Best And Worst Wi-Fi Hotspots I’ve Been To…So Far…

Ever since I got my Mac, I have been in the hunt for the best wifi hotspots in malls and coffee shops. My mac is not even a week old yet, so please don’t expect a long list of wifi hotspots. But here’s what I had experienced so far…

THE GOOD ONES

• Krispy Kreme, JAKA, Makati - Pros: Free Wifi, just ask for the password of the day. Cons: Closes early (no more wifi starting at 10pm. Store closes supposedly at 10pm also)
• San Francisco Cafe, Robinsons Place Manila - Pros: Free Wifi, just ask for the password of the day. Cons: You’re in the mall. That means early closing, of course. Less seats for non-smokers. Too far away from work and home.
• Gloria Jean’s Coffe, Araneta Center, Cubao, QC - Pros: 3hrs of Wifi access and laptop charging for a minimum of P30 purchase. You don’t have to buy the expensive coffee. Cons: Too far away from work and home

THE BAD ONES

• FREE WiFi @ Robinsons Place Ermita - was inaccessible when I was there. very few seats and very expensive food. So much for the “Free Wifi”
• Gateway Foodcourt, Gateway Mall, QC - was inaccessible when I was there. Too crowded. Fortunately, they don’t advertise the free wifi access. But don’t you just hate it when you can’t connect?

After a few days of hotspot hunting, I noticed that I was spending too much on expensive food or coffee just to get “free” wifi access. This has made me contemplate on getting a Smart Bro Prepaid account or an unlimited Sun Broadband Wireless account. Unlimited will always be better than limited, especially when you’re talking about internet access, but knowing Sun’s track record in service coverage, I might not get what I’m gonna be paying for. As for Smart Bro Prepaid, it’s P20 per hour, and you also get the occassional bad signal/intermittent connection. So, should I still hunt for a hotspot, or get a wireless broadband instead? Tell me what you think, please drop a comment. Thanks!