iPass is offering anyone with plans to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama next week a free trial account with full access to the iPass virtual network of Wi-Fi hotspots around the nation's capitol.

iPass says it has 200 hotspots in a five-mile radius around central Washington, D.C. Considering the crowds that are expected, 3G networks are likely to be tied up, so having Wi-Fi backup is a good idea if you must stay connected...and you can keep testing it through April. This trial will work on iPhone/iPod touch and Windows computers. The trial will be good for three months.

Send an email to nandari@ipass.com to get a username/password for the trial (and to get a link to download the Windows client software). Limit is one trial account per person. Typical cost to get access at iPass hotspots in North America is $29.95 per month on laptops, and starts at $6.95 a month for iPhones if you get a one year contract.