Met a friend tonight for a couple of beers at the Pacific Coast Brewing pub (PCB for the locals) and noticed in the window that they had an AMD Wi-Fi Hotspot sign, and indeed are providing free wireless access. In a pub no less. Didn’t actually see anybody taking advantage of it, but I did see the hardware up near the ceiling on one of the walls: what looks like a standard issue SBC Yahoo! DSL modem, a D-Link ethernet switch/router (couldn’t see the model number from where I was sitting), and an old-style Linksys wireless box.

Amazed as I was at finding free wireless access in a pub, the next surprised me even more… not having much food at home, I stopped off at the Round Table Pizza in Marina Village here on Alameda to pick up a pizza. On their counter they had a box of handout flyers advertising wireless access through a service called wireloose. I can’t find any web presence for them, and the flyer I picked up from the counter doesn’t have any URL either. The service is not free, but you do get a coupon for a free hour during April with a purchase. Didn’t have the laptop with me tonight, but next time I’m down there with it I will try my free hour of access and see what else I can find out about this provider. Good news is that it should also be accessible from the seats outside that are next to the burrito place and the Gourmet Coffee Mill.