You won’t need to ask staff for a password.
It’s not very fun to connect to WiFi at a café or hotel. If you don’t have to ask staff for a password, they’ll have to print it somewhere — and it’s still a hassle when all you want to do is check your email. Ten One Design thinks it might have a friction-free answer. It’s releasing the Wifi Porter, an unassuming wood block that connects your handset to the local network with a tap. NFC-equipped Android phones and 2018 iPhones (the iPhone XS and XR) just have get near the block to get a connection prompt, with no app or password required. If your device doesn’t have those luxuries, you can still connect using a QR code on the bottom.
The device is shipping as of mid-January, and it’s not all that expensive at $40 for one block and $129 for a four-pack. It’s probably overkill if you just want to save house guests the trouble of punching in a code, and it won’t help much if you’re connecting your laptop. Still, it might be just the ticket for eateries that would rather spend more time serving food than answering technical questions.
