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Friday, February 29, 2008

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iPassConnect Finally Supports Vista

- Sierra Modro

As a corporate user valiantly trying to upgrade to Vista, one last hold-out was my iPassConnect account. With the new iPassConnect version 3.60, iPass has finally launched the long-awaited support for Vista. iPass allows seamless connection to a myriad of WiFi hotspots, including all T-Mobile, so I can browse at any Starbucks I want. (Maybe I can go on a Coffee Break with jkOnTheRun) I've used iPass to connect in hotels, coffee shops, and many other places without being charged - just pay the iPass bills and get access at thousands of hotspots around the world. Although regular users can get iPass accounts, it's mostly aimed at corporate users whose companies pay the bills.

And now, only a year after Vista launched, iPassConnect supports Vista. Now, if we can only get them to support Windows Mobile 6 as well...

Technorati Tags: iPass,iPassConnect,Vista

Cool Tool | Mobile | Software

2/29/2008 12:50 PM MST

iPassConnect Finally Supports Vista Comments [8] | Digg This | del.icio.us | Citations

Friday, February 29, 2008 1:48:53 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Hmm. iPass at Starbucks? I don't know if your employer has negotiated a better deal with iPass, but the prices I have seen for T-Mobile access via iPass match exactly what I would pay directly to T-Mobile ($9.99/day, $29.99/month).

With Starbucks switching to AT&T (iPass has an agreement with them as well) and Starbucks offering 2 hrs/day free for SBux card holders, I really don't see much of a point using iPass at Starbucks going forward. In fact, given that I have an EVDO card, I tend to only use it abroad.

Oliver

Friday, February 29, 2008 2:34:26 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

True, if Starbucks were my only reason for iPass, it would be a poor deal. But I use iPass at many more places, like hotels, it's just that Starbucks is an easy to find location and pretty reliably works with iPass.

As for the 2 free hours per day at Starbucks, that appears to be for Starbucks Card holders, which appears to mean the credit card, not the gift card. :( As a Starbucks gift card holder for 7 years on automatic renewal, I feel like 2 hours a day is the least they could give me. Although they did send me a free music CD one time for being one of their best customers. Hmm...

Sierra Modro

Friday, February 29, 2008 5:43:12 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Interesting. Here in San Francisco, Starbucks is about the only place left that still charges for wireless. Virtually all the independent cafes (which are legion) offer free wireless. Even some restaurants are getting in on the free wireless kick. In my nigborhood, there's a five block stretch where each block has 1 to 2 coffee shops and all but the Starbucks offer free wireless. SF likes it's coffee (:

FeralBoy

Friday, February 29, 2008 5:57:04 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Portland OR likes its coffee too. :) But when I go visit my family in rural Indiana, both coffee and WiFi are hard to come by.

Not to mention finding a latte outside of the US. I'll grant that American lattes are a corruption of good espresso, but it tastes like home. :)

Sierra Modro

Friday, February 29, 2008 9:38:46 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

I'm sure if you're not there yet, you will soon. But getting a data card or tethering plan for your phone is so much more convenient than having to cross your fingers everytime that you will find a good WiFi connection.

And let's not even get into the security issues on WiFi...

Big D

Big D

Saturday, March 01, 2008 12:46:52 AM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Hi Sierra,
I've had ver. 1.0 installed on my Vista Biz OS since Dec of last year. It's worked like a charm. I wasn't aware Vista support for iPass was an issue.

David

Saturday, March 01, 2008 8:18:36 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Good news! Windows Mobile 6 support is coming in very early April..

Cheers...Piero DePaoli, iPass Product Marketing

Piero DePaoli

Saturday, March 01, 2008 11:22:21 PM (Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)

Sierra, from all I have read, the 2 hrs of free WiFi don't require a Starbucks VISA card, but rather just one of those prepaid cards that I have and use almost daily anyway. But it seems you get one session (of up to 2 hrs) every 24 hrs, not 2 hrs of time in as many chunks as you like...

http://blogs.computerworld.com/fine_print_on_starbucks_wi_fi

Oliver

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