Google launches internet balloons

[nuune]

 

Google launches internet balloons in New Zealand

 

Still in their experimental stage, the balloons were the first of thousands that Google’s leaders eventually hope to launch 12 miles (20km) into the stratosphere in order to bridge the gaping digital divide between the world’s 4.8 billion unwired people and their 2.2 billion plugged-in counterparts.

 

Technicians came to the volunteers’ homes and attached to the outside walls bright red receivers the size of basketballs and resembling giant Google map pins.

 

If successful, the technology might allow countries to leapfrog the expense of laying fibre cable, dramatically increasing internet usage in places such as Africa and Southeast Asia.

 

“It’s a huge moonshot. A really big goal to go after,” said project leader Mike Cassidy. “The power of the internet is probably one of the most transformative technologies of our time.”

 

The first person to get Google Balloon Internet access this week was Charles Nimmo, a farmer and entrepreneur in the small town of Leeston.

 

 

Read more about this exciting stuff here

[hightech]

It won't interfere an airlines?

[nuune]

That is their biggest obstacle as of now, for that test which went smooth they had to neggotiate NewZealand's Civil Aviation AAuthority in advance, so they couldn't do anaything without them, and as they fly a bit low it could cause problems for approaching planes as well as those taking off.

[kickz]

We need them to keep spreading the Google Fiber across the States so I can stop paying Comcast

[Maqane]

“It’s a huge moonshot. A really big goal to go after,” said project leader Mike Cassidy. “The power of the internet is probably one of the most transformative technologies of our time.”

Great initiative. I hope it's gonna be a successful project.

[GaraadMon]

Google seems to be our generation's equivalent of Bell Laboratories, without the Nobel laureates. Which doesn't bode well for them as they'll likely be dismantled in the future as they'll be seen to cornering far too many markets.

 

This idea seems like it could be put to great use in disaster response planning.