Thanks Google, But Airport Wi-Fi Should Always Be Free

Google's getting more than the usual amount of attention this week for sponsoring free airport Wi-Fi during the holiday season. And rightfully so: During a long layover, no one wants to fire up their laptop and Web browser only to see a Web page demanding money for Internet access.

The free airport Wi-Fi promotion from Google is a nice gesture, but in a perfect world, it wouldn't be necessary. Airport Wi-Fi should always be free, and I'm not just saying that as a pipe dream. I think it's inevitable.

There are a few reasons for this. First, the rise of smartphones means you don't need a laptop and Wi-Fi for core tasks such as checking e-mail or surfing the Web. So while it'd be nice to jump on my computer during a layover, I can still get on Twitter, access Gmail and read an endless supply of news stories with my iPhone's 3G connection.

Then, there are 3G-enabled notebooks and netbooks to consider. I don't ...

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Jared Newman, PC World