Nextel Launches National Hotspot Service
U.S. wireless operator Nextel Friday rolled out a service giving subscribers unlimited access to more than 7000 hotspots in North America.

The company isn't developing the hotspots on its own but, rather, is unleashing its WiFi HotSpot service in partnership with Boingo Wireless, the company said in a statement. Boingo has an extensive network of hotspots worldwide, but Nextel users will only have access to the vendor's North American hotspots, a spokesperson said.
http://www.notepage.net/blog.htm#198

Happiness is...
...having a two hour layover with free wifi. Thanks Edmonton International Airport and Travelnet Technologies.
http://www.librarystuff.net/2005/06/happiness-is.html

Who's Cool Today? Orlando Drops Wi-Fi
Orlando, Flor., drops downtown free hotspots: The city ran the free hotzone for 17 months but found just 27 people a day used them. The service cost ,800 per month, which seems like a typo--something of the scale described should cost just a few hundred a month to operate....

http://wifinetnews.com/archives/005436.html

United To Add WiFi to Domestic Flights
It's about time! I can't believe it's 2005, and we're just now looking at WiFi becoming commonplace on domestic flights.
http://weblogs.macromedia.com/cantrell/archives/2005/06/united_to_add_w.cfm

Open Park and the Smithsonian

The Washington Post is covering the story about the Smithsonian's refusal to allow Open Park, a non-profit I co-founded, provide free WiFi connectivity on the Mall in Washington DC. We were quite disappointed when the Smithsonian pulled an about-face and abruptly denied access to its rooftops. Open Park's proposal would cost the museum nothing, and would faciliate many of the Smithsonian's articulated goals.

Please show your support for Open Park -- call your Congressman!

Beyond Wi-Fi: Laptop Heaven but at a Price

Free registration required to read the article. “PLENTY of technologies can get you online wirelessly these days, but there’s always a catch. Wi-Fi Internet hot spots are fast and cheap, but they keep you tethered to the airport, hotel or coffee shop where the hot spot originates. A Bluetooth cellphone can get your laptop online, but at the speed of a slug. And smoke signals - well, you know. The privacy issues are a nightmare….

Direct and Related Links for 'Beyond Wi-Fi: Laptop Heaven but at a Price'

Wireless Carriers Getting Behind Converged WiFi-Bluetooth
Ecommercetimes.com - Fri Jun 10, 12:41 am GMT
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/43692.html

Poll ranks Austin 3rd among top WiFi cities
Chron.com - Sun Jun 12, 06:27 am GMT
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3221034

Who's Hot Today? Cincinnati; Henderson, Ky.; Tokyo; Marshalltown, Iowa
Cincinnati, Ohio, tries sponsorship model: A small firm in Cincinnati is gathering sponsors to fund free Wi-Fi in a number of places around town. Roadrunner is handling installation. The article describes the founder calling it a public/private partnership, but it's all private businesses involved so far, although they will apparently be gaining access to public buildings and spaces to deploy the hotspots. Henderson, Kentucky, just in time for blues festival: Downtown Henderson has free Wi-Fi at the riverfront and two parks. This allows visitors to W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival to have Wi-Fi with their ribs. Tokyo, Japan, will have 2,200 power-line mounted access points: The Livedoor Company is setting up the network around Tokyo charging less than per month (¥525) for unlimited access. Fuji Television will use the service to send video back from Tokyo locations to its studios. It commences in late July within what's described as the entire JR Yamanote Loop Line commuter train's service area by October. Lievdoor wants 1 million customers. They'll invest ¥700 million (US.5 million), but plan ¥10 to ¥15 billion (US to million) for a national service. [link via Keio Oyama] Marshalltown, Iowa, puts out 20 blocks of Wi-Fi--first free hotzone in the state? Esme Vos writes about Marshalltown, Iowa, which is claiming bragging rights for the first free Wi-Fi hotzone offered by an Iowa city. It's a 50-50 public/private partnership behind the group that's installed the service. Businesses and government are collectively trying to make the town for attractive to development....

Rumor: New Tungsten Handheld Images
Engadgethas posted some images of what looks to be an upcoming Tungsten handheld from palmOne. The images show a Tungsten T5 shaped model with built in WiFi dubbed the Tungsten XX.
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=7932