In an article from Computerworld, Mike Elgan talks about the fast spread of free Wi-Fi, not only in USA but in UK, China and other countries.
He also grills the Airlines for chanrging too much for Wi-Fi in airports.
WeFi is mentioned in this article as a phenomenon which proves that free Wi-Fi is spreading fast and will continue to spread. Basically, says Elgan, “… the demand for free Wi-Fi is driven at least as much by the hassle factor as it is the cost factor. People just want to fire up their laptops or iPhone and be online. As Wi-Fi devices, including the iPhone, BlackBerry Bold and ubiquitous netbooks go mainstream, the provision of free Wi-Fi just makes sense for business of all stripes.”
We recently heard that CableVision started to deploy a Wi-Fi network in the New York / New Jersey / Connecticut area.
The company said it will use wireless mesh technology to build a high-speed Wi-Fi network that will cover parts of its cable footprint in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The new network will take two years to complete. And the company thinks it can build it relatively cheaply spending roughly $100 per subscriber, Chief Operating Officer Thomas Rutledge said during the company’s quarterly earnings call Thursday.
Cablevision’s approach is very different from other citywide or regional Wi-Fi projects that cities and other service providers such as EarthLink have attempted. EarthLink was a leader in the citywide Wi-Fi movement, winning big contracts in cities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco. But the company pulled out of the Wi-Fi business after it realized it couldn’t make money from the service.
This is yet another step that adds more Wi-Fi networks that the WeFi community can use and share!
WeFi was selected as forum nokia application of the year!
Take a look at the video that we presented there, which won us the first place - and you all should click into YouTube and give this high ratings!
Here is the formal PR:
WEFI S60 SOFTWARE SELECTED AS 2008 FORUM NOKIA EMEA APPLICATION OF THE YEAR
The WeFi S60 software application from Tel Aviv-based WeFi Inc. has been voted by the audienceat Forum Nokia Innovation eventin Barcelona on December 1st as the 2008 Forum Nokia Europe, Middle East and Africa Application of the Year. WeFi competed in the event among applications from 10 carefully pre-selected, advanced developer companies from different parts of Europe, Middle-East and Africa.
WeFi is an application and service enhancing the Wireless Network user experience with Mobile and portable devices. It provides a high performance, open global broadband virtual wireless network by combining a community-generated database, a smart connection manager and a dynamic Access Point/Hotspot directory.
WeFi is helping make mobile Internet connections faster and easier-to-use for S60 based devices.After downloading and installing the software from WeFi’s website, www.wefi.com, when asked to choose an access point, users can simply select “Automatic – WeFi”, and WeFi will connect their device to the best connection.Users can connect to a growing list of more than 10 million Wi-Fi access points across 215 countries and territories.
“We are truly honored by this recognition.” said Uri Neeman, WeFi’s Vice President of Business Development. “WeFi has always valued innovation, quality of service, and flexibility in our service.To be recognized by Nokia at such a high level is further testament that WeFi continues to grow stronger as a leader in the wireless industry.”
WeFi CEO Zur Feldman added, “This is a great way to end what had been a fantastic 2008 for WeFi.We trust that in 2009, WeFi will continue to put open Wi-Fi on the map, literally, for millions of users around the world.”
“Nokia is proud to recognize outstanding developers from Europe, Middle-East and Africa as participants in our 2008 Forum Nokia Innovation event. Forum Nokia is dedicated to provide the technical and business support services for innovators like WeFi and is excited to continue putting applications like this in front of consumers,” said Seppo Oksa, Director, Forum Nokia EMEA. “WeFi is a great example of an innovative solution utilizing Nokia platforms and the power of the community to enhance mobile end user experience.”
About WeFi
Founded in 2006, WeFi Inc. is the creator of the world’s first open and free global Wi-Fi network. Leveraging the power of Wi-Fi, WeFi brings free wireless Internet communications to everyone, everywhere with easy-to-use downloadable software that enables automatic connection to the fastest Wi-Fi hotspot around. WeFi is a social network, whose members benefit from a free, fun and interactive experience, while helping to build a truly seamless global Wi-Fi network by mapping open access points in any given location worldwide. Established in February 2006, WeFi Inc. is backed by leading VC companies Lightspeed, Pitango and Gemini Ventures. The company is incorporated in Delaware, U.S. with R&D facilities in Israel. For additional information on WeFi, contact Uri Neeman at WeFi: uri@wefi.com, +972 37699406 or visitwww.wefi.com.
