If your work environment consists of coworkers constantly yelling “venti half-caf red eye” across the “office,” then you’ll be pleased to know that Starbucks has made it faster and easier to get online. By extending its free one-click two-click WiFi service to 650 stores in the UK, over caffeinated Brits will now be able to access gratis internet without having to sign up for a Starbucks Rewards card — a former requirement on the coffee conglomerate’s BT Openzone network. Now, if we could only find a chair…

Continue reading Starbucks brews up free, two-click WiFi in the UK

Starbucks brews up free, two-click WiFi in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phones approved by the FCC are seldom so upfront about the OS they run on, but HTC decided to go against the status quo in its latest filing to the government agency. A quick perusal of the FCC filings show a handset tested for 850 / 1900 GSM — standard 2G bands for AT&T and T-Mobile — and no WCDMA frequencies in the US. There’s one detail in the docs, however, that stands out like a sore thumb: this device, the HTC PI39110, is listed as a Windows Phone. What’s more, the paperwork also mentions the inclusion of a “WiFi hotspot,” which likely is the mobile hotspot feature confirmed to be supported by Mango. HTC hasn’t announced any devices that run on the updated OS yet, but this particular gem could very well be the long-rumored Eternity. While it probably won’t make its way to the US, this is at least a solid indicator that Windows Phone 7.5 is coming soon to more parts of the globe.

HTC pushes a Windows Phone through FCC, Mango launch close at hand? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still fuming over that 3DS price drop despite the Big N’s conciliatory make-goods? If you happen to be a resident gamer in the UK, tack some 5,000 free WiFi hotspots onto the company’s apology. According to a report from International Business Times, the service, backed by BSkyB-controlled The Cloud, goes live today, bringing users access to all the console’s usual online features and should come in handy when in-game DLC becomes available later this year. No doubt the move from Nintendo’s British outfit is intended to add a little purchase incentive to the DS’ underwhelming successor, as well as boosting the gaming giant’s own declining earnings. No matter, with twenty free games and gratis WiFi — it’s looking good to be an early adopter.

Nintendo opens 5,000 free WiFi hotspots across the pond, connects your 3DS to The Cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast teamed up with Clearwire to bring WiMAX to the masses a couple of years ago, and now the company is jumping on the bandwidth-sharing bandwagon by offering a mobile hotspot. It’s the same Novatel 3G/4G MiFi from Sprint that’s been putting internet access in our pockets for a month, only this one sports an Xfinity badge and cheaper price tag. While the Now Network version costs $80, Comcast’s Internet 2go customers get the device for $25 on a one-year contract. Plus service is only $40 a month for the same Clearwire coverage that costs $50 from Sprint. Sounds like a winning WiMAX combination to us.

Continue reading Comcast launches Xfinity 3G / 4G MiFi for $25

Comcast launches Xfinity 3G / 4G MiFi for $25 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get ready G2 owners because it looks like an OTA update will begin distribution on November 3rd (yes, that’s today) to flip the switch on WiFi tethering and T-Mobile’s WiFi Calling for Android feature. The anticipated update lets G2 owners make voices calls and send SMS messages from WiFi networks without a femtocell thus conserving their monthly contractual network allotments — something that could prove very beneficial at home. It also includes WiFi hotspot tethering (a native part of the Android 2.2 Froyo OS) although T-Mobile won’t have data plans ready at the same time. In other words, enjoy your free WiFi tethering while it lasts.

T-Mobile G2 WiFi calling and tethering update begins rolling out today? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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