Top Asia Pacific’s Favourite Wireless Hotspots

News Release

Scenic, Convenient Places Top Asia Pacific’s Favourite Wireless Hotspots

Wi-Fi Hotspots Have Evolved from Points of Convenience to Places of Experience

A magnificent harbour view together with a cup of coffee and wireless internet access proved to be the winning combination. The Pacific Coffee Company’s* shop at Hong Kong Peak was voted Asia’s favourite wireless hotspot in a poll conducted by Intel Corporation with 1,996 participants from more than 20 countries. The Starbucks Coffee Company* shop at Circular Quay in Sydney, which is next to the world famous Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, ranked second in the poll. The Suntec City Convention Centre in Singapore, the country’s most popular venue for exhibitions and international conferences, came third.

Intel’s Top 10 Asian Wireless Hotspots poll shows that mobility has evolved from a pure business proposition to a consumer lifestyle. Wireless hotspots allow people with wireless-enabled laptop PCs, such as those based on Intel® Centrino® mobile technology, to move outside the office – with or without their work – to enjoy mobile connectivity and have fun.

In the survey, business and leisure travellers could pick the 10 most scenic, convenient or unusual places to enjoy wireless mobility out of 36 entries from around the region.
Two New Zealand hotspots were included in the poll, registering a combined 1,215 votes out of a total of 19,898 votes for the region. The Millennium Hotel Queenstown secured 758 votes and the Viaduct, Auckland received 457 votes.

Asia Pacific’s top ten favourite wireless hotspots are:
1. Hong Kong – The Peak – Pacific Coffee Company (55.6 percent)
2. Sydney – Circular Quay – Starbucks Coffee Company (50.3 percent)
3. Singapore – Suntec City Convention Centre (49.2 percent)
4. Singapore – Changi Airport (48.1 percent)
5. Beijing – Beijing International Capital Airport (47.3 percent)
6. Shanghai – Xintiandi (46.9 percent)
7. Beijing – The Great Wall (43.8 percent)
8. Hong Kong – Ocean Centre – Starbucks Coffee Company (43.8 percent)
9. Taipei – The National Museum of History (42.6 percent)
10. Korea – Jeju Island (41.9 percent)

The poll also confirmed that people increasingly enjoy taking their laptop PCs out of their offices and homes to exciting places. Asked about their computing activities when visiting wireless hotspots, 86.4 percent of respondents said they surf the internet looking for information on restaurants, shopping and local attractions; 83.7 percent check e-mail; 67.2 percent send or edit photos; and 60.3 percent use instant messaging. In addition, 66.2 percent of respondents indicated they prefer thin and light notebook designs, with long battery life as a key feature (77.8 percent).

“This poll shows that wireless mobility is no longer just about the needs of business users in Asia; a completely new lifestyle has evolved around wireless devices,” said Stephanie Hallford, Director of Mobility and Digital Health Brand Management, Intel Asia Pacific. “That’s why people select specific locations to go online and have fun. Wireless hotspots, like our top ten winners, offering convenience, a nice view or specific amenities are attracting a new generation of wireless notebook users.”

Participants also picked their winners in several subcategories:
- Most fashionable and coolest location: Kenting, Taiwan. Kenting is a popular vacation spot in Taiwan, famous for its beaches. The city’s well-known aquarium offers an integrated multi-media audiovisual guided tour that is supported by a wireless network.
- Most enjoyable wireless computing experience: National Museum for History, Taipei. The National Museum of History allows wireless mobile learning by integrating the exhibitions with dedicated websites. Visitors can browse information through a mobile device to experience customised interactive multi-media guided tours.
- Hotspot with the most magnificent view, and the most unexpected hotspot to be unwired: The Great Wall, Beijing. Stretching approximately 6,700 kilometres, the Great Wall is one of the world’s true architectural wonders. Some parts of this historic monument are unwired for convenient wireless access.

As part of the poll, Intel also gave away five US$1,000 travel vouchers to the participants whose top hotspot selections were closest to matching the region’s top ranking in the survey. Further details of the Intel Asia’s Top 10 Wireless Hotspots poll is available at www.intel.com/apac/hotspotsinasia/.

About Intel
Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Intel and Centrino are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

ENDS

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