App Simplifies Free AT&T iPhone Wi-FiTemporarily free app streamlines multi-step process 09:15AM Wednesday Dec 03 2008 by Karl Bodetags: wireless · softwareAT&T recently offered free Wi-Fi for iPhone users, though to use an AT&T hotspot, users had to find the hotspot, enter their ten digit phone number, approve the AT&T EULA, wait for an SMS with a password, then click on that link to browse. A few iPhone application developers have simplified that process with "Easy Wi-Fi for AT&T," an application that reduces the above process into simply launching the application (iTunes link). According to Ars Technica, the app is free until Friday, after which it will cost $1.99.
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 hroo772
Darkness Fears Me
Premium
join:2002-04-05
Mclean, VA
clubs:
 ·Verizon FIOS
| As an iphone user.... ...I've seen similar programs that simplify wifi connection processes at different colleges. I'm mostly talking about those where you need to do something simple on a webpage before actually getting connected to the real wifi, so I don't seen any issue with this app at all. Better grab this while its free just in case one ever needs to use the free wifi from at&t. | |
|  | Youngjm
join:2002-04-01
Ada, MI | Re: As an iphone user.... I have used the full version and it was worth the price. For free this is great and even for a small fee, I would buy it if I did not already have their original app. | |
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aztecnology
The Autumn wind is a Raider
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA | I'll grab it while its free, though the existing system takes all of 60 seconds to connect... | |
| Hooper
Premium
join:2001-10-22
Villanova, PA
edit:
December 3rd, @10:37PM
| WISPr Or you could grab an AT&T BlackBerry and have the device automtatically roam to any ATT Wifi hotspot automatically without any user intervention at all. It will do the same for any network you define manually as well. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA | Re: WHISPr Shhh, don't say stuff like that to the iPhone fanboys, they'll shun you.  And don't tell them that Blackberries have MMS capability and true push email, either. | |
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL
| Re: WHISPr said by PolarBear  :Shhh, don't say stuff like that to the iPhone fanboys, they'll shun you. And don't tell them that Blackberries have MMS capability and true push email, either. Or that you have to purchase BES to get emails from Exchange. Shhhh. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
 ·CableOne
| Re: WHISPr For the casual non-business user (which most iPhone owners are) a simple data plan on the Blackberry (that any smart phone would need to use it's smart features) gets me my email just fine.
Exchange is for business customers whose employers pay for their phones anyway. Apples to oranges, my friend. | |
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ptrowski
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| Re: WHISPr said by PolarBear :For the casual non-business user (which most iPhone owners are) a simple data plan on the Blackberry (that any smart phone would need to use it's smart features) gets me my email just fine. Exchange is for business customers whose employers pay for their phones anyway. Apples to oranges, my friend. Interstingly enough, my email (both work and personal) hits my iPhone instantly which was not the case when I used my Curve. I get the notification on the iPhone before Outlook gets the emails also.
We don't use BES here, but when I was having trouble getting my work email setup the AT&T rep transfered me right to RIM who got it working. Everyone else here has to forward their Exchange email to a gmail, yahoo etc account to get it. The replies come from that address and to me it looks kind of silly.
Being a small company we don't pay for everyone's phones. So in my case it is Apples to Apples. I payed for my Blackberry, and I paid for my iPhone. Since everything is not routed through the RIM server I get it emails before Outlook registers them, and sometimes minutes before my Blackberry compadres here.
Another good thing I feel about using the iPhone with Exchange is all my calendars and folders sync up, so no more tehtering to the PC to get the updates thatway. Another good thing? Not having to pay for BES no matter how many iPhones are used here.
I have had both, used both for work and leisure, and for me the iPhone beats the Blackberry.
--
"So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA | Re: WHISPr So how do you send someone a picture who doesn't get email on their phone? | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | easonin
join:2008-07-08
| said by PolarBear :So how do you send someone a picture who doesn't get email on their phone? What I do is send the pic via email on my iPhone to their phonenumber@mms.mycingular.com for att. hits their phone like mms. I dont know anyone who doesn't have att though, so the other carriers might do it differently. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
| said by easonin :said by PolarBear :So how do you send someone a picture who doesn't get email on their phone? What I do is send the pic via email on my iPhone to their phonenumber@mms.mycingular.com for att. hits their phone like mms. I dont know anyone who doesn't have att though, so the other carriers might do it differently. I was waiting for someone to come up with that totally inconvenient idea.
So then how would I do that to a T-mobile customer, or Verizon, Sprint, Cricket, Altell, Unicel, Boost, or Virgin customer? Sure, the ways are there, but are you really going to have that info on hand when you go to send someone something?
