Wi-Fi

AT&T today announced that LaptopConnect subscribers can now connect, free of charge, to more than 17,000 Wi-Fi hot spots nationwide. Around 7,000 of these AT&T hot spots are at Starbuck's locations while thousands more are in hotels, airports, restaurants and other locations.

LaptopConnect keeps AT&T customers connected to the Internet wherever they can make a mobile phone call with a $59.99/month DataConnect subscription. With this new Wi-Fi availability qualifying customers will receive a pop-up alerting them that they are in range of one of AT&T's hot spots. Simply

North Carolina based TapRoot Systems today announced the launch of its WalkingHotSpot software. The software is designed basically to turn your 3G smartphone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

WalkingHotSpot effectively turns any broadband enabled handset into a Wi-Fi router. You will be able to connect your notebook or any other Wi-Fi enabled device to the Internet via your phone. Many phones can already be used as modems by way of Bluetooth or a cable connection. WalkingHotSpot is much

Apparently the citizens of Sebastopol, California know something that the rest of don't or are very fearful of new technology. Last week the Sebastopol City Council voted to back out of an agreement with Sonic.net that would have provided free Wi-Fi for the entire Sonoma County town of about 8,000.

According to mayor Craig Litwin, town residents voiced concern over possible adverse health effects from increased radiofrequency signals. He did, however, thank Sonic for a "very nice gesture."

There is really no evidence on which these fears are based. In fact, according to Sonic CEO Dane

Demand for internet service during flights has been growing rapidly and it seems that the competition is finally beginning. In recent months several U.S. airlines including American Airlines, Continental, Virgin America, Southwest, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines have announced plans to provide internet access on some routes. The airlines will employ different strategies, in terms of delivery and pricing, as this new market develops.

American Airlines and Virgin America plan to provide Internet access via Aircell's gogo service. This system uses EV-DO Rev A to deliver broadband service at rates up to 2 Mbps while over continental North America. According to Aircell, basic pricing will be $12.95 for cross-country trips and $9.95 for

Yesterday, in his keynote speech at the Computer Audit, Control and Security Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson's chief marketing officer Johan Bergendahl predicted that the end is near for Wi-Fi. He likened Wi-Fi hotspots such as Starbucks to the largely extinct phone booth, and points to the rapid growth of mobile broadband as the reason for his prognosis.

Bergendahl looks to European countries such as Austria, Sweden and Denmark for his forecast of Wi-Fi's demise. He points out that mobile broadband is expected to surpass fixed broadband in Austria this year and the most popular phone in Sweden is a USB modem. The low price (around $30 USD) of