Daily Marauder

WIRELESS by Marauder

WIRELESS

AT&T just sweetened the pot for all of its iPhone subscribers. If you own an AT&T iPhone, you now get free WiFi access at AT&Ts 17,000 hotspots across the country, including at most Starbucks. Although just last summer AT&T teased customers with the same freebie service, only to put up a pay wall afterwards, this time it looks like the free WiFi is here to stay. (http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2008/10/29/the-iphone-now-comes-with-free-wifi-at-all-att-hotspots 10/29)

Now, this is an improvement I can be pretty damn happy about.  To be fair about this though, as of June, Starbucks has offered 2 hours of free quasi free wi-fi to anyone who purchases $5 monthly on a Starbucks reward card.  In essence, 1 coffee = 2 hours daily for a month of free and clear wi-fi with or without an iPhone.  Click here for more info.

Motorola Inc.’s new cellphone chief is moving quickly to scale back the struggling division, simplifying the way it makes devices and cutting additional jobs.  Sanjay Jha, who also became Motorola’s co-chief executive in August, has decided to focus on Google Inc.’s Android operating system as the software platform for Motorola’s showcase phones, according to people familiar with the matter. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523624204277979.html?mod=googlenews_wsj 10/29)

Global wireless operator Truphone has began tests on a new service for BlackBerry phones that the company says will make it less expensive and simpler for users to call overseas from their home country. Truphone Anywhere, which will work in 33 countries, is designed to operate in combination with local carriers. Total Telecom Magazine (U.K.) (10/28)

Wikileaks has posted Apple‘s controversial iPhone Software Development Kit after the company’s disclosure last week that it would discontinue its use after developers objected to what they saw as its overly restrictive terms. The document had never been publicly released, and the Wikileaks summary page says, “The agreement contains several controversial terms and claims that need to be discussed in an open forum. This is however explicitly forbidden by the agreement.” InformationWeek (10/28)

AccuWeather.com launched an advanced weather app for the BlackBerry providing up-to-date weather info., hourly and 10-day forecasts, severe weather alerts and radar images. (Cynopsis 10/29)

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