Japanese Vending Machines Shoot Out Free Wi-Fi, Not Free Drinks
When Starbucks and McDonald's announced that they'd be bringing free Wi-Fi to many of their stores, geeks everywhere were elated. And these days, it's not tough to spot the campers. Those folks who buy a drink, bust out the AC adapter + notebook, and sit down for hours on end sucking up the free Internet. Can't blame 'em, and actually, we wish more places were like this. And if Japan's Asahi has anything to say about it, we could be seeing a heck of a lot more Internet in the world. The company just announced a new vending machine for Japanese locales that includes Wi-Fi.
You don't even have to make a purchase to take advantage, and the Wi-Fi is totally free. The only major catch is that you need to be within 100 feet or so to catch the signal, and each session is limited to half an hour. We suspect you'll find a ton of people crowding around just enjoying the Internet, but if you find one that really saves you in a pinch, consider buying a drink, won't you?
You don't even have to make a purchase to take advantage, and the Wi-Fi is totally free. The only major catch is that you need to be within 100 feet or so to catch the signal, and each session is limited to half an hour. We suspect you'll find a ton of people crowding around just enjoying the Internet, but if you find one that really saves you in a pinch, consider buying a drink, won't you?
