high tech hotels, free wifi

Hi, I%26#39;m Jim Louderback of PC Magazine. We have a regular feature called connected traveller where we help our readers stay in high-tech hotels, stay connected at airports and on the streets, etc.

My question is.. Does anyone have any good recommendations for hotels with high-tech amenities -- free internet in the room, flat screen TVs, ipod-enabled clock radios, VOIP phones, etc?

And what about great places to get free wifi or internet connectivity.. Or just great places for geeks to go in Paris?

Thanks!

Jim

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Mc Donald%26#39;s and Starbucks are free wi-fi.

High end hotels also are.

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You might be interested in this website :

http://www.ozone.net/en/index.html

I think it%26#39;s similar to a network in San Francisco : basically, DSL subscribers %26quot;share%26quot; their Wifi-connections. DSL is extremely popular, and cheap, in France.

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thanks for the tip, that looks very cool

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Generally, free WiFi in Europe is much more readily available and much cheaper than in the US. Here are several sites with information:

http://www.freesurf.fr/

http://www.radissonsas.com/

http://www.hotspot-locations.com/index.php

http://www.jiwire.com/

http://www.hotspothaven.com/

Recently I saw in France residential packages including telephone, DSL, and cable television for about 50 euros a month with a 4 year contract. In the area of consumer internet services, the French are years ahead of the US.

By the way, I love your magazine.

Sarastro

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I have 20 Mbps DSL, free phone to landlines in France and other countries (the US, cellular and landlines, are included!), and TV for 30 euros a month, with a 3-year or so contract !

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Sastro, thanks for reading!. And thanks for the great info..

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Don%26#39;t know if this helps, but I believe that the Hotel Chomel has free Wifi... not sure really, but we pick up their wifi pretty regularly when online. Nothing else hi-tech about the place, though.

ps what is a voip phone?

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Don%26#39;t know if this helps, but I believe that the Hotel Chomel has free Wifi... not sure really, but we pick up their wifi pretty regularly when online. Nothing else hi-tech about the place, though.

ps what is a voip phone?

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Don%26#39;t know if this helps, but I believe that the Hotel Chomel has free Wifi... not sure really, but we pick up their wifi pretty regularly when online. Nothing else hi-tech about the place, though.

ps what is a voip phone?

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%26gt;%26gt; ps what is a voip phone? %26lt;%26lt;

It%26#39;s a phone that transmits voicedata in the form of Internet Protocol packets (hence the name!)

Basically, it looks like a regular phone but it%26#39;s plugged onto an Ethernet connection (or it has wifi). There is a server that separates voice and data packets, and further gateways to the regular commuted phone system.

It may also be a soft-phone : a program on a computer that emulates a VOIP phone. Skype is an example (though their protocols are closed and unknown, as opposed to open protocols like H.323)

It%26#39;s kinda the future !