TELECOMS & MOBILE
Intel and Zagat publish Wi-Fi listing
22-09-2003
by
Though service, value, style and quality are among the most important criteria in a restaurant review, Wi-Fi access is getting added to the list.
In an upcoming edition of New Yorker magazine, Zagat Survey will publish its first list of Wi-Fi hotspots covering the US restaurants and hotels it reviews. It's part of a scheme by Intel to boost interest in a technology it has thrown its mighty weight behind. The news Zagat mini-guide, called "2003 Wi-Fi Hotspots," will list highly-rated establishments that have facilities to let users hook up to the Internet on a wireless broadband connection. Fifty restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle are covered in this small book.
Zagat Survey is most often associated with the company's guidebooks which rank restaurants in the US, as well as golf courses, hotels, nightclubs, theatres, movies and countless other businesses focused on entertainment. Zagat lists are typically associated with up-scale establishments, and the company ranks its subjects on a scale of one to 30, although the firm's Wi-Fi book will not rate the quality of each 802.11 network in the various locales.
Wi-Fi, also known as 802.11b, is a technology that has quickly permeated cafes, hotels, airports and other places where business travelers gather. Though analysts question whether it will ever be profitable to run a hotspot as a standalone venture, the technology has been hugely popular with users since it lets them connect to the Web at high speed, with practically no hassle. For its part, Intel is also betting that the technology will be huge and expects that about 50 percent of new laptops will soon be Wi-Fi enabled.
"The Zagat Survey has provided consumers with travel and entertainment information for more than two decades," said Tim Zagat, the co-founder. "With an increasing interest in Wi-Fi among travelers, we wanted to share with The New Yorker readers a snapshot of top-rated places offering business and leisure travelers an opportunity to unwire."
Indeed, though the survey seems to be little more than an advertisement for Wi-Fi generally and Intel's Centrino technology specifically, the chipmaking giant insists that legitimate research shows that businesspeople who want to connect to the Net, often can't find a nearby hotspot. Intel said that according to a recent survey it ran, three out of four business travelers don't know how to find hotspots when they travel, and nearly two-thirds said they would like an informational hotspot guide.
"As more people experience the benefits of wireless computing, they'll start looking for the most convenient places to unwire," said Ralph Bond, Intel consumer education manager. "The Zagat Survey mini-guide and a laptop based on Intel Centrino mobile technology are invaluable tools for today's business and leisure travelers who want to stay connected to the office, family and friends while on the road."
For more information visit the Newyorker web site.
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