Devicescape Aggregates Global, Free Wi-Fi Network

Devicescape announced the fourth generation of its Easy Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity solution, providing device manufacturers with a way to incorporate access to global network of free Wi-Fi hotspots into their products.


The Easy Wi-Fi Network provides an easy-to-use hotspot location finder, enabling users to quickly find the nearest free Wi-Fi access point. The addition of a seamless Wi-Fi access service and a mapping enables device manufacturers to ship products with lifetime worldwide hotspot access.


The company said this paves the way for a new range of devices -- such as e-book readers or wireless-enabled digital cameras, to gain Internet backhaul capability without the device manufacturer needing to negotiate a mobile data access deal with a service providers. Devicescape aggregates data on a worldwide network of hotspots into its client, which is licensed to the device manufacturer. Key features of Easy Wi-Fi are:


Location finder capability: This enables a device to display nearby, accessible hotspots to the user. Easy Wi-Fi also equips the device with a "Soft-GPS", which derives the device's location using Wi-Fi, without the need for GPS hardware.


Connecting: Easy Wi-Fi enables automated login to hotspots without the need for complex and tedious user intervention, such as typing a username and password in a browser. Easy Wi-Fi also supports thousands of additional hotspot networks, allowing the user to personalize and extend their Wi-Fi coverage beyond the Easy Wi-Fi Network.


Access: Easy Wi-Fi provides access to the world's largest high-quality Wi-Fi hotspot network. At time of announcement, the Easy Wi-Fi Network consists of over 100,000 locations and is growing by several thousand new locations every month. The service ensures high-quality through continuous monitoring and validation of the network.


"Rather than worrying about the Wi-Fi access challenge, Device manufacturers can focus on product differentiation and new device services such as downloading new games, uploading photos or streaming video," said Dave Fraser, CEO of Devicescape. "Imagine all the new mobile electronics - netbooks, media players, mass market phones, digital cameras, e-book readers -- shipping with free Wi-Fi access."


Devicescape Easy Wi-Fi 4.0 featuring the Easy Wi-Fi Network is available immediately. Consumer downloadable applications for evaluation and non-commercial use will be available on October 20th for iPhone OS, Nokia S60, and other popular platforms.
http://www.devicescape.com