Of Wireless, iPods, and WiFly in Taipei

By
Brian
 – January 7, 2009Posted in: Taipei, Taiwan, The Life of Brian

Taipei has great wireless wifi coverage. And it’s not just limited to cafes and restaurants, either. Some providers, such as WiFly, have taken it upon themselves to set up access points all over the city, almost mirroring cellular access.

And that’s really cool if you have a portable device, such as a PDA, an iPhone (if you don’t want to shell out $$$ for data transfer), or like my iPod Touch.

But it also sucks, and here’s why.

  • Activation of an account is done via your browser. This is not a big deal if you’re using a notebook or netbook, but try navigating the web on a handheld device. WiFly does have a special activation page specifically for mobile devices, but the URL is very cumbersome…try typing it out on a mobile device. It’s just real inconvenient.
  • For non-Taiwanese unable to read Chinese (or with limited reading ability like me) it’s virtually impossible. There are NO instructions available in any other language then Chinese (although the Chinese-language instructions are detailed for each type of device). The activation page is also in Chinese, with no alternate languages available.

Are there solutions? Well, yes and no depending on your device. If you are using a Windows Mobile/WinCE-based PDA, WiFly has on it’s website a small application that allows you to bypass the browser activation route. Unfortunately, the application only comes in Chinese.

It’s better for iPhone & iPod Touch users. For US$2.99 you can get Easy WiFi, which also allows you to bypass the inconvenience of browser activation on a PDA. In addition, it works with many other pre-paid services around the world, making it an invaluble tool for travellers.  Finally, it’s available in English. :)

As for PalmOS-based PDAs, I don’t know. Maybe someone can leave some pointers in the comments?

 

Oh, yeah…remember the best latte in Taipei? Tirns out they have free wifi, too. Not pre/post-paid like most spots, but simple walk-into-the-bubble-and-connect wireless. 

Cool.

Another reason they keep getting my business. ;)

Popularity: 7% [?]

Tags:

About the Author

Brian Q. Webb is a multi-medium photography enthusiast from Los Angeles, California but spending most of his time in Taipei, Taiwan. He is especially interested in street photography as well as large format and pinhole photography. Professionally, he practices traditional and lifestyle portraiture and occasionally acts as an agent for American local newspapers wanting event coverage in Taipei. He was also on the staff of deviantArt and is co-founder of PhotoMalaysia, the largest photography community in that country.