Apple's devices have been largely responsible for driving the rises in Wi-Fi traffic at airports, Boingo found on Wednesday. As of mid-2011, smartphones and tablets had become the dominant choice on Boingo at 58.9 percent, boosting overall traffic five times higher than it existed in 2007. iOS devices were the core of that surge and represented 83.1 percent of all the mobile hardware on the network.
Bingo has expanded its hotspot service to airlines. Through an arrangement with Gogo, in addition to 350,000 earth-based Wi-Fi hotspots, Boingo subscribers will now be able to sign in to Gogo using their Boingo information, and surf the Internet in-flight while on an airplane as well. The arrangement covers over 1,100 flights daily with nine air carriers.
Wi-Fi hotspot provider Boingo has released an updated version of its free Wi-Finder app. The software, which points users to over 325,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots around the world, now has a streamlined login function and selects the best network if more than one is currently available. The program tracks free hotspots as well as those in Boingo's network, which require a subscription with the company to use.
Eye-Fi today added both a new card and a major expansion of its support for hotspot cards. The 4GB Geo X2 combines the geolocation support of the original Geo with the Class 6 (6MBps) transfer speeds, 802.11n Wi-Fi and "endless" memory of other X2 cards. It's targeted primarily at Mac users using Aperture 3 or iPhoto '09 and will be available only through Apple stores in May for $70.
Boingo today expanded an already existing deal with Verizon to provide Wi-Fi for subscribers. The new agreement gives those using either Verizon's DSL or FiOS Internet services free Wi-Fi access on many of Boingo's hotspots, such as those at coffee shops and airports. Whether the deal extends to international hotspots, and when it will be fully ready, hasn't been clarified at the time, though the two companies will be linked for at least the next four years.
Boingo Wireless, a Wi-Fi hotspot provider, is sharing statistics regarding the usage of its service, which it claims shows heavy access from iPhones and iPod touches. The combination of the two devices represents nearly a quarter of all access, at 23 percent. The figure puts Apple handhelds ahead of both Mac- and Windows Vista-based computers, and second only to Windows XP systems.
