Boingo Releases... Pocket Boingo

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.boingo.com/download.html' target='_blank'>http://www.boingo.com/download.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Extending simple Wi-Fi network access to a new range of devices, Boingo Wireless today announced new Palm OS and Windows Mobile 2003 versions of Pocket Boingo, its Wi-Fi network access client for personal digital assistants...It not only provides easier connections to private Wi-Fi networks at home and at the office, Pocket Boingo lets users tap into the Boingo Roaming System, a worldwide network of more than 8,500 hot spots under contract, for ultra-high-speed wireless Internet access."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.boingo.com/img/homepage/ppc.gif" /><br /><br />I've never had to use Boingo's Roaming System, but if you have, or if you use WiFi frequently, you might want to check it out - it's available for download now.

[Mark Johnson]

I'm suprised at how Boingo and T-Mobile expect to have a sustainable business model with their insanely high-priced daily/monthly rates. You'd think by now there would be more progress towards a "WiFi is included in the price of your Starbucks order" approach. I remember that McDonalds was talking about this sort of thing: buy a Big Mac and get an hour of access included.

That seems a lot more rational to me. The providers make some weird arguments that "it's too infrastructure-intensive to blend the cost into the reatil sale" but that sounds absurd to me. Setting up a small "mom and pop" diner in a town requires a serious investment in air conditioning infrastructure, and costs a lot to operate on a monthly basis, but you don't see restraurants trying to open without it. They know their customers will go somewhere else. There's absolutely no good reason we should not all take the same view of WiFi: either include it as a "public facility" like air conditioning, a drinking-fountain, and restrooms, or we'll be taking our business elsewhere.

I'm amazed that both technology and business reporters have never caught onto this issue. I'm guessing that "pay per minute" internet access in restraurants and other public service outlets will eventually become about as common as coin-operated drinking fountains, or having both "air-conditioned" and slightly less expensive "non-air-conditioned" seating sections.

[foldedspace]

So what does the software do sans subscription?

[chunkymonkey75]

http://www.boingo.com/img/homepage/ppc.gif


I had no idea that you could get a 3600 or 3700 iPaq with integrated WiFi.

;)

[jimski]

I'm suprised at how Boingo and T-Mobile expect to have a sustainable business model with their insanely high-priced daily/monthly rates......

My sentiments exactly. Wonder how long it will take for big business to catch on. I for one, promise to frequent businesses that offer free WiFi. That's ANY business; fast food, grocery store, hardware store, hotel, etc., etc.

[Janak Parekh]

I had no idea that you could get a 3600 or 3700 iPaq with integrated WiFi.
I was thinking the exact same thing. ;) Maybe they have a microsleeve in the back. :P

--janak

[blot]

So what does the software do sans subscription?
I used Pocket Boingo "sans subscription" for a little bit and it basically just acts as a simple wireless sniffer.

[PPCRules]

.. You'd think by now there would be more progress towards a "WiFi is included in the price of your Starbucks order" approach. I remember that McDonalds was talking about this sort of thing: buy a Big Mac and get an hour of access included.

... There's absolutely no good reason we should not all take the same view of WiFi: either include it as a "public facility" like air conditioning, a drinking-fountain, and restrooms, or we'll be taking our business elsewhere.

WiFi popularity (read "affordability") has come just a couple years too late. If it were at this point prior to the "dot-com bust", the irrationally exuberant venture capitalists would have put free wireless all over the globe, and no-one would even think of it as a commodity to be sold. But over the past couple years, businesses have had to prove profitability before getting funding, so they give their directors these business plans where they are going to get rich from subscription fees.

I think there is starting to be more risk taken once again, and people are becoming more open to incurring expenses to attract customers to their core business. These offerings will certainly squeeze the paid services and I agree these subscription plans will probably die off, albeit possibly a slow death.