In true Apple style, they made it a major pain in the ass to do something very simple (as was the entire point of this thread - needing another only-temporarily-free app to circumvent an otherwise extremely annoying process simply to use wifi). | |
| | | | | | | | | Necronomikro
join:2005-09-01
| Re: WHISPr said by PolarBear :said by easonin :said by PolarBear :So how do you send someone a picture who doesn't get email on their phone? What I do is send the pic via email on my iPhone to their phonenumber@mms.mycingular.com for att. hits their phone like mms. I dont know anyone who doesn't have att though, so the other carriers might do it differently. I was waiting for someone to come up with that totally inconvenient idea. So then how would I do that to a T-mobile customer, or Verizon, Sprint, Cricket, Altell, Unicel, Boost, or Virgin customer? Sure, the ways are there, but are you really going to have that info on hand when you go to send someone something? In true Apple style, they made it a major pain in the ass to do something very simple (as was the entire point of this thread - needing another only-temporarily-free app to circumvent an otherwise extremely annoying process simply to use wifi). I just add email contacts to their contacts with the @mms.whatever for their company. *shrug* | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | pabster
join:2001-12-09
Waterloo, IA | "I have had both, used both for work and leisure, and for me the iPhone beats the Blackberry."
Ditto. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
| I don't know how you had email set up on your Curve (whether through BES or BIS), but I receive my Gmail on my Curve a few seconds before it shows up on Gmail's own webpage. And unless you have Outlook set up with an exchange server, the most Outlook can check for new emails is every minute, which means if you recieve a new email 5 seconds after it gets done checking, then of course your iPhone will notify you of a new message first. It has a 55 second head start.
said by ptrowski :We don't use BES here, but when I was having trouble getting my work email setup the AT&T rep transfered me right to RIM who got it working. Everyone else here has to forward their Exchange email to a gmail, yahoo etc account to get it. That comment confuses me. Are you referring to your Curve or iPhone? If you're referring to your Curve, then you're saying it worked fine, contradicting all your other statements. If you're referring to your iPhone and you don't use BES, why would the AT&T rep transfer you to RIM?
And if everyone else has to forward their Exchange mail, sounds like someone set up the server incorrectly, not a device error or shortcoming.
said by ptrowski :Not having to pay for BES no matter how many iPhones are used here. So, Exchange servers are free?
It seems to me that you're arguing business use vs personal use, rather than iPhone vs other phone.
And the MMS statement? Still valid, as the iPhone is the only currently produced phone in the US that I am aware of that doesn't have it. Even the free POS phones that you can get have it. While the rest of the world is out there sending pictures back and forth, you're stuck... hoping the recipient checks their email.
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How many assholes do we have on this ship, anyway?
YO!
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. | |
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ptrowski
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edit:
December 3rd, @01:31PM
| Re: WHISPr said by PolarBear :I don't know how you had email set up on your Curve (whether through BES or BIS), but I receive my Gmail on my Curve a few seconds before it shows up on Gmail's own webpage. And unless you have Outlook set up with an exchange server, the most Outlook can check for new emails is every minute, which means if you recieve a new email 5 seconds after it gets done checking, then of course your iPhone will notify you of a new message first. It has a 55 second head start. said by ptrowski :We don't use BES here, but when I was having trouble getting my work email setup the AT&T rep transfered me right to RIM who got it working. Everyone else here has to forward their Exchange email to a gmail, yahoo etc account to get it. That comment confuses me. Are you referring to your Curve or iPhone? If you're referring to your Curve, then you're saying it worked fine, contradicting all your other statements. If you're referring to your iPhone and you don't use BES, why would the AT&T rep transfer you to RIM? And if everyone else has to forward their Exchange mail, sounds like someone set up the server incorrectly, not a device error or shortcoming. said by ptrowski :Not having to pay for BES no matter how many iPhones are used here. So, Exchange servers are free? It seems to me that you're arguing business use vs personal use, rather than iPhone vs other phone. And the MMS statement? Still valid, as the iPhone is the only currently produced phone in the US that I am aware of that doesn't have it. Even the free POS phones that you can get have it. While the rest of the world is out there sending pictures back and forth, you're stuck... hoping the recipient checks their email. I used a Curve and use an iPhone for retrieving my Yahoo and Exchange/Outlook email. We do NOT have a BES license. We do also use OWA to get email if need be.
