Starbucks to Offer Free Wi-Fi

Starbucks made a big announcement today. As of July 1st, the company will be offering free Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi will be provided by AT&T and is available for any Starbucks customer with the simple click of a button. Starbucks CEO Howard D. Schultz made the announcement today at a press conference in New York. According to The New York Times, he described it as "a way to bridge the online world and real-world coffee outlets."

Ironically, most coffee shops already offer free Wi-Fi. Starbucks is a little late to the game. Starbucks customers could buy and registered a Starbucks card that would allow them two hours of internet access. Beyond those two hours, or if you did not have the card, you had pay $3.99 per two hours.

On the other hand, the coffee shops who do have free internet access seem to be working on telling customers who use their tables as their own personal offices to get out sooner rather than later. Whether they are posting signs telling customers they must purchase something if they plan to stay or covering power outlets with tape so that people may not charge their laptops up, most less recognizable shops are doing just the opposite of what Starbucks is about to offer.

Currently, Starbucks says their customers usually use about an hour of Wi-Fi on average. They don't expect that number to change, even with the free Wi-Fi. Stephen Gillett, the chief information officer at Starbucks, as well as the general manager of Digital Ventures, a business unit created by Starbucks, will manage the network.

So, is Starbucks' move just a way to drive the economy? In January, after announcing a same-store sales increase of 4% after many months of declines, Starbucks said the improvements are due to its "role as an office for the unemployed." The company said many people use their stores as a place to work on resumes or work on freelance writing jobs.

In addition to the new free network, Starbucks is partnering with Yahoo to give customers more digital content. The Starbucks Digital Network will give customers free access to sites such as The Wall Street Journal, as well as allowing downloads from sites such as iTunes. Customers will also get content from sites such as Zagat, and Patch by AOL.

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Get the Most From Your Laptop With Free Downloads

Most people want to get the most from their laptops, but many do not know how. More importantly, most people don't know how to do it for free! Yes, there are free downloads out there that can help you with everything from battery life to Wi-Fi. They'll definitely make your life a lot easier! Let's take a look a some of them:

Battery Managers - It seems as though every laptop owner has a gripe about their battery, whether you don't think your battery has enough power or you lose power too quickly, the following downloads will help you keep track of battery life and maybe even get more power out of your charge.

• BattCursor - This program shows your remaining battery life on your mouse cursor so you don't have to to continued checking how much is left, over and over again. You have your cursor's color and transparency change based on the power level. It also offers lots of little extras including tips on how to improve battery life.
• BatteryBar - If you don't like the idea of your cursor or pointer displaying battery info, this alternative hows up on your taskbar. It shows exactly how much power you've already used and how much you have left. You can decide if you want it to show your battery life in percentage or minutes and when you hover the mouse over the bar, it'll show you even more info, including capacity, discharge rate, battery wear, and how much total capacity your battery has per charge.

Wirless-Networking Utilities - Most laptop users connect wirelessly. Here are a couple of downloads that can help you find a wireless connection and keep you safe when connected.

• Hotspot Shield - Anytime you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, whether you're in a restaurant or an airport, you put yourself at risk for hackers. Criminals can find your data packets, invade your computer, and steal your log in information for a number of websites. This programs keeps you safe by encrypting your connection so no one else can read your information. It's easy to install but it will change your homepage and add toolbars to your computer if you're not careful.
• WeFi - This program not only helps you find Wi-Fi hotspots to connect to, it also helps you find people to connect to, as well. Upon installation, the program lists nearby hotspots along with their information (signal strength, encryption info, etc.). To connect, all you have to do is click it. It also allows you to connect to people who are connected to the hotspots near you and get in touch with them via the program. It can also help aid in secure browsing.

USB Flash Drives - You may rely on USB flash drives to make your information portable but do you ever worry that your files aren't compromised or lost if your computer goes nuts? These programs can do just that...and then some.

• PortableApps - If your software leaves you with very little hard-disks space, this program will provide you with smaller alternatives. It comes with antivirus utility, a small version of Firefox, OpenOffice (an alternative to Microsoft Office), and other programs that can clear up some of your space. It takes 150 MB once it's installed (or you can opt for the 355 MB full-featured version) and it can be installed on any laptop or netbook, not matter how much space you have available.
• TrueCrypt - USB drives are great for traveling but what happens if you lose them? All of your sensitive personal files could end up in the wrong hands. This program keeps your files safe from prying eyes by allowing you to encrypt the files and folders and hide them so no one but you knows that they're there.
• USBDriveFresher - With each use, your USB drive becomes more and more cluttered and even when you delete certain files, you can end up with leftovers you don't need. This program is simple but it cleans the mess for you and sweets up unnecessary files that are plaguing your computer.

Synchronization - If you're constantly interchanging files between your desktop and laptop, it's easy to make mistakes. Pulling up old versions or overwriting new ones can be a problem. These programs help you avoid those mistakes.

• SugarSync Free - This program not only synchronizes but also serves as a backup program. It's easy to use and offers 2GB of free backup space. It uses very little RAM and a few system resources and can work with your PC or your Mac. Install the software, indicate what folders you'd like to synchronize and it works in the background, backing up your files at the same time. It offers lots of other options such as sharing files and folders with other people and also keeps older files online in case you need them. It only works with two computers, though you can pay a fee to have it work with more.
• Windows Live Sync - If you don't want to pay the fee to synchronize more than two computers, this program is for you. Sync folders on as many computers as you like, but this one doesn't inlude the free backup. It's easy and straightforward, and you can manage it all from a website. It also works with Macs and PCs.
• Xmarks - This program synchronizes your favorites and bookmarked sites between your desktop and laptop and on multiple PCs. It even works between browsers and multiple operating systems.

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Wi-Fi Cards

Many businesses and restaurants have Wi-Fi spots for people to bring in their laptops to get on the internet. This attracts more people to do business with them. Now it is even more easy and cost effective with Verizon AirLink. This allows you to get on the internet wherever you have signal with your cell phone.

Verizon AirLink does not require anything for you to get on the internet besides having signal with your cell phone. You could be at your house, work, or even out walking and be on the internet. Verizon AirLink is a lot like having a Wi-Fi card.

Verizon is not the only provider for wireless internet cards. Others include sprint, cingular, dell, and desktop.

Some prices for wireless cards for your laptop are:
- Verizon Wireless 5720 Built-in Mobile Broadband (CDMA EV-DO Rev A)- $149.99
- IBM THINKPAD T61 R61 X61 Verizon EVDO WWAN Card 42T0929- $149.99
- Verizon Wireless PC5740 Aircard (Sprint PCS)- $69.99
- Verizon Novatel V620 EV-DO PC Card wireless- $154.99
- Verizon Wireless Express Card - KPC680- $24.99

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