Last weekend, I visited my local Barnes & Noble/Starbucks (located at 1 Worcester Rd. in Framingham, Mass.) to pick up some new reading materials and test out the free hot spot Wi-Fi AT&T claims is now available for iPhone users. Unfortunately, whenever I tried to connect to the Starbucks/AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot at the coffee shop I kept getting connection errors. After three unsuccessful attempts to connect to the hot spot using the iPhone, I tried to connect using my BlackBerry Bold and had even less luck.

When I tried to connect via iPhone, the hot spot seemed to recognize my device, and my Safari browser window displayed the logon screen that's shown within my post above. However, when I tried to enter my iPhone's mobile digits as requested to connect to the hot spot I repeatedly received the following error message:

The experience with the BlackBerry Bold 9000 was even worse. The AT&T hot spot didn't even recognize my Bold's Wi-Fi browser and only showed the regular desktop login screen that requested my AT&T hot spot user name and password for access to the wireless connection.

It's worth noting that AT&T never said hot spot Wi-Fi would be available for the BlackBerry Bold before it launches on November 4—though it did say that iPhone hot spot Wi-Fi would be available immediately--so that could be the issue on the BlackBerry side. I'm not sure what's going on with the iPhone though...

Regardless, I plan to return to this Barnes & Noble/Starbucks tomorrow, on AT&T Bold launch day, to see if I can successfully connect via iPhone or Bold at that point, and I'll post my findings right here. Stay tuned...

AS

Price: $200 for 8GB black, $300 for 16GB black/white and blackberry 9000 bold for $344

Weight: 4.7oz.
Dimensions: 4.50 x 2.4 x 0.48 in.
Display: 480 x 320 Pixel; 3.5 in. diagonally
Battery life: Up to 5 hours talk time on 3G and 10 hours talk time on EDGE; up to 300 hours standby
Service provider: AT&T
Internet/Data network: 3G, Wi-Fi
Camera: 2.0 megapixels

Blackberry Bold Unlocked
Battery
AC Charger
Stereo Handsfree Headset
USB Cable
Carrying Case
Getting Started Guide
User's Manual
BlackBerry Desktop Software

Contact Email:kate_sales147@hotmail.com

I have a basic question on wifi on PDA's.

I hear advantages of using wifi are ability to connect where carrier service may not be available and faster speeds even when it is.

What about outside US wifi hot spots, like in Nicaragua where there is one on nearly every corner. Can you use these wifi hotspots to make calls and avoid the very expensive roaming and connection charges for calls back to the US on your phone? If so, any difference in Sprint, ATT, Verizon. I hear Verizon does not have WIFI capability on the Storm, Curve, etc but may on Storm 2.

Thanks in advance for any advice and info.