Most of the 'free' wi-fi in cafes & shops is intended for customers, so wouldn't this be theft?
Intel inks deal to let Ultrabooks leech off Wi-Fi net
Intel has signed a deal with Devicescape to integrate the company's freeloading Wi-Fi network into Ultrabooks as part of Intel's Smart Connect Technology, which lets devices link up even when they're not switched on. Devicescape's technology lets devices automatically connect to the numerous free Wi-Fi points that we're told …
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Wednesday 30th May 2012 16:07 GMT Azzy
I don't see how. It's automating the process of clicking through the login screen - something that everyone using it does manually now, and can do whether or not they're a customer. It's not like it gets you through non-free hotspots, or the ones where you have to enter a code that changes every day.
I think it's strange that they are talking about syncing while the device is in standby though. I'm not even sure what I'd want it to sync. I mean, what do I get out of my email if the device is in standby? If it's not in a hotspot when I take it out of standby, I can't do much with the email. And everyone has a smartphone with their email on it anyway nowadays.
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Wednesday 30th May 2012 17:52 GMT Tom 35
Not theft but
"automatically bypassing the café's logon screen and advertising."
You normally have to check the "I agree" check box, so you don't even know what you are agreeing to as you walk down the street.
I think I'll be looking at adding a captcha to the system I administer, and I expect others will as well.
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Wednesday 30th May 2012 12:00 GMT Steve Davies 3
and what else
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Devicescape's technology lets devices automatically connect to the numerous free Wi-Fi points that we're told are proliferating across modern cities, so a Devicescape-equipped Ultrabook would be able to attach to the Wi-Fi offered by the café you just walked past, synchronising mail and applications, and automatically bypassing the café's logon screen and advertising.
End Quote
And get hacked at the same time.
Walk past a 'Sex' shop and get sync'd with porn.
This is also ideal for sending you those 'targetted' ads. Only these ones will appear when you open the laptop once more and will have a theme 'Did you know you just went past <company xxxx> where you can buy <useless product yyyy>. Why don't you turn round and go back'
Sorry Intel but I and only I decide what network I connect to.
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Wednesday 30th May 2012 13:41 GMT D@v3
'free' wifi
I'm getting increasingly annoyed by the amount of 'free' wifi hotspots that are either; not free, because they are only available to customers paying for another service (like the bskyb owned Cloud), or are stuck behind a web authentication portal, which are fine for laptops, but for smartphones where a lot of the data use comes through apps (mail apps, twitter apps etc..) they just don't seem to work (even if you go in, authenticate, then come out and try and use said app)
If this kind of service gets round those two problems, then good on 'em.
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Thursday 31st May 2012 05:38 GMT Steve Davies 3
Re: But once you have DNS
Please tell us exactly how many (a percentage would be fine) of the Laptop/ultrabook/tablet owning population would know how to do that?
My guess is very few indeed.
Along with BT, this would be the first things to disable if I ever get my hands on laptop with this functionality.
My current MSI Laptop has the ability to setup its own Hotspot. Another uselsess gadget added to the device. Hardly a killer USP just like this idea. Killer Yes. USP nope
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