Cool new WiFi hotspot finder utilizing a software toolbar. I'll have to download and check it out.

JiWire, the leading provider of information and services to help people connect to the Internet without wires, today unveiled its new WiFi toolbar for major Internet browsers. This free utility features immediate access to a worldwide hotspot directory, WiFi security and connection status, so users can easily find, monitor and secure any wireless connection.

The WiFi toolbar, available at: http://www.jiwire.com/wifi-toolbar.htm, takes just seconds to download and is currently available for Mozilla Firefox (Windows), with coming releases for Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox (Mac OS X), and Safari (Mac OS X). Key features include:

• WiFi Hotspot Finder: allows users to search from the more than 70,000 verified public Wi-Fi hotspots in 103 countries worldwide.
• WiFi Security (via JiWire SpotLock): offers users an easy way to secure their connections with SpotLock and keep data safe directly from their browser.
• WiFi Connection Status: allows users to monitor important details about their connection, including signal strength, level of security protection, MAC address, and IP address

“With more than 70,000 verified hotspots in over 100 countries, WiFi is becoming more available to everyone,” says Kevin McKenzie, CEO of JiWire. “The JiWire toolbar enables people to find and leverage secure WiFi in the context of how they already use the Internet, making it more accessible and easy to use.” According to Pyramid Research, the number of WiFi users is expected to grow to 707 million by 2007.