BBC iPlayer for Linux

In an article about free access to the BBC website via The Cloud is news that iPlayer is coming to Linux and the Mac by the end of the year. At least something like iPlayer - instead of downloading, the programmes are streamed in Adobe Flash format. I think this is a far better solution than having DRM encrusted files taking up hard drive space and is what iPlayer should have been to begin with. It looks like the streamed programmes will be embeddable in people's webpages, similar to YouTube.

And while most of that article is about the streaming version of iPlayer, a small section at the beginning states that the BBC's website will be available via The Cloud for free. Which is great for when you're sitting in a Weatherspoons waiting for your friends to turn up and you have your Nokia 770 on you.

via TechCrunch UK

Free WiFi

Since getting the 770, I've been getting a lot of use out of BT Openzone, The Cloud and T-Mobile. However, today I came across free WiFi where I did not expect it - at an Old Orleans restaurant. Apperently, free Wifi is available at "Regents Inn" premises (Old Orleans, Walkabout and Jongleurs).

I'm also looking forward to McDonald's free wifi service, though I was wondering what happens at the restaurants that already have BT Openzone. Reading the press release, it looks like The Cloud is providing the new free service. Oddly enough, when I went to the McDonalds at Friern Bridge Retail Park a few weeks back I was confused to find both The Cloud and BT Openzone SSIDs and connecting to the BT Openzone SSID brought up The Cloud welcome page.

BT Openzone Price Plans

I'm glad I signed up for BT Openzone when I did - they no longer appear to have the "BT Openzone for BT Subscribers" deal. The cheapest subscription plan is effectively 4 times more expensive than the plan I'm on (half the minutes for twice the price).