The streets of Austin will be a little more Internet-connected from March 11-20 during South by Southwest as Dallas-based startup Vinli is providing free Wi-Fi to passengers in select Uber cars.
Given the traffic situation in Austin starting Friday, sitting in a car getting work done might be on the table for lots of attendees.
The Wi-Fi will be powered by T-Mobile and will be similar to a promotion run in January during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Vinli is distributing Wi-Fi devices that plug into the car itself.
The catch is that you won't know you're in a vehicle offering free Internet until you're already riding in it; the Uber app won't tell you if the car you're hailing is providing Wi-Fi or not. You'll know you've got it if there's a sign posted on the headrest.
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