Tall latte, with Wi-Fi?

T+D, Jan, 2003 by William Powell

Looking for a place to quietly sip your latte and surf the Web? Well, good news, Starbucks, the popular purveyor of all things coffee, is gearing up to do the same for high-speed wireless Internet service as it did for java: Make it so good and so accessible that customers don't think twice about what it costs. The Seattle-based chain currently offers high-speed wireless Internet service, also known as Wi-Fi or 802.1lb, at more than 1200 U.S. locations, with an eventual 70 percent of stores offering the service in the year ahead. Sounds great. The catch? Cost and feasibility.

People who want to use the Starbucks service will need to purchase a HotSpot service account from T-Mobile that runs from US$30 to $50 per month. Occasional users can pay as they use at a cost of $3 for the first 15 minutes and 25 cents for each additional minute. So, total cost for a venti latte and a quick check of your email--$6.40 including tax.

It's a daring and forward-thinking idea, especially if you're looking to keep butts in seats for the opportunity to serve up a second cup of joe. Network connections will be via a T1 line, so they're speedy enough to download streaming video, and most customers should be happy with the service. But convincing people to spend a little more for coffee is quite a bit easier than convincing the average customer to buy into a cutting-edge technology that many aren't aware exists and most aren't equipped to use.

Current reports of wireless Internet users in the United States hover around 15 million, a substantial number but still a far cry from the 187 million wired Internet users in the United States and Canada. So, for the time being, Wi-Fi appeals to a very small group of coffee drinkers. Then there are the hardware requirements, of which there's some good news and some bad news. Unless your notebook was manufactured in the last year, it's unlikely that it's equipped for Wi-Fi. So you'll need to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of US$99 for a wireless PC card. The good news is that once you do, you have the hardware to take advantage of Wi-Fi nodes in or out of Starbucks.

To make the transition easier for Wi-Fi newbies, Hewlett-Packard has partnered with Starbucks and is offering free software that enables users to sniff out and connect to Wi-Fi networks. Another boost to Wi-Fi feasibility is Intel's slated release of the Banias chip, which will come with built-in Wi-Fi-capability. The Banias line of chips is estimated to be installed in 20 million laptops this year. Less certain is a possible partnership of Intel, IBM, and AT&T to create Wi-Fi based networks in major U.S. cities. But it's in the works and, either way, judging by recent coverage, Wi-Fi is packing a bigger buzz than a double espresso. Even the FCC is reconsidering its potential.

If you don't frequent Starbucks, don't worry, the girl in green isn't the only game in town when you need coffee and a wireless Internet connection. In fact, many privately owned shops offer it free of charge. To find the nearest cybercafe, try Cybercaptive.com

* www.cybercaptive.com. It provides a cybercafe search engine with more than 6000 listings. Or you can hunt for signs of Warchalking.

In Britain, Wi-Fi user Matt Jones devised the technique of Warchalking-- marking locations with open wireless networking nodes for wireless users to exploit and connect to the Internet. The process was inspired by the way hobos would leave marks on fence posts to alert others where they had a good chance of scoring free grub. Though the tactic has generated a considerable amount of buzz outside of the United Kingdom, I've yet to see any Warchalking in my travels. Keep an eye peeled for signs.

As for the success of the Starbucks venture into Wi-Fi, you can't count it out. I doubt any of us would have thought 10 years ago that we'd be spending so much for a cup of coffee and doing it so often. As more laptops and PDAs equipped with wireless technology get into the hands of coffee drinkers, the Starbucks service just might flourish. So, if you like a latte every morning and can't wait until you get to the office to check your email, add a shot of Wi-Fi.

Not-So-Quick Tip

If you spend any time on the Web, chances are you've amassed quite a few Favorites, or Bookmarks as Netscape calls them. But I'd wager you're nor making the most of them. To do that, consider making them your browser's homepage. No, not one of them--all of them. Here's how it works.

First, you'll need to export your favorites from Internet Explorer to a convenient location on your hard drive. To do so, click on the File menu, select Import and Export, then follow the steps provided by the Import/Export Wizard.

In the Export Favorites Destination dialog box, be sure to select Export to a File or Address. I saved my favorites to the My Documents folder and named it, what else? My Favorites. The wizard will then export your favorites and store them in an HTML document with all of your favorite links intact. Favorites are organized in an outline format that reflects the folders or subfolders you might have created with Internet Explorer's Organize Favorites feature.