Airport Web Access, Part II
We look at terminals in the Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast.James A. Martin
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Feature: Getting Online at the Airport, Part II
In my last column I checked out Web sites for six major East Coast airports. I went in search of information about where business travelers might find Internet access, either of the wired or wireless variety. In most cases, the sites did a poor job of providing that information and of making it easily accessible.
This week I take a look at Web sites for four major U.S. airports in the Midwest and Southwest, and on the West Coast. I found the two best sites I've seen (Dallas/Fort Worth International and Los Angeles International), though even they have room for improvement. So I'll show you where to find the information on all these sites and save you the trouble of rooting around.
Chicago's O'Hare International
Finding information on Internet access at O'Hare's Web site is no easier today than it was 18 months ago, when I first wrote about airport Web sites.
First click Passenger Services on the top menu bar. Then on the gray menu bar, click Business Centers & Airline Clubs, which lists a Laptop Lane in Terminal 1 and a Hilton Business Center in Terminal 2, though the description of the latter says nothing about Internet access availability.
At the moment, T-Mobile is the primary wireless service provider at O'Hare, with hotspots in American, Delta, and United member lounges.
A spokesperson said there are pay phones throughout O'Hare with data ports for dial-up Internet access. Also, the airport is negotiating with wireless service providers to offer Wi-Fi access throughout public areas in O'Hare (and Midway, Chicago's other airport). The service should be up and running by late 2004 or early 2005.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
There hasn't been much change to this site, either, in the last 18 months--and that's good news, given that this airport's Web site is among the best I've seen. It's not exactly flawless, though.
The navigation could use some work, for instance. To find Internet access, you must click Shops & Restaurants on the home page, then click a particular terminal, and finally select the Services tab for the central window. Each terminal offers at least some form of Internet connectivity, including high-speed wired kiosks from Neptune Networks, pay phones with dial-up connections and data ports, and wireless access from T-Mobile and Wayport at airline lounges as well as throughout entire terminals. The site often provides pictures of the kiosks and Internet access rates, too. In short, if you've got to be stuck at an airport with your notebook, get stuck in Dallas.
Los Angeles International Airport
LA's airport site is also among the better ones I've seen, with easy navigation and a fair amount of detail (though not as much as the Dallas/Fort Worth airport site). You have to root around under Passenger Services to find the Internet access options listed on its Business Center page.
At the site, I discovered The Travel Right Café, a cybercafé in Terminal 4's Departure Level with 48 data ports/phone jacks and power outlets that can accommodate up to 68 users.
Neptune Networks offers wired broadband kiosks in Terminals 3, 7, and 8 and in the Tom Bradley International Terminal Mezzanine Level. Internet data port access is available at all public telephones throughout the airport, according to the site.
Boingo provides wireless hotspots in Terminals 1, 3, 5, and 7, while T-Mobile offers service at the American Airlines Admirals Club.
A spokesperson said there are plans to offer wireless Internet access in all public areas of the airport sometime in the next two years.
San Francisco International Airport
SFO's Web site does one of the worst jobs I've seen in pointing travelers toward Internet access. Judging from its Web site, San Francisco International--the gateway to Silicon Valley--doesn't offer much in the way of Internet access for travelers. But that's not the case.
The City by the Bay's airport Web site has added Wireless Internet Access to its list of services. But clicking it simply brings up a brief explanation and a link to the T-Mobile HotSpot's landing page, where you have to perform another search to find hotspot locations within the airport. The good news: T-Mobile has planted Wi-Fi hotspots in every public area of the airport, as well as in many airline lounges, according to an airport spokesperson. The hotspots are marked with signs so as to be easily located, he added.
Neptune Networks also offers an Internet kiosk in Terminal 3 and in the Virgin Atlantic Airways Clubhouse, according to its Web site.
The airport's services listing on its Web site also includes telephones equipped with data ports, but the site says no more than that they "are located throughout the terminals." In my experience, these pay phones are fairly plentiful and easy to find.
Online Resources
Here are hotspot locators for specific providers:
Here are some more resources:
Your Feedback
Do you have any tips or suggestions for finding or using a wired or wireless broadband Internet connection at the airport? If so, write me.
Notebooks & Accessories
Review: Sharp's 3D Notebook
Sharp's Actius RD3D notebook can display 3D images--and you don't have to wear funny-looking glasses to see them, either. The 3D function is achieved by beaming slightly different versions of an image to each of your eyes. When you're centered in front of the notebook, your brain is tricked into perceiving depth. However, PC World reviewer Kalpana Ettenson discovered that a slight shift in position made the 3D effect all but invisible. The $2999 notebook is well-appointed but heavy--a whopping 12 pounds.
For the latest prices, go to the PC World Product Finder.
Review: Lightweight IBM ThinkPad Measures Up
The IBM ThinkPad X40 is a slight but solid notebook, says PC World reviewer Alan Stafford. The portable is barely 1 inch thick, weighs 2.8 pounds, and features a sharp 12.1-inch screen and a comfortable keyboard. The $1924 unit Alan tested comes with IBM protection features such as the Rescue and Recovery system, which can boot the computer to let you go online and download drivers, even if the operating system won't launch.
You can go to our Product Finder to check the latest prices.
Review: WinBook's New Notebook Has a Slightly Small Wide-Screen
WinBook's first wide-screen portable, the W160 ($2000), features a 15.2-inch 1200 by 854 display that's smaller than the 15.4-inch and 17-inch wide-format screens on other notebooks. Still, it's roomy, and the notebook is sleekly and attractively designed and well equipped, says PC World reviewer Carla Thornton. And it weighs only 6.3 pounds (7.3 pounds including the power adapter), which isn't bad for a big-screen portable.
Gadgets & Services
Tip: How to Secure Your Handheld
Is the data on your PDA secure from viruses, hackers, thieves, and other social undesirables? Not really. While viruses are still rare, a lost or stolen PDA can put sensitive data in the wrong hands. And hackers can tap into wireless PDAs through Bluetooth and other connections.
So what can you do about it? For starters, use your PDA's power-on password settings to protect your data from unauthorized users. Third-party utilities can provide additional security, such as a firewall that prevents hackers from accessing your PDA. Data encryption programs can add further protection, should your PDA fall into the wrong hands. For more details, read "How Secure Is Your Handheld?"
News: Prepaid Wi-Fi Access
WiFiMinutes.com is a new Web site that allows you to compare and subscribe to various prepaid Wi-Fi access plans. Current participating providers include AirRover Networks, FatPort, Trustive, WiFidirect, and U-Mobile Networks, but not bigger operators such as T-Mobile. The prepaid plans offer wireless Internet access at locations in the United States, Canada, and Europe and begin at $3.25 for 30 minutes.
Tip: Get Clear About Voice Recorders
I keep getting e-mail about digital voice recording devices. Jeff Kern of Grand Marais, Minnesota wrote to tell me about a Web page that explains in detail the pros and cons of various recording devices. The page is part of the Vermont Folklife Center's Web site and is designed for researchers conducting "folklore and oral history fieldwork" projects. The site does a good job of explaining the pros and cons of various recording formats, such as digital audio tape (DAT) and MP3 that mobile professionals might use. There's useful information about microphones and other accessories, too. Unfortunately, there is no information about digital voice recorders, such as the Olympus DM-20 that I recently reviewed--a big oversight. Still, it's worth a look.
Suggestion Box
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.