Google gifts: free airline wifi for the holidays

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/08/google-gifts-free-airline-wifi-for-the-holidays/

by cshenoy • 16 years ago

44 12 16 years ago

tech.fortune.cnn.com

dshankar• 16 years ago

I wonder if Gogo inflight can also fall victim to Firesheep? If I recall, it uses no security other than a authentication webpage.

bhousel• 16 years ago

Why do they even need an authentication webpage for free wifi? Other than maybe to accept terms of service..

But my point is, what's on there worth protecting?

jrockway2• 16 years ago

It's not typically free.

jonknee• 16 years ago

It's not normally free so an authentication page is usually required, but for this I'd imagine that Google would like to get their name in there for people who take advantage.

BCM43• 16 years ago

This is not good timing for them.

http://gizmodo.com/5679794/all-these-terrorist-scares-are-pu...

jrockway2• 16 years ago

"Or if a passenger could use a cellphone to transmit to the hold of the aeroplane he is in, he could become a very effective suicide bomber."

Don't tell them what Bluetooth is...

jeebusroxors• 16 years ago

What about FRS/GMRS or even 2m HTs (ham radio)? Last time I checked they weren't banned.

Oh, but you do need permission from the pilot to use them...

henryl• 16 years ago

More information here: http://www.freeholidaywifi.com

fname• 16 years ago

Shameless plug: AirTran and Virgin have wifi available on every flight, but Delta does not. So, find out which flights to book on Delta @ http://www.haswifi.com

araneae• 16 years ago

Kayak also has information on this if you're looking up a flight from there. You can also use "has wi-fi" as filter.

mrtron• 16 years ago

They offered free airport wifi last holidays - i specifically took notice if their branding because it was such a handy offer.

dotBen• 16 years ago

The economics of in-flight wifi assume that no more than a handfull of passengers are using the system, otherwise connectivity just gets jammed. By charging, you create the scarcity that makes such a system viable.

By offering it free, you potentially make it available to no-one as suddenly everyone who has a laptop (prob most people flying in/out of SFO for example) is going to want to get on.

If I was taking a cross-country flight this holiday, I'd rather the system stayed for $$ so that I knew that I had a chance to get access to a usable system rather than turn up for my flight expecting connectivity and end up bored and disappointed because I can't get any bandwidth.

Google gifts: free airline wifi for the holidays

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