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An iPod-based Guide To SF Wireless Hotspots
Ryan MacCarthy writes "On the day Apple announces the 4G iPod, BayAreaFreeFi.com announces the wiPod , an iPod-based field guide for free wi-fi hotspots in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now when you are on the road you can look up a free hotspot quickly and easily right from your iPod. No, the iPod isn't wi-fi enabled. wiPod uses the Notes functionality of the iPod OS to store the database in an easy to use format.
Enjoy!"
It would make more sense just to read the text file on your laptop or whatever device you will be using to access these networks.
It's funny, because if anyone can afford to pay for wifi; it's iPod owners.
Can the iPod connect to Wifi spots? NO! So you'll have a device that can display this information in order to make use of it, why drag the iPod into it? This whole iPod craze is getting to the point of the people who install Linux on their toaster.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
I love my iPod, but if I'm wearing it, it's because I'm (a) working out, or (b) on a long, grueling airplane trip. However, I always carry my phone/palm device, so a palm-based version of this would be convenient if I don't want to pull my laptop out of the bag...
The CB App. What's your 20?
I think the iPod-madness is getting a bit dated now. Just not long ago we have iPod going almost wireless, with the help of a PocketPC, and now this?
While it is nice to think of something innovative uses on iPod, we must also look at the practicality of such efforts.
Is there a website to record things like that? If not I'm going to start one.
Applications like this suggest a steath transformation of the iPod into a more general purpose mobile information device. Who is to say that somewhere inside Apple is not a frankenPod combo of an iPod and Airport Express wifi chipset or an Spotlight-derived information navigator that uses a Click Wheel interface. Mix in a little i of Newton, and Apple might just produce something interesting
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
It's more convenient to whip out your iPod and check for a wireless spot before you even open up your laptop. I think the same thing can be said about people who walk around with a PDA and a laptop, but for some, the iPod's PDA-like feature is good enough that they don't care for a full-blown PDA (stylus and all).
I find it so frustrating how a device can not just have a SINGLE purpose these days. Most notably I am upset at how many 'cameras' manufacturers are shoving down my throat: My Cell Phone has to be a camera, my video camera has to be a still camera too, as does my Sony Clie PDA.
Which brings me to my worry: The PDAing of the iPod. Just because something can do a task doesn't mean it is well suited for it or should do that thing. Witness that the iPod also has a calendar and contact list. Mind you, you cannot add or edit these things, but they are available for reading and syncing to your Mac's corresponding applications.
BUT WHY?
I guess the thought is that because your iPod is portable it should be able to carry around the data that might be nice to have when away from a device that should contain said data.
But doesn't it make sense to have a music player with a simple interface and a single purpose? No confusion in the marketplace. No R&D time spent adding features outside of the scope of the device. Why should my PDA have a camera and play MP3s and play full motion video? How is this part of a Personal Digital Assistant? It's like these "SUV" luxury 4x4 stationwagons. What the heck is this car-plane-boat anyway?
All this rant just to say that I think the SanFran WiFi hot spot list belongs on the laptop that could use it, or at most a WiFi PDA, but not the NON-WiFi, NON-PDA iPod. It is just dilution of the purpose of this great music player.
Now if Apple would pretty-please make a PDA again...
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Can something be that elitist when almost a million of them are sold every 3 months?
My sig is blank, I typed this by hand.
KeS
this isn't news. this isn't even interesting. oooh, someone grouped textfiles for us to read! shit, they've been doing that for decades. c'mon man, maybe if they had some kinda text2speech app that ran on the ipod, then it would be news.
perl -e '$_="\007/4`\cp%2,".chr(127);s/./"\"\\c$&\""/gees
I'm sorry, I didn't know Slashdot was exclusively a "linux" site. I thought it was a tech-related site. You might want to mod your profile to just include Linux-related posts or maybe just to ignore Apple posts if they get on your nerves enough to make ya want to rant about the editors.
just a suggestion
Judging from the replies so far to this article
it seems it piqued the ire of a facet of slashdot
that always posts some sort of "why would anyone
want to do/use/make/create something like that?!"
[well- why not?]
I wish there was a mod -5 Curmedgeon feature.
I have my own curmedgeon chunk too which said
"ooo! an ipod zealot text file. they'll feel so special. If i could only come up with something
for cat worshipers that ran on the ipod i'd be rich!"
I just moved to the san francisco from the midwest
and I've been noting a bunch of sociatal quirks that make this idea not so bad (at least for san francisco):
Public transport is big here but I have yet to see someone whip out a laptop on the public transport. playing with cel phone games, gameboy, walkman/ipod is ok, but palm pilot is quite rare. Go figure.
