Free WiFi For iPhone Users

AT&T has announced that iPhone users will now be able to use its wireless Internet service without charge. It's making good on a promise which had been withdrawn twice in the past.

Of course, iPhone users already have Internet access as part of their phone service via the 3G network. However, this method isn't as fast as WiFi, and many people have found access to 3G is either not available in their area or is less reliable than expected.

The WiFi deal means users in about 17,000 locations across the U.S. can now get Internet access automatically, including branches of Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. As well as iPhone owners, the deal covers AT&T customers with WiFi capable BlackBerry devices.

The announcement is unlikely to be a major factor in the market as T-Mobile already offers a similar deal to its smartphone customers. But it will go some way towards making up for the disappointment many iPhone customers have had with the high-speed Internet side of the service to date.

The AT&T deal has clearly been in the works for some time: the firm has already mentioned it on their website twice this year before quickly removing the relevant page. Customers have already had two hours of free use each day in Starbucks stores, but only on condition they signed up to the chain's loyalty card. There don't appear to be any such restrictions on the new deal. (Source: computerworld.com)

AT&T has also struck a deal for its smartphone customers to get access to Napster's mobile music service. Users can now buy songs on the move for $1.99 (which includes a free download on your PC when you get home), or $7.49 for five tracks in the same month. That seems pretty pricy considering most music downloads on computers are under a dollar. And, as you'd probably expect, the AT&T deal doesn't cover iPhone users. (Source: cnet.com)