Blogging LIVE from San Francisco International Airport:

My name is Kent Pingel … and I am a blogger.

And yes, I am nervous … I’ll admit that, committing the cardinal sin of press conferences.

AND I have not had my coffee … so that is a dangerous combination …

So, let’s just start with an icebreaker — since I am more accustomed to being on this side of the camera …

Everyone say, “PING!”

San Francisco media at SFO launch

Now …

Thanks for coming.  When I first blogged a few years ago, I traveled 18,000 miles to 43 cities and EVENTUALLY there was lots of media hoopla — USA Today, Washington Post, National Geographic Traveler, eWeek, Wi-Fi Planet … blah, blah, blah.

But — before any of that — SFO and T-Mobile invited me into their house … into this cool, huge Wi-Fi hotspots (where they also allow planes to take off and land).

That was in the first week of my travels — my point:  SFO and T-Mobile recognized the potential before anyone else … they knew a good thing when they saw one … and thats why I want to launch my next tour here today. Later, I will be running around … in full geek mode, laptop open, checking out the access points and maybe doing some shopping too.

Then, for the next year, I will crisscross the country, exploring, writing about hotspots, culture, sports … anything I darn well please … again … I am a blogger.  It’s what we do.

My mission is to inform and to educate … to find the best venues with connectivity and to find some of those best kept secrets.

My goals are to meet as many people as I can and to see as many things as I can … and hopefully live to blog about it.

Thank you for being here and I invite all of you to come along on the blog — whether it is in my Toyota crossover … or on my mountain bike — the shuttle craft … or on a Southwest jet.  So, tighten your seatbelts … grab some peanuts if your allergies don’t prevent …

And let me assure you that we are now free to blog around the country.

Thanks.