Riders seem to feel pretty secure and comfortable most of the time on the transport here(compared
to new york and chicago) and you can't swing a cat
around here without hitting someone wearing an ipod (also the theoretical cat would hit at least 3 dentist offices 2 optical places and 1 walgreens per revolution).
being able to look up free wi-fi on a device
i'm already carrying and using would be nice.
introducing ipod wi-fi starbucks junkies to a new
place with free wi-fi and a better atmosphere can
only be a good thing.
what the hell. i'll go repair my ipod sometime and load up the list and see how it goes.
i'll propbably print the list too.
and build a free wi-fi enabled roller coaster in
my apartment
because it would be fun.
Firefox &
I don't really see how you misunderstood me. Wifi is expensive, which is why people look for free spots. Yes, the card is ~40 bucks, but unlimited wifi on sprint or T-Mobile something else that has decent coverage is easily 40-90 bucks a month or more. In addition to a cellular bill or something.
By people 'looking for free wifi' they are admitting that paying for it is cost prohibitive, but they could still afford a laughably expensive iPod, and they live in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
These people are looking for free wifi usually because they feel 'cool' like the cheated the man or something, not because they can't afford it, or because they are extremely frugal. If they were penny pinchers they wouldn't own an iPod.
A while back I bought an Archos Gmini 20GB MP3 player for 169.99. It blows the iPod out of the water:
- built in CF reader/digital wallet
- on the fly vari-bit mp3/wav encode via built in mic or SPDIF in
- modular upgradable decompressors/players (wav, mp3,wma,etc)
- 8 hour batt life
- linux support
- NTSC JPG photo display (zoom/pan) via ext RCA cable(extensible image plugins)
- and of course, USB1/USB2 attached 20GB HD
I love it so much, I'll never understand why people buy into a 'style' branding or something. Even players that -- really -- blow the ipod out of the water, like the 40-60GB iRiver with its 16 hour battery life and bells and whistles (costing less); people buy the iPod because it 'looks cool'. It's the same people that buy the Jaguar because the lady in the commercial has a british accent, and are oblivious to the fact that it's just a fricking Ford.
However, I am glad that despite all the foaming at the mouth Applle people modding me down, the thread is still only modded down to a 4 now. Maybe you can email the link to your friends and get them in on the action; it'll be a 1 in no time!
Wifi is expensive, which is why people look for free spots.
/. post scores when you get away from a computer. Make yourself a tea.
The free spots are sprouting up all over the place, at least where I'm from. That said, it's not expensive.
If they were penny pinchers they wouldn't own an iPod.
300 bucks isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. Consider what you get: a 20GB harddrive that's just used to store music. How long do you think that is going to last your AVERAGE user? Quite a while, I would guess. Anyhow though, if you can't afford the 300 bucks, then it's simply not for you. Noone's stopping you from buying the alternatives.
iPods are very, very popular and they ARE sought out. There's a reason they have over half of the market share.
Even players that -- really -- blow the ipod out of the water, like the 40-60GB iRiver with its 16 hour battery life and bells and whistles (costing less)
You can have 'em. The iPod isn't about price and affordability, it's about being sleek, functional, and easy to use. iTunes makes the whole thing a snap for newbies. I looked at the other players back in January, but the elegant solution of the iPod sucked me in. I knew I wasn't going to use external memory, I wasn't going to record anything since I don't listen to the radio (why WOULD you listen to the radio if you have every CD in your collection on you?), battery life wasn't a big deal since I always charge my electronics at night... Anyhow, it's obviously a personal preference, but I got the iPod for ease of use, the power it gives you with the playlists and sorting via iTunes (rating songs, keeping count of how many times you've played a song, the list goes on). I'm also a very happy owner of a Powerbook and soon a G5, so the iPod was given a head start by default.
people buy the iPod because it 'looks cool'.
Yes, the iPod does look cool. Again, it's a sleek and elegant solution. It would be foolish to assume that 50% of the market would buy a product that merely "looks cool" but underperforms yet is also ridiculously expensive, yes? I'm not saying the iPod is the best portable media player, I'm just saying that it's successful for a reason, it is lusted after for a reason. The other players you mentioned are working to be something the iPod is not.
I love it so much, I'll never understand why people buy into a 'style' branding or something.
This is probably why you'll also never be hired by a company that knows how to get a steep profit margin while continuing to out-sell the competition while 99% of its customers are thrilled with its product.
However, I am glad that despite all the foaming at the mouth Applle people modding me down, the thread is still only modded down to a 4 now. Maybe you can email the link to your friends and get them in on the action; it'll be a 1 in no time!
Jesus, maybe you take the moderation a bit too much to heart. Hopefully you're not honestly insecure about your