Spots – the WiFi hotspot finder App Review & Giveaway April 15, 2009
Posted by iphonetech78 in Feedback Contests for Developers, iPhone App Reviews.Tags: 1.99, Anna Jautzke, Spots, wi-fi hotspots finder
trackback
Spots – the wifi hotspot finder is useful when you don’t have a wireless access point but you are searching for the nearest wi-fi hotspot to use. It contains a database of 250,000 hotspots worldwide. In the image above, it shows all the wi-fi hotspots as shinning white dots.
There are 2 ways to use this app. Basically, you can use the find feature and key in the location. The app will then show you the search results. You can set certain locations as pin-points (the icon above the map icon) so that it will show other free wi-fi spots around that location as a reference point.
The other method to use this app is to let it detect your location and it will show all the wi-fi hotspots around you. This app can certainly help you to save on your mobile data usage plan or 3G mobile plan. Spots does not scan for available wi-fi network using iphone network capabilities but it uses its own contained database. This feature will saves on your iphone’s battery usage.
The only complain I have is I cannot update the database on my own. I can only rely of the updates that is available through the app. The integrated map need wi-fi access if you wish to view it on google maps. However, the basic address of the wi-fi hotspot seems adequately enough if you don’t need maps to find the wi-fi hotspot.
Functionality: 5/5
Ease of Use: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Targeted users: Users who needs wi-fi 70% of their time .
Overall: 4.7 /5
Note: The app does work without wi-fi even though my screenshots shows I am connected to my WLAN.
Check this useful app on iTunes for $1.99.
Contest is currently closed. Watch out for another Spot giveaway coming soon. The next update of the app will have all the Wireless@SG hotspot locations. 
Since I don’t have the app, I don’t know if it is in there or not, but does it have any options for you to add your own notes to the hotspots you visit. Like if one hotspot is constantly slow for some reason, you can add a little note so you know to avoid it the next time you are in the area. If not, that’d be one feature I’d want in the update. IDK, with out actually using the app, it is hard to know what I would want to add to it.
As for spreading the word, I suppose that’d involve recommending it to people when they ask for a good Wi-Fi Finder. ‘Bout all I can do.
Meh, not really a riveting contest entry, is it? lol.
well, I can introduce this to my iPhone user in my office for those mobile user – sales team. But they wan to buy or not, the choices is them
As a uni student, all my other friends’ with iPhone depends on school WIFI infrastructure for internet connection as we could not afford data plans. It is often irritating not to able being able find good WIFI spots in school or around town, even though there is supposed to be many around….
If this works well, it will be a winner among my peers
Since this app is depending on its library to enable users to identify hotspots, then the library should be built up by allowing users to pin the spot and upload it to the server to expand the hotspot library over the world.
This app can be given out as a lite version, and can be registered free if the user contributed say 10-20 hotspot locations. This will expand the hotspot library and make the app more useful over time.
This app looks great and the ability to use it when your not connected to the internet is even better! In a future update they can include the option to look for “free,” “paid,” and “all” hotspot locations. A favorites feature is always nice. Maybe even add a little color to the application!
I will spread the word of this application on my twitter page, Facebook and beta testing pages!
I’m the developer of Spots and I like to thank all of you for your support. Comments, suggestions and also criticism is always very much appreciated!
@Mike: There’s already a filter function, that lets you chose, which providers (or only free hotspots) you want to see. We’re sorry to admit that at the time of writing Spots contains free hotspots in the US only. We hope to change this in the future.
@TC Tan: We’d love to add this community feature, but we’re not sure yet of how to assure the quality of the data. If anyone could enter whatever data he wants, We’ll end up with a lot of spam, false advertisement, etc. But We’re definitely thinking about a way to add this feature. Right now, anybody could use the support form on our website to report hotspot locations.
@MatLu: Very good feature request (taking notes)! This is definitely very high on our list. We also want to add a rating (like iTunes’ stars). We’re also thinking about letting users share this data.
Thanks again for all your valuable feedback and feature requests.
MatLu, Mike Sharkey, TC Tan and Zen won 4 of my codes. Congrats to them. The codes have been emailed to you.
I can introduce amazing app to my iPhone user in class.
Maybe add a few more type of skin for the app. Plain dark blue isnt my color >.<
ngwixn and jason won 2 of my codes. 2 more winners!
I often have difficulties finding wifi spots with my psp.
Hope that with my new ipod touch,
I can get to wifi spots with much ease. (:
Promo code emailed to xandy.
I still have some more codes to give away. Hurry!
as i do not have any subscription to any data plan so when im outside i would always love to know places where there are wireless so that my gf can use her laptop wireless to study while i can use my iPhone internet to keep myself entertain.
things to improve is that maybe they can have an additional small icon at the side which shows whether the wi-fi hotspot is locked/not and also another feature where we can take a snapshot and use it as a display pic next to the name and other users is able to share it so that they can easily recognise the location.
Hi,
If I can get hold of this application, I would spread to my family and friends about this as many of them have iPhones/iPod Touchs. With this WiFi locator, it would be a breeze to search for WiFi Hotspots, since there aren’t easy to locate and Data Plans are not available on iPods.
I hope that with this app, things would be much easier for me and I will be able to surf the net on the go and I believe that this will help others as well.
Thanks.
Promo code sent to Mervin since Jacky withdrew from the contest.
All codes are gone till further notice.