For all you people who thought flights were the last refuge, and this is the one place where you can really get offline and relax - no more!
From now, your boxx will expect you to respond to email, your girlfriend/wife/children will keep buzzing you on Skype or ICQ when you are talking to other people, and what not: Virgin America (and soon more airlines) are giving you Wi-Fi access on their flights.
Read this cool review from Gizmodo - reporting over Wi-Fi from a Virgin Flights on the 10 things you need to know, like:
#8. WiFi porn won’t be blocked by Virgin America or American Airlines (according to a test earlier this week.) But blocking porn is silly — people can easily play porn on DVDs or predownloaded files, but people generally have refrained so there’s no reason to think they’ll do otherwise now.
It seems that, like with the effect of iPhones overloading the AT&T network, T-Mobile anticipate clogged 3G networks, and try to prepare for this. Read the full story from eWeek.com here.
People - didn’t you get it yet? you will never get enough base stations up in time… you need Wi-Fi to deliver the mobile Internet these G-Phones are going to demand.
Following WeFi’s appearance in the Symbian Smartphone show - Quote:
“WeFi.com, which also demonstrated its wares at the conference, provides software that, when loaded onto a laptop or mobile device, automatically detects and qualifies all Wi-Fi access points within range and connects the user to the spot with the best Internet connection. If the WeFi software detects a new access point, it allows the user to be the first to map it. WeFi also provides users with instant messaging tools, allowing them to create a buddy list and to see where their friends are currently connected…
WeFi is community-driven, in that each person using WeFi plays a part in expanding the network. It will not take much to create a global network of free Wi-Fi connectivity, he said. And when that occurs, all users will get to enjoy using the Internet whenever and wherever they want”
WeFi Software Makes Mobile Internet Connection Fast and Easy For Symbian Users
Delaware, USA, October 20, 2008:WeFi Inc., creator of the first open, community-based global Wi-Fi network, announced today that the company has been chosen along with only seven others to demonstrate at the prestigious “Forum Nokia” zone as part of this week’s 2008 Symbian Smartphone conference. WeFi will demonstrate a version of its free software for the Nokia S60 mobile phone series, offering users automatic access to the best Wi-Fi connection available.The honor of being included at the “Forum Nokia” booth (#22) – bestowed on the most innovative software developers who maximize the value of Nokia devices - is further proof of WeFi leading the way in providing quick and easy Wi-Fi access to users around the world.
Forum Nokia partners with third-party software developers to maximize the value of Nokia devices by fostering the creation of engaging applications and services that deliver rich new experiences for end users, additional revenue flows for operators, and exciting business opportunities for developers and Web designers. Today, Forum Nokia serves a large, active software developer base with more than 3.6 million registered members, making Forum Nokia the world’s largest mobile developer network.
WeFi is effectively making mobile Internet connection fast and easy-to-use for Symbian users.After downloading and installing the free software from WeFi’s website, www.wefi.com, when asked to choose an access point, users can simply select “Automatic – WeFi”, and WeFi will connect them to the best connection.Users can also program your mobile device so that “Automatic – WeFi” is the default connection for any application.
WeFi always seeks to connect users to Wi-Fi access points where Internet access has already been verified by other WeFi-enabled devices – dubbed “community-verified spots” - in a growing network of over 7 million access points.Symbian users can also register the WeFi software on their personal computers, and then benefit from easy access to WeFi’s social networking tools, including a map of Wi-Fi access points on which they can pinpoint their friends in real-time, send messages and share photos and other information.
In addition to the WeFi service for Nokia S60 users, WeFi also offers mobile application providers advantageous integration opportunities which enable maximized user experience, faster Internet access and the reduction of data costs, by utilizing WeFi’s Global Virtual Wi-Fi network.
T-Mobile rolled out its latest device, the G1 phone which uses Android (Google’s open-source OS). Now that the hype has finally died down, here’s my take on the phone:
- it’s pretty ugly with a cheap plastic keyboard and it looks too much like all the other old devices with their cheap plastic keyboards
- the device is not really open because you can’t run VOIP apps on the 3G connection and it is SIM locked
- price: $179 with a two-year (!) contract
- the data plus voice subscription plan is convoluted and pricey
- there’s a data cap of 1GB; if you exceed this limit, T-Mobile bumps you down to the slowest speeds imaginable, turning your G1 into an ugly brick (update: T-Mobile says it is simply “reviewing” the cap).
