiFi to DS users
It's a crying shame (okay, not really), but the long-standing availability of free WiFi to Nintendo DS users in Mickey D's is now over. Apparently the contract that enabled the access has expired, and there's no signs of a renewal happening in the US or Canada. Of course, if you're incredibly desperate to kick some tires online while treating yourself to a supersize medium order of fries and a vanilla cone, you can fetch the Nintendo DS web browser add-on or WiFi USB Connector from the second-hand market and carry on. We, however, see this as a perfect excuse to avoid the temptations that lurk underneath the Golden Arches.[Via DS Fanboy]
AT&T offering free WiFi to Laptop Connect and smartphone users?
According to the Boy Genius, it's not just iPhone users that will be getting / not getting the telco's WiFi on the house -- the company has plans to offer use of its hotspots for free to Laptop Connect and smartphone users. An internal memo from the provider appears to state that effective May 20th, anyone with a $60 or higher Laptop Connect plan will be able to take a ride on AT&T's networks in 17,000 locations, and the service will be extended to smartphone users later in the year. Of course, the company hasn't exactly wowed us with its rollout of this service for iPhone customers, so don't be surprised if nothing goes the way it's planned.
McDonald's offering up free WiFi in UK restaurants
We'll admit it: we've definitely surfed for free while (shamefully) putting down a Big Mac before here in the US, but McDonald's fans across the UK can now look forward to doing the same. Reportedly, the fast-food giant has announced that it would "offer free wireless internet access across its 1,200-strong restaurants in the UK, making it the country's biggest provider of free wireless broadband access." Take that, Starbucks.[Image courtesy of BBC]
FCC turns down M2Z's free WiFi proposal
Not that it comes as much of a surprise, but the FCC today rejected upstart M2Z's request for a 20MHz slice of the 2155MHz to 2175MHz spectrum, which it had hoped to use for a free, nearly nationwide WiFi service. To that end, M2Z was trying to convince the FCC to bypass its usual proceedings and hand over the spectrum to it for free. In exchange, as Ars Technica reports, M2Z promised to pay five percent of its gross revenues to the US Treasury each year and, as an added touch, it also promised to filter any "objectionable content" crossing those free airwaves. Apparently keen on that idea, a number of other companies tried to get in on the action as well, but were likewise turned down by the FCC. For its part, the FCC now seems intent on proceeding as usual with the spectrum, with Chairman Kevin Martin saying he'll consider both licensed and unlicensed uses for the band, adding that he promises to "adopt flexible rules that will encourage the innovative use of this unique piece of spectrum."[Via AHN]
Time Warner partners with FON, customers to get free WiFi
Just like it has in so many other instances, Fon has coaxed yet another company into signing the line, and this time it's Time Warner (parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) taking the bait. While the two firms had been in talks for some time regarding a potential partnership, today the duo made things official by announcing that "Time Warner Cable subscribers could become Fon community members and create Fon access points via their home or business broadband connection." Additionally, "the same subscribers would enjoy free WiFi access around the world, wherever Fon has partner ISPs," but the bulk of said partners sadly aren't found on American soil. Still, you won't find us bickering about free internet access, but for those anxious to hear details about this endeavor, it sounds like they'll be testing your patience; there was no word as to how soon TWC customers would be able to join the Fon bonanza, but we're sure that bombarding your local office with these inquiries could get the ball rolling.
Utah lawmakers condemning open WiFi networks
We've already seen where mooching off an open WiFi signal can land you in Singapore, but are we really to that point here in the US of A? Apparently, Utah lawmakers are considering "penalizing those who leave their wireless networks open" as they trial "various methods of quelling free speech controlling questionable internet content." The paranoid officials are seemingly attempting to "reward ISPs that self-police access to pornography," as the primary concern seems to stem from open signals leading to unmonitored porn surfing by kiddos under 18. Interestingly, one proponent of the plan actually goes so far as to criticize the "unregulated internet," presumably suggesting that a world of controlled, censored, and dictated material would create a much more amicable environment. Still, one (level-headed) local ISP owner stated that shutting down free WiFi zones would damage Utah's reputation, as it would appear as a locale that "is restricting technology rather than expanding it." Truthfully, we tend to agree.[Via Wired]
It's official: San Francisco to get free WiFi blanket courtesy of Google / EarthLink
Ah Google, where would we be without you? Instead of answering that, we'll just say that the search giant (and future world dominator?) has landed yet another smile-eliciting deal, and this time it's the San Franciscans getting the spoils. While the deal between the city of San Francisco and Google / EarthLink has been brewing for quite some time, city officials have (finally) "finalized a contract that will enable EarthLink to build a citywide wireless network and allow Google to provide free internet access." With an estimated one million or so folks to benefit from the implementation, things are looking good if you've been itching for everywhere-WiFi and happen to live in SF, and while EarthLink still plans on offering a "fee-based premium service," Google is looking out for the little guy by dishing out the free stuff. Apparently, no hard pricing figures nor rollout dates have been set just yet, but things should start moving along relatively soon if Google has anything to do with it, as a statement released by the company stated its intent to "to see the service go live as soon as possible" -- now that's what we're talking about. [Warning: PDF Link][Via CNET]
FCC rules to reinstate free WiFi at Boston-Logan International Airport
Although the Federal Communications Commission isn't exactly known for ruling in favor of popular consumer desire, even we have to give a hearty round of applause to the traditionally nettlesome agency for its edict in the WiFi battle at Boston-Logan International Airport. The Massachusetts Port Authority (better known as Massport) had ordered airlines that were providing wireless internet free of charge in their customer lounges to pull the plug in favor of fee-based services in 2005, but as we expected, the FCC overturned the pronouncement and agreed that the agency's "OTA reception devices regulations" allowed airlines to offer WiFi gratis. In a staggeringly pro-consumer remark, the Commission's commissioner insinuated that open internet access was meant to be free and readily available to travelers "who can make productive use of their time while waiting to catch their next flight." Bravo FCC, bravo.
California State Assembly mandates WiFi warnings
Just in case you didn't already know how to "secure" (ish) your home WiFi network, the California State Assembly is making sure that you do. Assuming the Governator signs Assembly Bill 2415, starting October 1, 2007, your new neighborhood-friendly WiFi router sold in California will have to come with a security warning, a sticker, or "other protection" to alert consumers to the ultra-scary problem of "piggybacking." As the bill puts it, piggybacking, is "becoming a serious issue for people who reside in densely populated areas." Funny, because we always thought that free access was the best part about the democratization of WiFi, and most definitely not a "serious issue" -- but leave it to the California State Assembly to spoil our fun. [Via Reuters, thanks, David]
