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Qualcomm's universal AllPlay streaming now works with Spotify
Qualcomm's AllPlay is supposed to deliver a world of simple, universal media streaming, and it just came a lot closer to realizing that vision by both landing a raft of new partners and widening its app program. You can now stream to AllPlay devices using several additional music services, including Spotify; if you want to blast that new album on every system in the house, you can. Appropriately, both Fon's Gramofon media hub and Monster's SoundStage speakers will now take your AllPlay tunes.
The Gramofon is a streaming music hub that'll also extend your WiFi
Recognizing that there's no shortage of set-top boxes and smart speakers capable of streaming music around your home, global WiFi provider Fon has decided it wants to do things a little differently. Billed as a new "modern cloud jukebox," the company today introduced the Gramofon, a stylish little box that is actually part music streamer and part WiFi router.
Fon brings its WiFi-sharing service to the US
Reach a certain level of fame in Europe and you've got two choices: rest on your laurels, or risk it all for a shot at America. It's one transatlantic journey that few careers survive, but the latest to try is Spanish muni-fi outfit Fon. Buy one of the company's $60 WiFi hotspots and it'll portion off a your chunk of your home bandwidth for public use. The benefit to you, of course, is that you'll be able to take advantage of the same facility when you're out and about. The new Fonera hardware doubles as a network extender, but that's not the only trick hiding up its plastic sleeve. Any of your Facebook friends who visit your home will be recognized by the system and granted WiFi access without you having to share out your password -- assuming, of course, that you want to.
Home is where you roam: AT&T, Fon sign global WiFi agreement
AT&T customers traveling overseas may not have to look too far for WiFi access in the future. Today, the company signed an agreement with global hotspot provider Fon that gives AT&T customers access to Fon's nearly 12 million hotspots on smartphones and other WiFi-enabled devices. Fon's members will gain access to AT&T's nearly 30,000 hotspots in the US in return. Fon's a fascinating business -- the company's members share their home WiFi and in turn get free access at all other Fon hotspots. The company provides special routers to members that prioritize the homeowner's internet traffic, but allow secured access to other Fon members nearby. To access the Fon hotspots, AT&T customers just need to install the free WiFi International App. This app lets AT&T customers with the 300 MB or 800 MB Data Global Add-On package use up to 1 GB of WiFi at no extra charge. Likewise, Fon members using the free Fon app will gain access to AT&T's hotspots located throughout the US.
AT&T and Fon agree to share WiFi networks for holiday hotspot hoppers
It may not be as convenient as, say, Three UK's attempt to abolish data roaming frustrations, but today AT&T has partnered with yet another WiFi hotspot provider to make sharing those vacation pictures with cubicle-bound chums that much easier. International hotspot outfit Fon and Ma Bell have inked a deal that opens their respective WiFi networks up to each other's customers, though jetsetters will need a device compatible with AT&T's WiFi International iOS and Android apps. That's not the only catch, either. Like with AT&T's other hotspot arrangements, patrons of the US carrier will already need a roaming data plan to take advantage of the free 1GB of WiFi per month -- a 300 or 800MB Global Add-on package, in this case. Well, like everyone says: there's no such thing as free international WiFi sharing agreement data.
Skype co-founder reveals service's origins as WiFi-sharing network
Everyone and their mother knows Skype as a call and chat messenger, but it would've been a completely different beast if its founders' original plans came to fruition."The initial idea was to develop a WiFi-sharing network, and then provide various 'telecom-like' services on top of that, such as TV and telephony," explained founding engineer Jaan Tallinn in a Reddit AMA. Tallinn compared the project to Fon, but he and his co-founders hit a wall: they couldn't offer TV services because they were battling copyright lawsuits as developers of P2P file-sharing site Kazaa. The team also had trouble finding a decent VoIP product to attach to the service and wound up concocting their own technology instead. The new VoIP tech, which was supposed to be named Skyper until the team noticed Skyper.net was already taken, eventually became the focus of the service. It's an interesting look at the birth of the chat messenger we know today. Now if only we could figure out if the government has direct access to Skype's logs, we'd be set.
BT unites Openzone and Fon as a single WiFi hotspot service in the UK
Just when you were finally beginning to understand the difference between Openzone and Fon, British operator BT has decided to merge them into a single hotspot service called BT Wi-fi -- creating what it claims is the "world's largest wi-fi community." Access already comes free and unlimited with home and business broadband connections, so there's "no need to pay for 3G or a dongle" so long as you're in a relatively densely populated area. The re-branding should have little impact on how you use the service, except that the old network names will gradually be replaced, but then a bit of unification often has unexpected benefits.
