As part of a promo with Delta Gogo has introduced a promo code good for the next three weeks to provide a single half-price session on their in-flight internet service.

Save 50% on a single Gogo session (except segment pass and 24hr pass) until 7/19/2009. Use code 156FLYDA.
To Use your discount on a wi-fi session:
1) Select ‘gogoinflight’ as the wireless network and launch you browser
2) Sign in or click ‘Buy’ to create a new account
3) On ‘Payment Info’ page, enter promo code in space provide (code is case sensitive)
4) Click ‘Update Total’
Thank you! And Happy Travels,
Gogo Inflight Internet

This almost makes the cost of the service reasonable.

• 3 Comments

As noted in my previous post, I had the privilege to be one of the first people to test out Virgin America’s new inflight Wifi last weekend on a special test flight over San Francisco.

I got a chance to put the service through its paces – trying things like VoIP, email, chat, video, etc. Read on for my full review and some more pictures.
Read the rest of this entry »

• 2 Comments

Virgin America is premiering their in-flight broadband internet access, which is powered by Gogo, this weekend. The service, which utilizes the Aircell network, will deliver broadband speeds at 35,000 feet, while in US airspace, allowing you to access the Internet using your Wifi-enabled laptop, PDA, or Smartphone, or through the inflight entertainment system. They plan to have the service available on all flights by the Spring of 2009, making them the first US carrier to have Wifi across their entire fleet. Preliminary pricing is set at $12.95 per flight, but this is subject to change.

Virgin plans to introduce the service during a special test flight this weekend, where they will be hosting what they claim is the “first-ever live air-to-ground video stream,” as a part of the YouTube Live streaming event. TravelTechTalk has been invited along to test out the service on the flight, and we’ll have a full rundown of the service, including speed and latency, coverage, and usability of various applications like IM and video chat, email, VoIP, VPN, and many more. We hope to be able to post preliminary reviews and photos live from the plane!

• 4 Comments

Boingo has a great wireless network for Wi-Fi access around the world.  If you’re on the road they seem to be a pretty good alternative to paying on a site-by-site basis, and it is even a decent price often just for a daily.  Well, it seems that they are pretty keen on getting more subscribers on their monthly plan rather than holding out for the daily subscribers, so they’ve cut their subscription pricing drastically, from $21.95/month to $9.95 for folks joining up now.

The key is to use promo code UNL01090USD0 when you are signing up.

Originally noted here.  Thanks!

UPDATE: Three caveats about this offer.  First is that it expires July 31st. Second is that the “unlimited monthly usage” is actually 3,000 minutes/month.  So don’t leave it logged on overnight at the hotel and you should be fine.  Third is that it is only good in North America; global roaming will cost you per minute.

• 3 Comments

The press have been covering in-flight broadband trials by Aircell for some time now. They even managed to get Walt Mossberg on a flight to test the service. But in-flight broadband is not new, and the service being offered here is (on paper) quite similar to something that was launched back in 2004; Boeing Connexion.

The Boeing system was first put into service on a Lufthansa flight on May 17th 2004. Services included Wi-Fi Internet access, streaming video to the in-flight entertainment system as well as streaming video to laptops.

Connexion ceased operation In August 2006 due to a lack of commitments from major US operators. The Connexion network still exists, but is only being offered to the US government and has been renamed the “Boeing Broadband Satellite Network”.

So, why could Aircell succeed where Connexion failed?

Read the rest of this entry »

• 0 Comments

WiMax has long been seen as a potential competitor to cellular-based data networks, allowing a combination of high speeds and reasonable range.  Plus roaming between access points is supposed to be way easier to manage than normal WiFi connections.  Of course, it also requires a whole new infrastructure to be built out and it isn’t backwards compatible with other technologies such as WiFi, so it is a bit of a hard sell to drive adoption.  Still, companies are developing solutions.  Sprint has been working on their XOHM network for a while now, with a launch expected any day now or in several months, depending on who is giving statements to the press on any given day.

Things like this seem to take off more quickly in Europe, with more densely populated cities and a populace generally more willing to adopt the new technologies.  And so it is that Amsterdam was the target of a WiMax network launch this week.  With access priced at 20 Euro per month and unlimited download capacity the offering is priced lower than most other broadband options, so they’ve got a chance to take over a decent market share.  At the same time, however, the company’s management acknowledges that unless they are able to expand their coverage area and their subscriber base pretty significantly that they won’t be able to stick around too long.

• 0 Comments

Here is a nice and simple way of getting 30 free days of T-mobile Hotspot access, without any kind of commitment.

Signup for their "pay as you go" plan, and you’ll get to try it out for a month, and after that it will convert to a pay as you use plan without any monthly fee. Pay as you go costs $6 per hour/login.

The promotion is officially intended for users of a Kodak Wi-Fi digital camera, but is open to anyone.

Product page: T-mobile Hotspot promotion (via Fatwallet)

• 0 Comments

If you have ever struggled with the login page of your Wi-Fi provider, then this application may make life a little easier.

Devicescape is a free downloadable application for your portable device (and laptop/desktop) that automates the login process of most hotspots.

Free & Open Hotspots. Instant access to millions of free and open hotspots. Devicescape will find hotspots and notify you when you’re connected to the Internet.
Automated Access. Fast, secure access to nearly 1,000 paid, university, municipal and other Wi-Fi networks worldwide. Enter your username and password once, and Devicescape will automatically connect you to that network in the future.
Personal Networks. Add your home and other personal Wi-Fi networks, and the devices that can access those networks.
Wi-Fi Buddies. Selectively and securely share your home Wi-Fi network with friends and family. And, expand your own Wi-Fi coverage with access to their networks as well

The Devicescape client is available for Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows Mobile, Nokia 770/N800/N810, Nokia Symbian phones and the Linksys WIP300 VOIP phone.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve installed the client on several of my devices and will report back with a full review in the coming week(s). If it does what it promises I’ll be mighty impressed.

Product page: Devicescape

• 0 Comments

In a previous article, I reviewed the Eye-Fi wireless 2Gb SD card.

The review showed you how the card can transfer your photos wirelessly from your camera to your PC or a variety of photo sharing sites.

Today Eye-Fi announced a new lineup of products that take their current card, and spice things up a little.

• Eye-Fi Home – transfers from camera to home PC only.
• Eye-Fi Share – transfers from camera to photo sharing sites and home PC (the same features as the current Eye-Fi card).
• Eye-Fi Explore – same features as the Eye-Fi share, but adds 1 year of Wayport hotspot access and basic Wi-Fi geotagging.

The new cards will cost $79.99, $99.99 and $129.99.

Source: Eye-Fi blog

• 0 Comments

Well, they’re calling it the Bold anyways. The latest smartphone model was announced officially overnight Sunday, and it pretty much matches what was expected based on previous Blackberry 9000 reports.

Features include:

• GPS
• HSDPA connectivity
• WiFi
• iTunes support
• 2MP camera

ATT is the US launch partner for the device, which is expected on store shelves later this summer.

With the multimedia support and HSDPA data speeds, this device is clearly a shot across the bow of Apple’s iPhone, though that one also seems to be undergoing a shift in availability and functionality, pending an official announcement, of course.

• 0 Comments