Where’s Your Hotspot?

Feel like working outside the office today? Sounds like a good plan, but where to go? Starbucks costs money and the local library doesn’t have wireless access yet. Windows Live Hotspot Locator allows you to search for nearby hotspots so you can be sure you will have internet access before venturing into the great outdoors with your handy laptop. The service boasts 99 countries and 106,978 paid and free WiFi hotspots. If you desire a more specific locale, you can drill down with the Advanced Search, allowing you to specify certain categories (Airport, Bar, Beach etc). Once you submit your details, you will get a list of results organized by distance from your starting location and icons indicating whether they are free or paid access points. You also have the ability to view the results on a map in case you are not familiar with the area. I’ve got to hand it to Microsoft for this service. The site is attractive, not cluttered and highly functional. Imagine if they designed their operating systems this way!