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Coin-Operated Wi-fi Basestation: Public Payphone for Net Generation?
Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 8:16 PM on June 9, 2008
This gizmo from Handlink is clearly aimed at hotels, coffee shops and other places where you may need net access, and you can't argue with the thinking in its design. Simply pop in some coins, grab the printout with your time-limited access codes, and then connect up your notebook, or phone to its 802.11b/g service. Kind of the retro-future public payphone of the internet era, it saves time from all that messing about you sometimes have to do in internet cafés. Shame it just takes coins though. No info on price or availability. [RegHardware]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Justin Goldberg
Posted July 24, 2008 7:36 AM
I doubt you'll see better data plans in our lifetime. The solution will have to be a merger of wimax and voip.
Mith
Posted 9:06 PM 9/6/08
I hope the coins don't get stuck inside the machine.. I really hate having to shake the damn things
Mith
Thunder_Child
Posted 8:57 PM 9/6/08
@djdare: If better you mean by easier to use and cheaper ok I can go with that. On the other hand I can see where these stations have both a better up/dn speed as well as no data cap.
Thunder_Child
djdare
Posted 8:42 PM 9/6/08
@Thunder_Child: I second that, also I predict a future with better data plans through cellphone providers, and no need for this...
djdare
Thunder_Child
Posted 8:34 PM 9/6/08
Coins?? the thing should have a CC slot....
Thunder_Child
DigitalSciGuy
Posted 9:26 PM 9/6/08
@Mith: That's what multi tools are useful for. Just poke the knife/saw/can opener/bottle opener around until the coin gets dislodged.
Won't be needing it in Starbucks...that's one coffee shop it won't be installed in.
I prefer this to having to juggle with accessing T-Mobile at Starbucks when I used to use it and if I can have half an hour of Internet connectivity for a dollar, I'd be happy as a clam if they installed it at Penn Station. I always find myself with extra time at terminals but don't want to create an account with every single service provider, pay the $9.99 for the 24 hours of access, and only use the Internet for 45 minutes or until whenever my train/plane departs.
DigitalSciGuy
The Magnificen7
Posted 10:18 PM 9/6/08
@Dook_In_The_Urinal: *vomits in mouth, swallows, looks at your name, vomits in mouth, passes out, dies, misses Apple keynote*
NOOOOOO!!!
The Magnificen7
Dook_In_The_Urinal
Posted 10:14 PM 9/6/08
It looks as if it should be installed in the bathroom, right next to the condoms and French Ticklers.
Dook_In_The_Urinal
redhotgo
Posted 1:55 PM 14/6/08
I wouldnt mind betting the unit will soon have paypal access like Handlinks WG-602 Hotspot in a box product. Noticed on Handlink.com.au website that an 802.11n version has just been released at Computex 2008.
redhotgo