Confessions of a WiFi Loiterer

On Monday $tarbucks announced that they will be offering free Wi-Fi at all stores nationwide beginning July 1st. Yesterday Jeff Bertolucci from PC World offered the following observation in an online piece, called Starbucks' Free Wi-Fi: Bring on the Loafers, Lazies, and Loiterers:

So, Starbucks plans to offer free wireless Internet at all of its U.S. stores starting July 1. It's a friendly gesture, certainly, one that could very well draw more customers to the coffee chain's thousands of outlets. Then again, the Wi-Fi perk may prove a little too successful, particularly if it attracts a particular breed of wireless hound.

You know the type. Offer free Wi-Fi and they will come--and never leave. Equipped with a laptop, cell phone, orthopedic backrest, and possibly even a Tupperware lunch, they'll hunker down in a leather chair or commandeer the best table--the one nearest the AC outlet, naturally. Often they seem to travel in packs; a free-Wi-Fi zone may face an infestation of laptop-toting loafers, a sea of glowing LCDs filling every corner of the coffee house. The neighborhood java hut often becomes their home office away from home.

Sure, some squatters may purchase a small latte, maybe even a bran muffin or a decaf refill after hours of loitering. But their small acts of patronage won't compensate for the ill will they generate, both in the minds of other (irate) customers who can't find an open table, and in the merchant's undernourished coffers.

My response to Jeff.. in the words spoken by Bobby D in Taxi Driver.. "You talkin to me?" Yes, I have been known to squat at $tarbucks chatting with a friend as I suck down a $3-4 latte - sometimes I am $4-thirsty and others $3-thirsty.. and I rarely buy any of their bad eats.. I mean come on.. can't they find a fresh (emphasize fresh) pastry or bagel? Or maybe a few slices of microwaved bacon? Sadly.. unlike their competitor Panera they do not.

I guess I am glad that $tarbucks finally changed their WiFi policy but I do not think that it will change my laptop loitering venue. I will probably still frequent Panera for my morning coffee and bagel - the place offers free WiFi, free refills on my coffee and food that is not stale.

How about you? Are you a WiFi loiterer? Will free WiFi attract you to $tarbucks?

WiFi on Wheels

According to this Wired article auto makers have been experimenting with the idea of web-enabled vehicles. A few excerpts from the piece:

The Japanese have had in-car connectivity since Toyota rolled out its Monet internet service in 1997. Monet was overhauled in 2002 when it was combined with Gazoo Media Services to form G-BOOK. In addition to a laundry list of vehicle targeted services, G-BOOK received a faster data link and Helpnet, Toyota’s emergency rescue service.

Honda and Nissan, not wanting to be left out, created InterNavi Club Premium and CARWINGS, while Subaru, Mazda, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi licensed G-BOOK from Toyota. The subsequent explosion of internet-enabled vehicles benefited from an advanced cellular network and a society enthralled with gadgetry.
...
As for the hardware we’ll need to make all this happen, take a look at OnStar, Uconnect and the Pro edition of Toyota’s Japan-only G-BOOK for clues. They use cellular modems with associated data accounts, and customers pay as much as $30 a month. Other systems like Ford’s Sync and Toyota’s entry-level G-BOOK use Bluetooth to share the user’s personal cellphone account. Audi’s MMI (multimedia interface) web-connected nav system takes another approach, using Bluetooth to “borrow” the SIM profile of the user’s cellphone. It doesn’t require a separate fee, but it does require the customer to have a data plan and a phone on a SIM chip.

In light of all the hubbub over texting and driving you have to wonder what legislatures are going to do with this kind of technology. I can see some application for web-enabled vehicles like downloading and playing music.. maybe a bit of driving interactions with street maps.. perhaps even some voice recognition apps.. maybe even some radio-like apps that read the news to you. But searching and browsing the internet.. watching YouTube videos.. I am not seeing it.. unless you are a passenger of course.

What applications would you like to see on a web-enabled vehicle?

WiFi Nazis

This CNet article reminded me about how some coffee shops don't like you to sit around and poach their WiFi network while you sip on their coffee.. also reminded me of the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld. Here is a excerpt from the article that is reflective of that sentiment:

A sign in Naidre's expresses the owner's emotions on the subject very clearly: "Dear customers, we are absolutely thrilled that you like us so much that you want to spend the day...but people gotta eat, and to eat they gotta sit."

Some coffee shop owners in New York even cover up electric outlets, so that the enterprising, the impoverished students, the merely very lonely or the merely very brazen cannot boot up, sip java, and take up valuable table space all day.

On occasion I mooch WiFi at one of our local Panera Bread shops.. usually in the morning as I nosh on a bagel and their dark roast juice.. and when I do I notice that they have a sign that expresses the don't-hog-the-tables sentiment. Wonder how the bottom-line of these establishments would be affected if we WiFi geeks found more inviting venues? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you :)

WiFi Poaching

Can anyone relate to this cartoon? There used to be several wireless networks within range of my house but (I just checked) and I seem to be the only game in my neighborhood. Any experience that you'd like to share?

WiFi Telecommuting

I just had to ask - can anyone relate to this cartoon?

I find that I can blog from from a coffee shop but not so much (with the exception of email) when it comes to actual work.

Anybody 'working' at Starbucks these days?

Church WiFi

Does your church offer WiFi access?

Do you think that it could be something that would attract folks to your church or inspire people to hang out?

Free WiFi at Starbucks

According to this article:

Starbucks Corp. is teaming up with AT&T Inc. and will start offering a mix of free and paid wireless Internet service in many of its U.S. coffee shops, beginning this spring.

Starbucks will give customers that use its Starbucks purchase card two hours of free wireless access per day. After that, it will cost $3.99 for a two-hour session. Monthly memberships will cost $19.99 and include access to any of AT&T's 70,000 hot spots worldwide.

I think that I may begin blogging at Starbucks this spring.. get two fixes at the same time and for the same price :)

WiFi at 30,000 Feet

Board the plane, turn off your phone ... and surf the Web
By Alexandra Marks, Christian Science Monitor

NEW YORK - Coming soon to an airplane near you: broadband.

That's right, wireless Internet service that will allow passengers to send messages, surf the Web, and, yes, check in with the boss at 30,000 feet. American Airlines is first out of the starting gate domestically. It expects to have a test plane operating by December, and its whole transcontinental fleet of 767s ready in 2008. Virgin America is close on its heels with plans to equip every seat back with high-speed capability by mid-2008. And Alaska Airlines will run a test next spring and, based on its outcome, the company hopes to outfit its whole fleet.

Vacations with Laptops

This article says one in five people toted laptop computers on their most recent vacations. Danny Sims must have his laptop with him because he is posting blog pictures on his vacation.

I have to admit that in recent years my laptop has become one of the bags that I pack when we travel. Most hotels along the way have wifi (or wired) connections and I find it helpful to have MapQuest, Picassa and other programs (okay - Blogger) available when I am on the road. Anybody else drag their laptop with them on vacation?

Free WiFi

Okay, I have to admit that I am addicted to free WiFi.

Saturday morning Ann had a wedding shower brunch in Liberty Missouri. So, after dropping her off, I sped off to Panera Bread to spend some time sipping coffee, munching a bagel and surfing the net on my Centrino powered laptop. Any other WiFi addicts out there?