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Or they might not have a choice. Right now most mobile wi-fi services are free, but that will change as public transportation agencies look to commercial wireless-service providers like Sprint and T-Mobile (which does Starbucks' wi-fi) to take over. Three commuter-ferry runs serving Seattle, scheduled to have wi-fi trials under way by year's end, hope to have a brand-name provider onboard next summer.
Those who can't wait for wi-fi on the move can subscribe directly to a cell carrier's data service. But it's generally more expensive: Verizon charges $80 a month for Broadband Access, plus $149 for the modem. Wi-fi is more economical and accessible--especially as it's built into more and more laptops and PDAs. And it couldn't come a moment too soon. Security checkpoints and choked up highways have made traveling a drag. Wi-fi just might smooth the ride. --With reporting by Chris Taylor/San Francisco