Working Anywhere

Now Blackberry Users Get Free WiFi Too With AT&T

Yesterday the news was about iPhone users getting free access to AT&T hotspots. Now today, I spotted that CrunchGear has a report about free BlackBerry access too for those with WiFi enabled Berries. That spells BOLD.

Looks like I'm buying my wife a new Bold for the holidays :-)

More Benefits To iPhone Users in USA

AT&T is rolling out more benefits to Apple iPhone users all the time, as the war with T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless gets rolling with new devices (the Google Android G-1 and Blackberry Storm.)

What they are doing is offering all iPhone users free AT&T Hotspot access in their WiFi locations. This means for the most part Starbucks and McDonalds.

It's a tasty offer in my book.

Connect To WiFi Easily

SF Bay Area based Devicescape have rolled out EasyWiFi, a simple to install, easy to use WiFi and Access Point login aggregation application that stores your usernames and passwords safely in the cloud, and logs you on automatically. DeviceScape works with both mobile handsets that have WiFi as well as Macs and PCs.

For those of you who use multiple hotspots, like Boingo, T-Mobile, BT OpenZone, The Cloud and others, plus have your own access points at home and in the office DeviceScape is a simple and easy way to stop the constant "what are my log on detail" maladies. It's also FREE.

I've used it a lot in my travels, and in conjunction with client Truphone, it's a fast and easy way to log on and make VoIP calls.

I've also used the Boingo Mobile Client from Client Boingo and find that now with their roaming relationships with both AT&T and T-Mobile rolling out, that Boingo Mobile meets most of my needs. The one benefit with DeviceScape is it manages your other providers as well. So get a Boingo Mobile account, then decide which app you need.

One More Reason to Love 3 In The UK

This new travel router has a difference. It works with a 3's 3G data stick.

In many ways this is like Cradlepoint, the device I use to share my Sprint or ATT mobile broadband USB devices.

These make sharing your Internet connection very easy. Try one. You never know who you'll meet sharing the Net over WiFi. Heck, I met my wife that way!

Pat Phelan's Travel Tips for the Recession Era

MaxRoam's founder, Pat Phelan, picks up on my thread of how to be a better road warrior/Global Nomad with his recession busting travel tips.

In many ways Pat picks up on some of my earlier tips, including client Boingo for hotel WiFi where he writes:

Finally and most importantly get a Boingo account, Boingo were good enough to give me a test account on this trip and I have used wifi which I would normally have to pay for in Dublin, Chicago, Dallas airports and The Westin, this is a huge saving.

He also riffs of a proven model I use of taking my own travel router with me. I carry both an Apple Airport Express and and Asus travel router in my bag. Why both? Some hotels like to use the 10.xxx.xxx.xxx IP while others use the 192.168.xxx.xxx range. Having both with me means no fooling around with settings.

Recession Survival Guide from Esme Vos

One of the brightest bloggers I know is recovering attorney turned expert on WiFi, working at home and travel is Esme Vos.

Her practical side comes through as she highlights 10 tips to survival in our challenging economic times. What's warm to see is how she highlights two companies Working Anywhere loves, Truphone and MaxRoam.

Her tips are right on the mark as they make it easier to be Working Anywhere without the fuss, muss and hassles.

Meeting Room Confusion Solved

A new service out of Dublin Ireland's Active Online called BookMeetingRoom.com looks appealing to those who have to manage and organize meeting rooms and conference rooms.

While it's a tad pricey, the concept is very useful, and I can see the application of this with online web conferences, video conferences and audio conference booking. As we travel less and do more virtual collaboration in real time, keeping things organized and all in one place becomes paramount to maintaing a sense of order and balance.

A service like this benefits the virtual administrator who has to keep things on an even keel and minimize the confusion of whose using which room, physical or virtual.

Hat Tip to Emily Chang of eHub.

MSI Wind Grabbed By Best Buy

Pal Tom Keating tipped me off to the news that Electronista broke about the MSI Wind Netbook being sold soon at Best Buy.

Joanna Stern at Laptop Magazine has been a very big fan of the MSI Wind for sometime, so it's on my hit list of NetBooks to acquire. I'm already very pleased with the Acer Aspire One and the Asus line of EEE PCs, most of all with the Asus EEE PC 1000 HD, so in looking at the Wind, the specs seem to match up nicely, and at a much more favorable price point.

Joanna's comparative review of the two 10" mighty mites is worth reading as she goes through the pluses and minuses of each and then renders a final verdict.

