NYT: My Life B.W., Before Wi-Fi

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?ref=circuits' target='_blank'>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/t...ml?ref=circuits</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I RECENTLY arrived at a hotel about an hour before a room would be available. So I sat in the lobby and opened my laptop. Just as I expected, a message popped up on my screen. “Do you want to join the wireless network ‘Free Lobby Wi-Fi?’ ” I clicked Yes, and off I went to E-mail Land...As I waited for a big file to download, I was suddenly taken aback. “Just as I expected?” I’d actually taken it for granted that I’d get online in three seconds, at no charge, at high speed and with a single mouse click? Why, to any normal person of, say, 1995, that would be considered a freaky, utopian, futuristic miracle. I know because I was one. (A normal person in 1995, not a futuristic miracle.)"</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20060929-PogueInternet.jpg" /><br /><br />Thus begins a very cute little story (great for Friday OT reading, although a free NYT reg is required) by David Pogue, lead technology columnist for the New York Times, about his experience before the days of pervasive Internet access, back when Internet access in some places meant acoustic couplers and <i>lots</i> of crossed fingers -- such as on his honeymoon in Indonesia. And now that I think about it, those day seem really distant; I'm essentially bathed in Internet access, even when I was sitting in the lobby of a small hotel in Italy a few weeks ago. How time flies... have a great weekend, everyone!

[BoxWave]

"I RECENTLY arrived at a hotel about an hour before a room would be available. So I sat in the lobby and opened my laptop. Just as I expected, a message popped up on my screen. “Do you want to join the wireless network ‘Free Lobby Wi-Fi?’ ” I clicked Yes, and off I went to E-mail Land...As I waited for a big file to download, I was suddenly taken aback. “Just as I expected?”

Enjoyed the read, thanks Janak. That snippet sold me :P.

[Brad Adrian]

It's funny how rapidly our opinions and expectations can change so rapidly. It wasn't that long ago that very few businesses had any kind of Web page; now, if a company doesn't have at least some form of transaction-capable site, I find myself questioning my willingness to do business with it. And, I've gone from HOPING that a hotel will have some kind of high-speed access, to planning my trips to stay at only those that do, to essentially assuming that any hotel charging more than $3.00 per night has in-room wireless access.

[Janak Parekh]

And, I've gone from HOPING that a hotel will have some kind of high-speed access, to planning my trips to stay at only those that do, to essentially assuming that any hotel charging more than $3.00 per night has in-room wireless access.
Unfortunately, this is still not universally true internationally. However, it's not hard to find hotels that have, at least, high-speed wireless access in the lobby, which is far superior to the bad old days of expensive dial-up.

--janak

[Steve Jordan]

I find myself thinking about this on vacations, too... whether to rent a house for a week that is more comfortable but does not have wireless, or go with a hotel room that does. Without wireless, I have to connect my old cellphone to my laptop, and deal with 14.4 speeds to the web... good for e-mail, but a drag for any other web site. It makes a difference, if a caveat of your vacation is that you will have to have at least some access to e-mail or other web sites, as I often do.

On the other hand, this might just drive me to a web-capable smartphone, and largely solve the problem that way.

[Joelacrane]

Makes you kinda wonder... what's next?

[juni]

Even though a hotel might advertise free wifi it doesn't mean it always works. When we went to the US last summer we did an overnight stay in NYC before continuing.

The near La Guardia airport hotel advertised wifi, but we couldn't connect. A call to the reception enilghtened us to the fact that you have to either be in the bathroom or very close to the door to the room to have it work. :D

[Steve Jordan]

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid that you must be face Bagdad, stand on one foot, place your left hand on your right elbow, your right arm in front of you, and repeat three times: 'Bottle to Genie... Genie to Master... Master to Mecca... Ramda!'"

How's that for a magic technology?

[Joelacrane]

Just get an Orrinco PCMCIA card and make a Cantenna out of a pringles can. Then you could get WiFi out in the parking lot with ease.

Lol!

[Janak Parekh]

The near La Guardia airport hotel
Well... that's your problem, right there. :lol:

--janak

[burtcom]

This year I got to go to San Francisco twice -- the first time I stayed at a small family-run hotel just north of the Square and enjoyed free Wifi -- good coverage in the lobby, so-so in the room.

the second time I stayed at a business hotel -- the "juke-box" Marriot just north of Moscone. Surprisingly, there was no free Internet access at all! Wifi and in-room wired was all pay by the day.

Is this normal for business hotels?

Next door, the Metreon (where they have gaming stores and theatres) advertises free wi-fi -- but I could never get a connection.

[Janak Parekh]

Is this normal for business hotels?
It's certainly not uncommon. It's extra money for them, and the folks who stay at business hotels will usually pay for it.

--janak

[Steve Jordan]

I just spent the weekend at a Motel 6 (no comments, please), whose website advertises that "all rooms have dataports." What I discovered once there was a standard phone jack, waiting for you to plug in your modem! How 20th century! I almost checked out to find another place.

[disconnected]

From what I've seen, most of the major chains offer free internet (ethernet and/or wireless) in their lower priced brands, but charge for it in their higher priced brands. For example, it's ten dollars a day in Marriott hotels, but free in Marriott Courtyards. Actually, over the last few years the Courtyards have improved so much that they're often nicer than the regular Marriotts -- I love that they now have outlets by the bedside lights so I don't have to crawl around on the floor and unplug the clock radio so I can plug in my iPAQ.

[Jason Lee]

I love that they now have outlets by the bedside lights so I don't have to crawl around on the floor and unplug the clock radio so I can plug in my iPAQ.

Yeah that is nice.. but i still have to unplug the clock so i can charge my ppc, gps, bluetooth headset.. :lol:

[Joelacrane]

In my room, i have a scanner, printer, computer, three monitors, speakers, laptop, wireless router, Axim cradle, a lamp, and fan, and an R/C car charger all running off four power outlets with various splitters and powerstrips.

My room is wired in series, and there is something wrong with the third outlet, all the way around the room to the 5th outlet. Dad wont let me try to fix it myself, and he doesnt have time, so i think it is going to be like this until i leave for school next summer. Oh well.

[disconnected]

I love that they now have outlets by the bedside lights so I don't have to crawl around on the floor and unplug the clock radio so I can plug in my iPAQ.

Yeah that is nice.. but i still have to unplug the clock so i can charge my ppc, gps, bluetooth headset.. :lol:

Yes, I had that problem too, but I actually travel with an extension cord now. :) I generally plug that into the desk lamp; the only thing that can't be out of reach from the bed is my iPAQ.

[Cybrid]

Family vacation
Room $229
4 PPC's, 4 phones, Camcorder, Wife's straightener,... $$$$

Unplugging every power jack ...in the room...priceless.

[Janak Parekh]

In my room, i have a scanner, printer, computer, three monitors, speakers, laptop, wireless router, Axim cradle, a lamp, and fan, and an R/C car charger all running off four power outlets with various splitters and powerstrips.
Yeah, our office is something like that. We have 7 computers in here, a refrigerator, 4 monitors, a multifunction printer/scanner/fax/copier, two halogen floorstanding lamps, four 4.1 and one 5.1 speaker sets, lots of random chargers... and they all chain into a few power strips. You trip over one of them, half the stuff in the room turns off. 8O The cleaning person has to be careful to use a particular plug, else the circuit breaker flips.

I've also done the travel unplug-stuff-around-room trick. It was much worse in my hotel room in Italy a month ago -- there were zero empty plugs to start with. :?

--janak