Nokia to bundle easy Wi-Fi access on phones

Nokia is planning to bundle software from Devicescape on devices in its E and N series, that will log in automatically to Wi-Fi hotspots.

"We wanted to make Wi-Fi feel as seamless as the cellular networks," said Dave Fraser, chief executive of Devicescape. The software, which is already available for download on the Devicescape's site can get devices online instantly on Wi-Fi networks, using user-names and passwords stored previously loaded on Devicescape's site.

This is particularly important for handheld devices such as phones -- and future consumer electronic goods such as Wi-Fi MP3 players -- which may have limited keyboards or browsers, or none at all. These devices are difficult to connect to Wi-Fi networks which were designed for use by laptops.