AirPort (WiFi) detector

This is exactly what I have been longing for, but not exactly how I had it in mind.

Kensington (yes they do make more than locks) announced this device today that shows you if a wireless net is around. It works on both 802.11b and 802.11g. For us Mac-heads this means in translation: AirPort, as well as AirPort Extreme.

This is definitely a cool idea, but the device could be even simpler if you did not have to push the button for it to check the surroundings for an open wireless net. After all, for me to push the button I would probably have some idea already that there is a chance of such a net to be around. Or am I supposed to run around, this widget in hand, continuously pushing the button? How about one that that scans continuously and beeps when you walk into an area that has such a network?

A couple of weeks ago I went on a trip to Atlanta with the paper. It was only by accident that I noticed an open wireless network in the lobby of the hotel. If I had had such a detector with me, I would have gotten a short “beep!” as I walked into the lobby and would have instantly know that there was such a network. But what use is a detector that you have to tell to detect?