When I got my Curve, I tried to set it up using the OQA information. I could not do it and my IT guy was on vacation, so I called AT&T. The AT&T rep could not get it working, so they transferred me to RIM. RIM was able to set me up. What I would notice though is that I would get the notification on my Blackberry later, sometimes by 30 seconds or sometimes 3-5 minutes) than when Exchange/Outlook would notify me that it had arrived. Not that big of a deal as that was my first real smartphone. It did work, but there was a delay.
For some reason other users here cannot get it set up the same way. They have to set up autoforwarding from Outlook to an external address. That's 8 other people that have to forward it along to an external address as we have not purchased the BES. We would also have to sync up every day to get our calendar events. More a pain than anything else.
No, Exchange servers are not free, obviously. But since we already had Exchange for years, once I got my iPhone I did not have to either forward my email along, tether to my laptop to get my calendar updates, and I can view my folders directly on the device. We did NOT have to purchase anything extra. That was my point which obviously escaped you.
I am not arguing business vs personal as I had slow email delivery on my Yahoo address and my Exchange/Outlook email. I have used both devices in the exact same setup and have found in both cases for ME the iphone delivered my email faster, synced my calendar and folders, and I could view my daily attachments in the way they were sent. We cut and paste Excell worksheets here and they never displayed properly on the Curve.
I am giving you my real world experiences with both devices in the same set up. Have you done the same or are you just here to bitch about something you have not used?
Right, MMS on the iPhone is a pain. Since we coould stay on topic, how does that Curve connect to the free AT&T spots? Oh wait...It can't, and you don't even use the carrier or phone mentioned. How is 3G on that Curve? Oh wait, it's not capable. How do web pages look on the Curve? Pretty crappy! You threw in MMS about something not even remotely related to the topic, so I guess I will do the same.
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"So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
| Re: WHISPr said by ptrowski :No, Exchange servers are not free, obviously. But since we already had Exchange for years, once I got my iPhone I did not have to either forward my email along, tether to my laptop to get my calendar updates, and I can view my folders directly on the device. We did NOT have to purchase anything extra. That was my point which obviously escaped you. I did not escape me, it was simply moot. I understand that you already had them, but MY point was, you still needed them, thus negating the argument that a Blackberry needs BES. And a blackberry doesn't even need BES; BIS (i.e. your carrier's data plan) works just fine.said by ptrowski :how does that Curve connect to the free AT&T spots? Oh wait...It can't It connects to the wifi at Starbucks which all T-mo and AT&T customers can connect to. From »www.starbucks.com/retail/wireless.asp:Current T-Mobile subscribers Continue to enjoy full internet access at Starbucks stores , through a roaming agreement with AT&T. T-Mobile customers will not incur extra charges to use the Starbucks/AT&T network. The difference between you and me is my Curve connects automatically, your iPhone, well, that's the reason for this thread.
3g is pointless to me on any carrier with any phone, as I don't live in an area with 3g (which is the problem with 3G-very limited deployment). Yes I understand that is somewhat of a straw-man argument, however it's yet another reason I laugh at guys like you who ran out and bought a 3G iPhone - you can only use 3G in about 5% of the USA. That's like buying a Veyron (a car that goes well over 200mph) - Except for West Texas, you'll never get the chance to take it over 75mph.
said by ptrowski :You threw in MMS about something not even remotely related to the topic Apparently you missed my original post which started this sub-thread:said by PolarBear :And don't tell them that Blackberries have MMS capability and true push email, either. So no, I wasn't off-topic. I was sticking to the topic I started.
--
How many assholes do we have on this ship, anyway?
YO!
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. | |
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ptrowski
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edit:
December 3rd, @03:37PM
| Re: WHISPr
3G is nice.... |
This is talking about the AT&T spots, you are talking about one. Next time you head to Mcdonalds let me know how the T-Mobile Curve works there on the free wifi, will you?
I have not tried to connect to a wifi spot at Starbucks, so you have me there as to if it will connect directly or not. My known networks I have, no issues at all.
I threw out the 3G there as the topic you started was off topic. Why else would you, a T-Mobile Curve user, comment in the thread about the iPhone/AT&T other than to derail it? So I figured I would talk about 3G. I get 3G coverage all around my area (of course not at my house, I have wifi for that). So I guess it sucks to be in part of the 95% that doesn't have the coverage, now doesn't it? Once you try 3G you won't go back. I added a screenshot for you (can your Curve do that) so you can see.
So I will give you that the iPhone doesn't have true MMS capability. Nice one, captain obvious. So care to explain about how the iPhone doesn't have true push email? Seems to work extremely well here.
--
"So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org | |
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL | Re: WHISPr What's up with your 3G icon? | |
| | | | | | | | | | beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | Re: WHISPr jailbroken... | |
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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs: | said by cbrigante2 :What's up with your 3G icon? Yep, jailbroken. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
| Re: WHISPr Yes, you have to modify (read=hack) your iPhone in a manner not recommended by Apple and which voids your warranty, just to run the programs you want on it.
