Microsoft backs free Boingo WiFi in NYC and San Francisco, hopes you’ll see Metro on the metro

New York City subway stop

Microsoft is about to launch a giant media blitz for Windows 8, and it wants to guarantee that even those of us heads-down in our laptops and smartphones take notice. It’s sponsoring Boingo’s WiFi, making it free at popular locations in New York City and San Francisco through the holidays to pitch both its new OS and the Windows Store. The San Francisco locations are already active and mostly cover signature locations such as Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square, but Microsoft is going all-out for the New York City campaign starting November 1st: the free WiFi will reach over 200 locations in Manhattan as well as the six NYC subway stations offering underground wireless. While some might not enjoy the hard sell on Windows 8 while they’re checking into Foursquare, we’d say it’s at least relevant that Microsoft pushes its urban sign UI in the city that was arguably the software’s major inspiration.

[Image credit: pspyro2009, Flickr]

Continue reading Microsoft backs free Boingo WiFi in NYC and San Francisco, hopes you’ll see Metro on the metro

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Microsoft backs free Boingo WiFi in NYC and San Francisco, hopes you’ll see Metro on the metro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Play pays for 4,000 Boingo Wireless hotspots

Google has teamed up with Boingo Wireless to deliver a brand new promotion for the masses, especially those who have data-hungry devices and yet do not want to subscribe to a monthly data plan due to other financial commitments that require more attention from your wallet. Well, this partnership has resulted in a new promotion that makes available free Wi-Fi hotspots to the masses.

Originally, both companies promoted a deal which saw Google Offers customers be on the receiving end of free Internet access at over 250 locations, but it seems that the offer is back and with a vengeance to boot, where the same service can be accessed from more than 4,000 locations throughout the US thanks to Google Play sponsoring these hotspots. This offer will be available until the end of this month. Do you think that it is always better to just fork out a wee bit more money for a monthly data plan so that you need not be at the mercies of such promotions?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google introduces new rules to tackle rogue Android app issue, Google play adds new developer policy to clean up store of malicious apps,

Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network

Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network

Boingo tried its hand at free WiFi with Google earlier this summer, and now it’s acquired Cloud Nine Media to help it claim a larger slice of the sponsored internet access pie. Though Boingo’s 500,000 subscription-based access points vastly outnumber its acquisition’s 6,000 ad-sponsored locations, it hopes to use the newly purchased company’s hotspot sponsorship and ad-sales expertise to increase its free WiFi footprint. “This acquisition allows us to bring that capability in-house to better serve our growing need to deliver sponsored WiFi,” Boingo CEO David Hagan told AllThingsD. Naturally, the firm’s $9.95-a-month plan will live on, but it’s good to know that Boingo will enable more folks to surf the web free of charge from here on out.

[Image credit: Charleston’s TheDigitel, Flickr]

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Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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