WiFi Finder
Locate wireless services by a specific address, city, state, country, airport, or zip code.
NetZero's Free Web Access
Free Internet service sounds great, if it can last. The catch? Ads on your desktop.
Paul Heltzel, PC World
With HP wireless printers, you could have printed this from any room in the house. Live wirelessly. Print wirelessly.
Access is one of the only Internet services for which users are willing to pony up fees. With free e-mail, content, and of course, browsers, it's not a shock to see a no-cost ISP. In fact, NetZero isn't the first to try the idea. Last year Charlotte, North Carolina-based BOSnet went under after taking over the accounts of consumers who had signed up with a service called USFreeway, which promised "free" Internet access for a one-time fee of between $25 and $45.
More notable is the popular Juno service, which offer offers free e-mail paid for by advertisements. However, Juno charges $19.95 a month for Web access.
NetZero, which launched its service of the same name Monday, requires you to fill out a demographic profile, allowing advertisers to target their ads to your interests.
The company's zCast software generates a 1-by-3.5-inch window, which shows 30-second ads. The window can be moved as you browse, but not closed.
The company says it will act to protect users' privacy, and will not disclose a subscriber's name, address, phone number, or e-mail address.
In a quick look, the program installed quickly, then asked me to choose a local access number. Area coverage looks fairly extensive, although not nearly as broad as the coverage offered by larger providers, such as AOL or Mindspring. After picking a dial-up number, the program connects to the Net and you're asked to fill out your profile.
To start using the software, you need to download the software (3MB) from NetZero's site or order a free disk by sending e-mail to shipit@netzero.net.
Office Small Business 2007
Laptop Showcase
Related Web Articles
- How Do I Remotely Troubleshoot Someone Else's PC? I answer BobJam's question, originally posted on the Answer Line Forum, on remotely controlling his sister's PC to help her with a technical problem.
- Online Encyclopedia Lists Internal Network Security Threats A new online encyclopedia lists internal network security threats.
- EBay Lowers Fees for Fixed-price Items EBay is lowering listing fees for fixed price items, hoping to encourage merchants to increase their inventory.
- Slacker Portable Internet Radio Player Slacker's portable music player and Web service let you take your favorite music with you and discover similar artists, too.
- EBay Lowers Fixed-Price Sellers' Listing Fees Fighting off competition from Amazon, eBay improves the balance between buyers and sellers on its auction site.
- PC World Webcast: Going Green Wondering how to make your business greener? These tips will help your business save money, and save the environment.
- Myth of the Million Dollar Database Think only the big boys can afford the best database solutions? Think again. Learn about low cost systems that have proven time and time again to outperform legacy UNIX vendors on a dollar for dollar basis.
- The Future Sales Force - A Consultative Approach This white paper discusses the challenges of selling complex products and services, and the new skill sets sales professionals must employ in today's evolving market.
PC World's Marketplace
PC World's Free Whitepapers