Not so with WinMo or BB. If there's a program out there for WinMo or BB, I can run it, no special warranty-voiding required. I don't have to worry about bricking my phone, and I don't have to worry about the manufacturer pushing an update that reverts my phone back to it's unhacked state.
And yes I understand that AT&T may offer wifi in more places that T-mo, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. What I (and the article) was saying was that although they do offer it, they make it a pain in the ass. When T-mo offers free wifi for my BB, I don't have to do anything. It just works. The Starbucks idea was simply an example.
I will agree that 3G is nice - the more speed the better. But I like my service to work everywhere I go, not just when I'm in the middle of a major metro area. Paying considerably more to use a feature in 5% of the country doesn't make sense to me. | |
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ptrowski
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| Re: WHISPr I jailbroke my phone so I could customize it in many ways that cannot be done via the original phone, yes. I like to change my carrier name to whatever I want, etc.
But the wifi point was not the original point you were trying to make....
"Shhh, don't say stuff like that to the iPhone fanboys, they'll shun you. And don't tell them that Blackberries have MMS capability and true push email, either. "
No wifi mention there. Your point was to start a flamewar. Also there are very few wifi enabled Blackberries on AT&T.
Look, you got your anti iPhone post in, good for you. My point has been I have tried both, and for me and some others mentioned here the iPhone outperforms the Blackberry. We have tried both, and can make educated posts based on our experiences. You just want to dig on a phone you have not even tried and a carrier you don't even have.
On the 3G side, the phone doesn't magically stop working when not in a 3G area, so my service works everywhere I go. The difference is in your area I could chose between 3g or not. You cannot.
--
"So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org | |
| | | | Hooper
Premium
join:2001-10-22
Villanova, PA | You can use BlackBerry Internet Service to get email from Exchange. BIS is included with your data plan. | |
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL
| Re: WHISPr said by Hooper :You can use BlackBerry Internet Service to get email from Exchange. BIS is included with your data plan. Good to know. Thanks.  | |
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Whhhispf
@windstream.net | Re: WHISPPrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr or instead of buying a Blackberry, I'll use the IPhone that I already have | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
| Re: WHISPr That's what my T-mo Curve does - I get near a Starbucks (and I say "near" because it connected to a Starbucks from across a freeway one time) and it automatically connects, zero input from me. I guess Apple just likes to make things difficult. What happened to "it just works?" | |
| | | beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | Re: WHISPr I'm confused. ARe you stating that with your blackberry you are getting FREE AT&T wi-fi hotspot service? with no login requirement? I thought that was an iphone only deal...please clarify | |
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See 8 replies to this post | |
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Dogfather
Altitude is your friend
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | Nice troll. | |
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See 6 replies to this post | |
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jsz0
join:2008-01-23
Jewett City, CT | The vast majority of BlackBerries do not have 802.11x wireless.
100% of iPhones have 802.11x wireless.
Thank you. | |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
·CableOne
edit:
December 3rd, @05:02PM
| Re: WHISPr Good straw argument. Here's a better one:
100% of Apple iPhones have wifi.
100% of BB Curves have wifi.
What's that? Oh yeah, I'm comparing ONE model of Apple phone to ONE model of Blackberry phone. Why is that? Oh yeah, Apple is so sophisticated and good at making phones that they've only made one so far.
The most comprehensive list I can find shows 47 different Blackberry models, four of which have wifi. So really, 4 times as many Blackberry phones have wifi than Apple phones.
EDIT: I didn't count the iPhone and iPhone 3G as separate phones, as the 3G was simply a re-release of the original, with one more feature. Definitely not a separate model. | |
| 
TCub
impossible
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Olmsted Falls, OH
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| Hmm thanks a lot! I'm downloading it right now and I'll e-mail my iPhone yielding buddies to do the same! Good find!
There's been a few times I was at Starbucks and automatically "connected" to the AT&T network only to find that I had to go through all those extra steps. Not really worth it if I'm only waiting in line for a coffee. Even if I'm staying there for a relaxing chat with friends by the fire place, its just a pain in the ass!
--
one man's burden playing on my mind
one man's burden got me just in time | |
| djboca
join:1999-07-27
Boca Raton, FL |  iPhone only?
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| | | | | beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | Re: iPhone only? because free ATT wifi is only available on the iphone, no? I think the idea is ATT cell subscribers would get this...a touch is not tied to ATT cell service, why would they give you free wifi? | |
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