Subject: [NEXTEL-1] NY Daily News - "Wi-Fi wonderland"

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2003 21:11:33 -0400

-------- Original Message --------
From: Anthony Townsend <[email-masked]>
Subject: NY Daily News - "Wi-Fi wonderland"

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com

Wi-Fi wonderland
  By STEPHEN BRYANT
  Sunday, August  3rd, 2003

For some, summer means forsaking precious hours on the Internet to 
enjoy the season's unplugged outdoor pleasures. But for those with a 
wireless-equipped laptop (and thus not tethered to that red umbilical 
cord known as an Ethernet cable), no such sacrifice is necessary - the 
city is one big Wi-Fi playground. The Public Internet Project reported 
last fall that the borough of Manhattan alone contained 13,707 unique 
access points, or about three "hotspots" per block.

  Choosing the best hotspot, however, can be a daunting task. Sure, you 
could go to Starbucks and pay $40 per month for access, but why not 
take advantage of New York's more interesting venues? We scoured parks, 
cafes and even an occasional rooftop to find some of the best places to 
log on and still enjoy the summer breeze.

Evill Net

   Rooftops between Avenues A and B and Second and 10th Sts.; 
www.evill.net

   Who wants to surf at sea level when you can log on from your 
roof-deck? Evill Net (short for East Village Network), which launched 
July 4, provides free Internet access to anyone who can finagle their 
way onto a rooftop in the roughly 2-square-mile broadcast area. Evill 
Net is perfect for East Village locals, especially multi-tasking 
sunbathers, but it's not easily accessible if you live outside the area.

Chelsea Market

Ninth Ave. and 16th St.; (212) 243-6005 www.chelseamarket.com

   In case of bad weather, head for the rustic-chic cover of the Chelsea 
Market, where the shopping floor is flooded in a strong wireless 
signal. Benches and other comfortable seating abound, and the market 
floor is open 24 hours a day. Grab some soft-serve ice cream from 
Sarabeth's and have a sit-down. Best time to go: Friday afternoons for 
the free wine tastings at Chelsea Wine Vault.

Internet Garage

   218 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn; (718) 486-0059 www.internet-garage.com

   Just three blocks from the Bedford Ave. L train stop, the Internet 
Garage offers Wi-Fi access for 10 cents per minute, $15 per week or $50 
per month. The wireless signal extends throughout the hallways of the 
surrounding mall (think hip flea market, not suburbia) and across the 
street to Fabianne's Cafe and Pastry, which offers outdoor seating. The 
shop also provides 22 PCs with flat-screen monitors, plus access to 
graphics software, printing services and fax machines.

Alt.Coffee

   139 Avenue A (between Eighth and Ninth Sts.); (212) 529-2233; 
www.altcoffee.com

   For $10 an hour, you can use Alt.Coffee's desktop computers to surf 
in air-conditioned comfort. Or, for absolutely no charge, you can bring 
your wireless-equipped laptop and surf to your Web-addicted heart's 
content. Just be sure to buy a cup of their excellent coffee. Don't 
forget to wear your trucker hat, extra-small T-shirt and Chuck Taylors: 
This is hipster country.

Manhattan Parks

   The Downtown Alliance has created free public hotspots in seven 
convenient downtown areas: City Hall Park, Liberty Park Plaza, South 
Street Seaport, Rector Park, 60 Wall Street, Bowling Green Park and 
Vietnam Veterans Plaza. Wi-Fi access is also available in Union Square 
Park. For more information about logging on, visit 
www.downtownny.com/wireless.asp. Scenic Bryant Park also offers free 
access (www.bryantpark.org).

The Magic Bike

   www.magicbike.net

   Why go hunting for a hotspot when the hotspot can come to you? Yury 
Gitman, the brains behind Evill Net, built the Magic Bike to provide 
free wireless access wherever he pedals. You can request its presence 
at special events via the Web site. Don't expect a chrome-flecked 
future-cycle a la Tron to show up, though; Gitman created the green 
Peugeot two-wheeler to be as innocuous as possible.

   "I am like the ice-cream man, but with no music," Gitman explains on 
magicbike.net, "and I deliver free wireless access and not ice cream."

The Downtown/Uptown Cafe Lounge

   1626 Second Ave. between 84th and 85th Sts.; (212) 327-1327 ; 
www.dtut.com

   The Downtown/Uptown Cafe Lounge (DTUT) provides comfy, mismatched 
couches, exposed-brick walls and a healthy wireless signal. Surfing is 
free, but Web addicts would do well to notice the donation box at the 
counter. The cafe also serves up a wide selection of coffee drinks and 
treats. The owners plan to open their second location, on Avenue B 
between Third and Fourth Sts., in early August.

Greenwich Village

Intersection of Bleecker and MacDougal Sts. www.unowot.com

   Bohemia and wireless are two nomadic lifestyles made for each other. 
One of the strongest Wi-Fi signals comes from above MacDougal's 
Restaurant. The "Groovy Greenwich Village Node" includes the outdoor 
seating at MacDougal's Restaurant, Cafe Figaro and Ciao Wine Bar in its 
wireless signal.

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