Google

The press release sent out from Mountain View last Tuesday announced, “Google Inc. is working with airports across the country as well as Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, Airport Marketing Income, and others to provide free Wi-Fi as a holiday gift now through January 15, 2010. The gift currently includes 47 airports. Additionally, as a result of this project, Burbank and Seattle airports will begin offering airport-wide free Wi-Fi indefinitely.” Supplementing the largesse is the offer of free in-flight Wi-Fi for all passengers flying Virgin America.

Google points out that the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holiday season is the most traveled of the year, with more than 100 million people using the 47 airports selected for the free service. Because of the crowds and seasonal weather, the delays in the airports will average about 70 minutes, so the free connections might provide a welcome diversion as well as an additional way to keep in touch.

Google has set up a website (www.freeholidaywifi.com) that lists the participating airports. Unfortunately, some significant metropolises aren’t on the list, including New York, Newark, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

 
Along with the free Wi-Fi, Google is encouraging you to do some of the marketing for the initiative by way of a photo contest. You document your use of the free Wi-Fi at the airport, and you can win prizes if your photo is selected.

And finally, donations made to participating nonprofits via the Google Checkout will be matched at the end of the promotional period up to a maximum of $250,000 by the company.

Yahoo

Looking away from the 100 million weary travelers at the airports, Yahoo announced last Monday that it will be holding out a digital hand to the half-million folks who visit Times Square in New York City every day. Partnering with the Times Square Alliance, the Sunnyvale, Calif., company will offer free Wi-Fi access for a full year, starting last Tuesday (Nov. 10). It’s all part of a larger promotion to put Yahoo at the center of people’s lives online. There’s a new Yahoo/Times Square website at http://wifi.yahoo.com/timessquare/index.php that presents current events going on in the vicinity. The Alliance explains: “Free Wi-Fi is just one more reason why Times Square is among the most plugged-in, linked-up, and media-saturated places on the planet. So the next time you're at the Crossroads of the world, pull up a chair at a Broadway Plaza café table, or take a seat on Duffy Square’s iconic red glass steps, and access your e-mail, read the review of a Broadway show, browse local restaurant menus, or simply see who’s playing at Caroline’s tonight. You can even use the free Web access to translate conversations with interesting tourists from around the globe.”

The connection will work on a laptop, phone, game console, tablet, etc., with Wi-Fi/802.11a,b,g capabilities. Any Web browser can be used. On your device, find the Times Sq Free Wi-Fi network and tell your device to connect to it. Once connected, launch your Web browser--try going to any webpage and you’ll be directed to the Terms & Conditions page automatically. If you agree to the terms, click the button to accept, and you’ll be redirected to the portal page. Once there, you’ll have access to all Internet services including e-mail, instant messaging, and Web browsing. Yahoo says the free Wi-Fi is available along the Broadway Plaza between 42nd and 44th Streets and between 46th and 47th Streets, including Duffy Square.

Microsoft

MediaPost News ran a story last Monday that Microsoft’s Bing and JiWire, through its mobile advertising network, will continue an incentive program that allows users to get free Wi-Fi Internet access at participating hotspots in airports and hotels around the country. The only catch is that you have to do one search on Microsoft’s new search utility, Bing, to qualify. MediaPost explains, “JiWire works with between 60% and 70% of all North American passenger airline services and hotel chains.” The site for searching hotspots is at http://v4.jiwire.com/search-hotspot-locations.htm.

EBay

And anyone whose auctions might be closing at an hour when they will be aloft happens to be on a Delta flight, they’ll be able to take advantage of Gogo Wi-Fi free on 250 domestic planes for a week starting Nov. 24 to Nov. 30. Passengers will get a promotional code that will take them directly to eBay’s holiday home page. Even for those not already locked into ongoing auctions, the company hopes others will take the time to browse and do some holiday shopping en route before turning to their e-mail or Hulu to watch a film.