Use the iPhone to find free wireless while traveling

Jul 12, '07 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: papatonyinsd

This one seems obvious to me, but it's important enough to share. I am happy that my iPhone provides internet access anywhere in my city (San Diego), but of course, it's slow compared to my cable modem at home. Traveling around town and in other cities, I yearn for a faster connection.

So, let's say that I'm in a neighborhood that I'm not familiar with. I ask somebody nearby what the local zip code is (let's say, 92116), and then I go to the Maps widget on my iPhone. I type in wifi 92116 and then hit Search. Up will pop up a whole array of (usually) free wireless networks -- coffee shops, libraries, book stores. Alternatively, I can just search for a Starbucks in the area, and then walk across the street to the coffee shop that Starbucks is trying to drive out of business. The competitor will always have free wireless, while Starbucks never does. :-).

If I'm really stranded, far away from any obvious wireless access, I can just look around for a large condo complex and park in Visitor's Parking. There are usually at least a dozen wireless networks within range, and several won't be locked.

[robg adds: The Maps widget is definitely one of the iPhone's "why didn't anyone else think of this?" features; it's the one I've probably used most since getting the iPhone a week ago. No more fumbling to find some place's name or phone number while driving; pull over, tap a few letters into Maps, and you get not just a map but full contact information for most any place.]

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