Google Free WiFi Only Works With Internet Explorer?
Currently, Google’s free WiFi service at Starbucks works correctly on all browsers.
On December 17th, Google Korea announced it will provide free WiFi at almost every Starbucks in Korea, and I tried to use it yesterday. As you might know, Google has a market share of only 4 percent in Korea. So this promotion aims to increase its market share and lead Korean customers to iGoogle, which could be considered Google’s counterpart of Korean portals. After you successfully get an access to the network, you will be directed to the iGoogle page. You can also read the brochure explaining iGoogle at Starbucks.
However, to use the service, you need to verify your real name using the Korean Alien Registration number or the Foreigner number. The promotion brochure is co-written in English for foreigners, but actually they can’t use it.
In addition to that, yesterday, I couldn’t use the service on any other browser other than Internet Explorer. When I first opened a browser, I could see a very similar page on any browser like the below. On Internet Explorer, I could also see a checkbox saying ‘Set iGoogle as your homepage’.
However, when I clicked the ‘Access Free Internet’ button, there was no response on any browser except Internet Explorer. Even on Google Chrome, it’s not possible to get a response. The reason seemed to be a simple Javascript error.
Of course, it had been serviced properly on Google Chrome, and the problem seemed to be a temporal issue while modifying the page. It might be my own problem. But why this sort of things happen? Might the modified page be tested only on Internet Explorer? I hope not. But if there are pages developed like this, it’s still hard for Korean people to get rid of Internet Explorer. To save the developer, the developer must also try to survive by herself.
6 Comments
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구글 크롬만 쓰는데, 전 별 이상없이 되던걸요. 포스팅 갈무리도 크롬에서 했었는데..
하지만 ie에서만 될 수도 있으니 나중에 한번 더 알아봐야겠네요.
떡이떡이님 안녕하세요.
본문에도 링크를 했지만 직접 갈무리하신 이미지를 봤구요. 어제 발생한 문제는 제 컴퓨터의 문제이거나 일시적인 네트워크 장애 때문일수도 있습니다. 설사 그렇지 않더라도 작은 실수였을 테구요. 확인해보지는 못했지만 지금은 모든 브라우저에서 정상적으로 사용할 수 있으리라 생각합니다. 다만 이 문제가 저한테만 발생한게 아니라면, 인터넷 익스플로러에서만 동작했다는 점이 그냥 우연인지 아니면 어떠한 이유가 있는 것인지 궁금할 뿐입니다. :)
i dont see how the free wifi make it convenient for us since we need to go to the immigration to register for a foreigners’ number.
Hi chaiyen,
There are more than one hundred Starbucks stores only in Seoul. I guess it’s worth doing if you live in Seoul.
doesn’t work with iPod Touch either. :(
Hi richardmin,
Really? I think now they also support mobile devices. I need to give it a try. :)
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