Look at this!!!

Shrimp

have a look at his. What's up with that??

Wireless MacDonalds

hostyle

Originally posted by Y o u s s e f
have a look at his. What's up with that??

Wireless MacDonalds

Are you unable to read?

Shrimp

I know what it is, but it seems that McDonalds are trying desperately to get custumers in. I was just wondering what other people thought of the idea of McDonalds putting in a wireless system into there "resturaunt" which has a primarily child-based custumer populous.

hostyle

Originally posted by Y o u s s e f
I know what it is, but it seems that McDonalds are trying desperately to get custumers in. I was just wondering what other people thought of the idea of McDonalds putting in a wireless system into there "resturaunt" which has a primarily child-based custumer populous.

Go do some research. Starbucks is rolling something similar out worldwide, as are many other similar large international companies. McDonalds is merely following the lead of others. This is a good thing - free (or cheap) wireless access, wherever you go - or at least the beginning.

Whats wrong with trying to get more customers in?

Peanut

I would say that burgers & laptops don't mix...

Yeah would agree Schmacky Ds are throwing cash around just in case they miss out on the next big thing, but it's hopelessly misjudged.

They are about 5 years too early with this, by which time there should be a lot more wifi-type devices that don't need to be lugged like a laptop & have better battery life etc., but are more usable than current pdas/mobiles.

BrianD

Well McDonalds is used by most adult Americans so it makes sense. Also their new McCafe's (e.g Grafton St and Naas Rd) means you can sit around and drink their coffee as you surf. It's a win-win situation ... you buy coffee and you pay for the access (or is it free?)

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by Peanut
IThey are about 5 years too early with this, by which time there should be a lot more wifi-type devices that don't need to be lugged like a laptop & have better battery life etc., but are more usable than current pdas/mobiles.

eh sorry but, free WiFi is there to GET people in not to KEEP them in. So in that context battery life is not an issue - Bewleys are still one of the few places where you can stay, without having to buy something every half hour, for 5 hours without being asked to leave.

Peanut

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
eh sorry bud, free WiFi is there to GET people in not to KEEP them in. So in that context battery life is not an issue - Bewleys are still one of the few places where you can stay, without having to buy something every half hour, for 5 hours without being asked to leave.

Hi Paul

I mention battery life in terms of the devices that could connect to a wifi hotspot becoming more usable.

I really don't get why they think there is this army of people lugging around laptops. It's just too cumbersome for the vast majority of people, and PDAs are a pain in the ass as well, fiddly screen/input, crap browsers.

As for those guys BitBuzz, who exactly is their target market? Can there really be that many suits spilling pints on their executive centrino laptops at business lunches? What are they thinking???

I think hotspots are cool, but a bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss. When the devices to access them are widespread enough, smaller, lighter, less geeky & more usable than current PDAs, then they will succeed.

Capt'n Midnight

Can't wait for the Fuel cells to go mainstream
Cans of lighter gas are so much lighter than batteries.
(though some pubs n' older/smaller cafe's have convieniently placed power sockets)


The decor in McDonalds (and vegas hotels) is bright and chearful and a little uncomfotable - all aimed at getting you out of the place as soon as you have finished eating (or in the case of Vegas to get you to go downstairs to be fleeced)

Starbucks are into free WiFi big time

But then again ain't McDonalds franchises - so probably only in some even if the cost of BB for a year is less than a plastic Ronald.

BitBuzz - yeah tried it in a pub on a PDA but you couldn't see the last digit of the price - €2 euro an hour sounded good, but €20 fine, I'll just use the mobile phone instead - even in rip off ireland that's extracting liquified nitrogenous waste

BrianD

There is obviously two types of wi-fi - those who use it because it happens to be conveniently there and those who will travel great lengths to avail of free wi-fi. A business person on the road would happily pull into a McCafe to check his e-mails and purchase a coffee at the same time. An extra customer that the restaurant may not have got.

Peanut

All indications are though that the paid hotspot model is not working.

A German report says that hotspots aren't working because of high tarriffs - and by high they mean 5-10 euro!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06/02/wi_fi_hotspots_expensive/

I have seen a Starbucks full of laptop users in NYC, however for different cultural reasons I don't think the same can apply here, at least not widespread.

The O2 wireless zone has been in Heuston station for months now and although it's not a very scientific study, I have yet to see a substantial number of people (more than 1 at any given time) appear to use it.

Stephen

BrianD

The prices that I have seen posted at various locations around town are pretty steep when compared with Internet cafes. I don't think the venues really understand the nature of the Wi-Fi user and are pricing themselves out of the market. The Wi-Fi service should be "a plus" that attracts the (mainly business) user into their venue. The benefit for the venue owner is that the customer should/must consume some of their products. The wi-fi hot spot operators seem to view it as another way of creaming the customer (true to Irish form) at the higest price possible. Consequently, many people will keep going to the office or home.

The cost of the wi-fi equipment outlay is not large and most of these premises would have broadband for their own business purposes. A recent magazine article put the cost of a wi-fi kit (that isuues passwords etc.) at about Stg500.

vibe666

I'm getting broadband shortly (next 10 days fingers crossed) so I won't being doing this again, but when I needed big files off the net and I couldn't get them at work I used to go into Jury's hotel in Ballsbridge and sit in their foyer with my laptop and download what I wanted via their o2 wireless zone and then walk out. nobody ever bothered me and I got what I wanted.

Rew

I saw loads of Hot Spots in NYC (being used) recently including one in a MacD that was very small and quiet. Most of them were free if you bought somthing (coffee, food etc...)

My brother works for one of the papers and he uses the irish hotsopts if there is one around, saves him ages farting around with GPRS/GPS/56k.

flywheel

Originally posted by Peanut
I have seen a Starbucks full of laptop users in NYC, however for different cultural reasons I don't think the same can apply here, at least not widespread.

don't think it is all to do with culture though - availability and price could be more relevant - especially if those generous US T-Mobile subscription tariffs were available here...

i find hot spots come in very handy when travelling, especially as mobile data roaming tariffs can be silly money, have always found them easy enough to use with a PDA too

Originally posted by Peanut
PDAs are a pain in the ass as well, fiddly screen/input, crap browsers.

more mobile / handheld devices are integrating WiFi like the upcoming Nokia 9500, Moto MPx and the HTC 'Blue Angel' (next model on from the XDA II), together with Pocket PC's offering VGA screens and touchpad input (e.g iPAQ 4700) - so capability and range of devices and input methods is growing all the time... a PDA or Smartphone with integrated WiFi could well offer a solution for some who don't want to lug a notebook, it has been a practical alternative for me in the past...

BrianG