Although I think this initiative is nothing less than totally awesome, I wouldn't want Google as my ISP.
Project Loon
191–200 of 299 posts
Re: Project Loon
#192This could also be used to achieve low-latency network access in passenger aircraft over the oceans.
Re: Project Loon
#193In the first video, yeah having a freakin kid tell you why the world needs to be connected and explaining concepts that he/she is having problem even pronouncing does make me wanna support this lunatic loon project so google can whore out the rest of the planet with their ads. Can't stop imagining how useful this will be to the #nsa
Re: Project Loon
#194I wouldn't vouch for it until the complete tech stack is open-source, and the devices are manufactured and deployed by someone else than Google. I expect them to be shot down eventually if that doesn't happen.
What? why? Most networking and routing hardware is proprietary, what's different about balloons?
Well, Google owned global balloon network is just too scary. I guess it doesn't have to be open-source if there's means to reverse engineer these things, and be sure that there's no way for Google to gather information or intercept the traffic.
Re: Project Loon
#195[deleted]
Re: Project Loon
#196I've always wanted a near-live satellite image for Google maps. If this takes off that'll be possible. I could find a parking spot from the sky. :)
Oh they could also use them like bombs and drop them on the "bad guys". They just need to make sure they explode with enough intensity, imagine a shit ton of these "cheap" balloons (economy of scale + ad-supported) just falling out of sky, and exploding everywhere lolz
Re: Project Loon
#197Earlier quoted context omitted.
I feel bad for people like you. I fee bad that you can't believe that some people or company with money just wants to make the world a better place. You said it yourself. Google probably won't make money. Maybe, just maybe, they just want to do something good.
Why can't they do both? Make the world a better place and make a nice profit while doing so?
Exactly. That is exactly why I like Google's business model. It allows them to earn money, lots of it, while still being good, at least in theory.
Re: Project Loon
#198Re: Project Loon
#199That's odd, I'm looking at my calendar and it doesn't say April 1st.
My first thought as well :) ... I believed it only because we're nowhere near April :P
Re: Project Loon
#200Earlier quoted context omitted.
The long game is being fully wired. No, the long game is wireless communications (and renewable energy). One of the reasons for fast growth in some developing countries is the fact that they don't have to make the same investments in infrastructure that developed countries made in the past.
Wireless is a hack, it will never replace wired. Sure, in Africa they get online with mobile phones, but that's only because it's not profitable _yet_ to run landlines. Even 56K would be better than mobile, but since it's Africa they don't even have that. Give it a few more decades and they'll be wired just like everyone else.
You have no idea what you are talking about. I live in a developing country (bangladesh) which is mostly poor. About 80-90% of internet users are wireless internet users, and every year its getting more dominating.
Wired connection is extremely expensive to deploy and very time consuming too, wireless, not so much. As a matter of fact there is no "nation-wide" wired internet service here, only local providers. New wireless providers are popping up almost every year...