Karma rewards WiMAX subscribers for sharing their 4G
Normally, we associate Karma with religion, or if we're honest, luxury hybrid sedans. A company by the same name would rather you make that connection with WiMAX Internet service. Much like a 4G version of FON, subscribers to the Clearwire-rooted network are required to share their Internet link-ups with the public as a WiFi hotspot. As the name suggests, though, sharing the connection ideally pays back dividends through free access: for every guest who signs in on Facebook to get 100MB of free data through the hotspot, another 100MB goes towards the hotspot owner. If all goes well, the Karma user creates a virtuous circle (pun entirely intended) and pays little if anything for Internet access; while the WiMAX hotspot costs $69, the $14 per gigabyte rate only kicks in if the credit runs out. Trial runs are starting in New York City and might only hit 500 hotspots by the end of 2012, but the hope is to upturn the wider industry and make sure there's never a shortage of public WiFi.
Skype Access expands, now unlocks over 500,000 hotspots
We can't all have 3G or 4G wireless wherever -- sometimes we need to get friendly with a plain 'ol hotspot. Skype is making that a little easier, expanding Skype Access in partnership with eight international WiFi pushers: BT Openzone Fon M3 Connect Row 44 Skyrove Spectrum Interactive Tomizone Vex Fon will probably be the most familiar if you're in America, but combined the program covers 500,000 hotspots, including 500 hotels. Users will be able to pay for WiFi by the minute using Skype Credit, with prices ranging from a nickel to $.19 per currently. No word on whether that will be changing with this new announcement.
Fonera SIMPL router now on sale for $49, moving quickly to telcos
Still holding tight to the "Sharing is Caring!" mantra? Not afraid in the least of handing out a few kilobytes to lost tourists down below? If so, you're a prime candidate to own a Fon router; for those unaware, Fon's goal is to equip the world with its 802.11n routers, and then distribute WiFi through them for all to enjoy. The device creates two WiFi signals (SSIDs), one private and one public, and for anyone who knows the pain of being desperate for just a single open hotspot, it's a product (and mission) worth supporting. The Fonera SIMPL was introduced way back at Mobile World Congress, and while the company said it had an order for 400,000 then, that figure has risen rather significantly since. Today, it's revealing that two million of these guys have been sold to telecommunication companies around the globe, with British Telecom, MTS-Comstar Russia, SFR France, SoftBank Japan and ZON Cable Portugal named in particular. The general idea is to provide these to customers in order to lighten the overall load for everyone else, but those looking to buy in sans help can finally do so -- the SIMPL's going for $49 / €39 right now directly through the outfit's website and we're confident that you'll do the right thing.
Fonera SIMPL aims to ease 3G overload, give smartphones a better way to upload
If you've never heard of Fon, its mission is pretty simple: to equip the world with Fonera routers, and thus blanket the planet in WiFi that no one is scared to share. Over at Mobile World Congress this week, the company unveiled a new device that exploits the impending bandwidth crisis that operators all over the globe are attempting to deal with. The all-new SIMPL is a palm-sized router that has just two Ethernet ports and could be doled out by carriers in order to provide a city-wide WiFi network that can be accessed by any WiFi-enabled phone, thereby easing the demand on its 3G network. Equipped with 802.11n, a faster CPU than the Fonera 2.0 and a shiny white shell, we're told that an order has already been placed by an undisclosed customer for 400,000 of 'em, though it's unclear when these will be made available to the general public and for how much. Hop on past the break for a five minute showcase video.
Peek teams up with FON to liberate Europe... from roaming charges
Although the bright and cheerful Peek (and its somewhat ill-advised Twitter-centric brother) has long been a source of fascination for us, we realize that for most Americans a dedicated email device doesn't make too much sense. Now, in the same way that Hendrix had to go to London to find critical acceptance, it looks like FON CEO Martin Varsavsky thinks the device might be a winner overseas -- nothing less than a heroic "pan-European email machine that avoids [data] roaming charges." According to the man's blog, the PeekFon will cost €99 (roughly $145), including six months unlimited service, courtesy of a new MVNO called Spotnik. After that, you'll need to pay as you go to the tune of €12.90 (roughly $19) a month. Sick of those insane roaming charges? Curious? European? Varsavsky shares his feelings on the subject after the break.
Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US
It can get a bit confusing at times amid all the announcements about announcements, but the folks at FON have now finally confirmed that their Fonera 2.0n "web applications" router is indeed available in the US, and for the bargain price of just $99. As its name suggests, in addition to functioning just fine as a regular 802.11n router, this one will also let you manage a whole host of web applications like Twitter, Facebook or Flickr even when your computer is turned off -- finally giving you the ability to, for instance, tweet when an upload or download has completed (a surefire way to hang onto those followers you've amassed). Still not up to speed on all this Fonera business? Don't worry, there's a helpful video after the break.[Via Wi-Fi Planet]
Fonera 2.0n available - adds media sharing, shared storage
Remember that Fonera 2.0 wireless router that's been blowing minds in Europe since way back in April? FON has announced today that it's now available Stateside as the Fonera 2.0n. If that weren't excitement enough for a Tuesday morning, the thing has received a slathering of new features, including storage (just supply your fave USB 2.0 drive), 802.11n, and the ability to sync your YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, and Facebook files, as well as clients for managing your RapidShare, Megaupload, and bit.torrent addictions. Just make sure you're not violating anyone's copyrights, huh? The movie industry is struggling enough as it is. PR after the break.
Fonera 2.0 on sale in Europe April 21, US in May
It's been a while since we heard from those lovable rapscallions at FON, but it looks like the Fonera 2.0 wireless router is finally ready to make the jump from developers-only to the consumer market -- it'll go on sale in Europe on April 21, and in the US, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in May. The new unit runs Linux, and supports BitTorrent and services like RapidShare and MegaUpload, so you can set downloads to run without firing up your computer. The launch party seems like it was pretty adorable -- it took place in FON CEO's Martin Varsavky's Paris flat, with pasta, wine and cheese. Experience it yourself (in French) after the break.
La Fonera 2.0 gets demoed on video
Developers have been able to get their hands on a Fonera 2.0 for some time now, but others haven't been able to do much more than stare at their current Fonera and imagine all the USB devices that'd be so much better connected to it. Now folks can at least get a pretty good idea of what's in store courtesy of a demo video from Fon CEO Martin Varsavsky himself (available after the break), which provides a decent overview of the device and includes a couple of new details. From the looks of it, the router delivers as promised, with it able to get along nicely with a whole host of USB devices including hard drives, printers, or a 3G modem, and make use of plug-ins for everything from Flickr to BitTorrent. What's more, while Varsavsky didn't offer too many specifics, he did throw out €50 or €60 as a possible price point, and said that it should be launching in the next 60 days or so. [Thanks, estqwerty]
FON CEO teases ruggedized outdoor Foneras
While this isn't the first device we've seen of its kind, new images of a wireless-capable, ruggedized la Fonera router have surfaced on the FON head honcho's personal blog. CEO Martin Varsavsky clearly states that "this is not a product announcement," and that the pictured devices are part of an R&D project, so pricing and availability info are certainly out of the question. Still, it's promising to see FON working to extend the reach of its network beyond the current Fonera / Fontenna combos. Just let us know when this one hits the market, okay Mr. V?[Thanks, Joas]
La Fonera 2.0 emerges for developers, encourages USB-related shenanigans
La Fonera fans, it's finally time to celebrate. Iteration 2.0, which is fittingly dubbed the Liberator, is at long last ready for shipment... to developers, at least. The La Fonera 2.0 box will certainly look familiar to owners of the first, with just 1,000 of these being prepped for consumers in France, Germany and Spain. The intention here is for devs to start toying around and "programming their own applications for other Foneros out there." More specifically, the creators are hoping that more USB functionality will be worked in so we'll eventually have Fonera WiFi boxes that play nice with USB hard drives, printers, scanners, webcams and all manners of cooling devices. It's available now (for a limited time, obviously) for €39.95 ($53) if you're up to the challenge. Oh, and if you design an application sweet enough for the Fonera 2.0, you'll be reimbursed the purchase price -- not bad, eh?[Via WiFi Romania]
Joikusoft joins FON to share Symbian hotspot love
JoikuSpot is one of our favorite S60 apps, turning what is otherwise totally capable smartphone into a pocket-sized WiFi hotspot. Now the company behind it, Joikusoft, is partnering with FON to release a new version called FONspot, which will turn Symbiotes into Foneros. (Symbreros?) Users will be able to share their mobile hotspots with up to 5 friends and, in keeping with FON's business model, access those provided by others Foneros free of charge. No word yet on up-front cost, but the updated app is due sometime in Q3 2008 which is... right now, actually. [Via IntoMobile]
BT Group hooks up with FON for widespread WiFi
It took quite a few months to make the call, but it seems the chatter between FON and BT Group has finally resulted in a deal. Announced today, Britain's top fixed-line carrier will be teaming up with FON to allow "more than three million UK broadband customers to use hundreds of thousands of hotspots for free." BT customers who agree to share a pinch of their broadband connection(s) will be eligible to surf away gratis on any of the "190,000" FON hotspots worldwide, and BT Group apparently hopes that this deal will eventually lead to "every street in Britain" being covered by WiFi.
