Microsoft is about to launch a giant media blitz for Windows 8, and it wants to guarantee that even those of us heads-down in our laptops and smartphones take notice. It's sponsoring Boingo's WiFi, making it free at popular locations in New York City and San Francisco through the holidays to pitch both its new OS and the Windows Store. The San Francisco locations are already active and mostly cover signature locations such as Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square, but Microsoft is going all-out for the New York City campaign starting November 1st: the free WiFi will reach over 200 locations in Manhattan as well as the six NYC subway stations offering underground wireless. While some might not enjoy the hard sell on Windows 8 while they're checking into Foursquare, we'd say it's at least relevant that Microsoft pushes its urban sign UI in the city that was arguably the software's major inspiration.
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Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Microsoft
Microsoft backs free Boingo WiFi in NYC and San Francisco, hopes you'll see Metro on the metro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boingo tried its hand at free WiFi with Google earlier this summer, and now it's acquired Cloud Nine Media to help it claim a larger slice of the sponsored internet access pie. Though Boingo's 500,000 subscription-based access points vastly outnumber its acquisition's 6,000 ad-sponsored locations, it hopes to use the newly purchased company's hotspot sponsorship and ad-sales expertise to increase its free WiFi footprint. "This acquisition allows us to bring that capability in-house to better serve our growing need to deliver sponsored WiFi," Boingo CEO David Hagan told AllThingsD. Naturally, the firm's $9.95-a-month plan will live on, but it's good to know that Boingo will enable more folks to surf the web free of charge from here on out.
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Filed under: Wireless, Networking
Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boingo is best known for providing WiFi on the ground, but it's now working with Germany's Deutsche Telekom to spread its paid internet access to international flights, not just flights in the US. Lufthansa trips both inside Germany as well as to Canada and the US will soon let you pay with your Boingo account to stay online while you're in the air, using DT's broadband internet access as the conduit. More airlines will be coming soon, although those of us who get itchy staying offline for more than a few hours will have to pay an unspecified premium for that connection when it's ready. Check the PR after the break for the official word.
[Image credit: Jon Fingas, Flickr]
Continue reading Boingo, Deutsche Telekom team up for international in-flight WiFi
Boingo, Deutsche Telekom team up for international in-flight WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 22:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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