Now, you might be asking why someone who is using a Mac Book Air as his primary road warrior and Global Nomad weapon of choice needs a NetBook.

Simple. Size and weight. When I'm out tooling around town I want to have something a big smaller and less obtrusive. What's more if someone spills coffee on a Netbook it's only a $500 loss versus over $2000. What's more, is they keep me well aware of Windows apps and how they work as well as giving me access on the go via a 3G wireless card. Since they have solid audio and video capabilities, they are ideal "communicators" for the on the go worker, who needs to keep in touch, or to make presentations from.

In a nutshell, the Netbooks are an ideal way to stay connected without a heavy price tag.

WiFi on Trains (and Buses)

I've had the good fortune to use WiFi on the Heathrow Express when I'm in London. The experience, which is made possible by T-Mobile connects train mounted access points to 3G radios that are mounted in each car on the train. The experience has been good enough to hold video calls using SightSpeed and Skype without any difficulty, as well as to make VOIP calls using Truphone.

This makes this news report from WiFi Net News rather exciting, as the state of Massachusetts train authority is rolling out WiFi on all their trains for the princely sum of $300,000.

As gas prices remains high, more people will begin to look at transportation alternatives to get to where they're going. Based on experiences in London, WiFi on the train sure makes the ride go faster and more productive.

Update--Pal Joe Brancatelli of Portfolio 2.0's Seat 2B points out a service called LimoLiner that runs between New York City and Boston. It's a high end motor coach with WiFi....nice.

Mastering Better Working Anywhere Experiences

Having now spent almost a year on the road non-stop while my house and community goes through a major restoration, renovation and upgrade process I pretty much have mastered the art of working anywhere.

Here some tips that go beyond simply making technology work for us.

1. Don't be cheap

2. Don't try to cut corners

3. Be savvy, but spend wisely

4. Stay in boutique hotels like those found in TabletHotels.com or properties where you can create a relationship with the hotel GM and staff as they treat you better.

5. Don't fly economy for flights over 4 hours. Flying business or first class means your body feels better for it and your mind is sharper.

6. For stays of over four nights consider a corporate apartment with living room and kitchen. You don't get cabin fever and you also feel more like you're not on vacation.

7. For places you visit regularly, buy a pre-paid SIM card, avoid roaming rates. If you visit multiple countries get a travel sim from SIM4TRAVEL or MaxRoam. If you are in WiFi environments a lot, get an account with client Truphone. Bottom line is you will save money and be more connected.

8. I can't stress enough the value of well made, well constructed baggage and bags. I prefer Eagle Creek, Swiss Army (Victorinox) and Crumpler, but am always on the look out for more brands or unique one offs like those from Mandarina Duck and Waterfield Design.

9. Shoes-forget about just looking good. Be comfortable. My brand and shoe of choice is the 1803 slip on loafer. I've worn them now for almost three years and find them great for dress wear, tradeshow walking or just wandering anywhere. They're never out of place and they are SOOOO incredibly comfy.

10. When traveling with colleagues rent a two bedroom two bath apartment. You'll collaborate more and find that you end up learn more about each other.

11. Include your spouse when you can. My wife can get around well on her own. By day I'm working. At night, we're dining and spending time together.

12. Enjoy the airline clubs. Nothing beats the Virgin Clubhouse in London's Heathrow airport where you can get a haircut, shave and massage, eat like a king or queen and work over WiFi. But other clubs have their benefits, but most of all you not standing around near the gate waiting for your flight, plus you're more relaxed. Travel is stressful enough.

13. Take you vitamins, carry you meds and use anti-infamatories if you need them. I'm a believer in some homeopathic solutions but I also carry and take Advil. For some reason it helps me relieve muscle stiffness from carry bags and sitting in a confined space too long, and overcoming the occasional bad bed.

14. Socks and under garments. My wife gets credit for this. Find a local discount store like Burlington Coat factory and buy as you travel and toss away old stuff. It's cheaper than buying full retail or paying for hotel laundry.

15. Walking, Cabs and Public Transit-if the weather is good, walk. If you're carrying things take a cab. If you just need to go point to point and don't have to change too often use public transit. In London and Paris the underground/Tube or Metro are fantastic. So is the subway in Madrid and Lisbon as are trains in most of Europe. In the USA I prefer to rent cars and drive, take the Amtrak to avoid traffic jams or use a hired driver and car service when it's more than me or I'm going one way. Why? I can get work done. Lots of work. You may pay more than you think a hired car and driver is excessive, but its both safer and much more relaxing.