Google plans free nationwide Wi-Fi.

[Dinner]

Interesting if true. I know that anything which is free always has an asterisks attached to it but I can't help but think this would be a good thing even with the advertising, data mining, and (in all likelihood) fees for extra bandwidth.

Google patents free Wi-Fi
The search-engine giant has developed three technologies for offering wireless Internet access, and advertising, free of charge.

SAN FRANCISCO (Business 2.0 Magazine) - More evidence has emerged that Google is getting ready to blanket the U.S. with free Wi-Fi, as Business 2.0 senior writer Om Malik reported last year. Now, the company has filed for three patents related to offering wireless Internet access. Search Engine Roundtable points out that the patents all have to do with serving up advertising through a wireless Internet connection maintained by a third party, whose brand Google would include in the presentation of those ads. Sounds a lot like Google's latest plan to unwire San Francisco, where it has teamed up with EarthLink (Research). By teaming up with partners who would build the actual Wi-Fi infrastructure, Google (Research) could complete a nationwide Wi-Fi network much more quickly than if it had to build it itself.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/28/technology/business2_browser0328/index.htm

[Ted Striker]

[notyoueither]

Search Engine Roundtable points out that the patents all have to do with serving up advertising through a wireless Internet connection maintained by a third party, whose brand Google would include in the presentation of those ads.

Sounds like more attampts to patent 'pointing device' or GUI.

[notyoueither]

'I know! We'll deliver ads to pay for 'free' wireless, and we'll patent the idea so that noone else can make wireless 'free' by selling ads on their service!'

Boooo.

[Dinner]

I'm not sure exactly what sort of patients google has applied for. I would be surprised if they were so broad as to simply be the idea of targeted advertising to pay for Wi-Fi. I suspect the patents deal with some sort of technical detail about how to make Wi-Fi networks work.

[DaShi]

Cool, maybe we can catch up to S. Korea in a few decades.

[Ted Striker]

HAHHAAH good point

we are teh ancient with technology

[Kinjiru]

Originally posted by Oerdin
I'm not sure exactly what sort of patients google has applied for.

Ghealthcare?

[Pekka]

Great, except with this pace, you'll soon be having GoogleChildren and paying tribute to the GGod.

[quantum_mechani]

Re: Google plans free nationwide Wi-Fi.

Google is getting ready to blanket the U.S. with free Wi-Fi

I'll bet this does not include anywhere around here.

[Flip McWho]

we are teh ancient with technology

Come to NZ, realise what ancient truly is.

[FrostyBoy]

Flip, if you were born in NZ, LEAVE, ASAP. But don't give up your citzenship, then when you're really old, return to NZ with lots of money.

Go Google

Take over the world Google, just take it.

[Datajack Franit]

PRAISE GOOGLE

[DanS]

Some of the 802.11n MIMO hardware is extremely fast and robust over medium ranges. Not quite gigabit speed, but close.

Point being that some Wi-Fi tech is really good and exciting, even though some of the old stuff isn't very good for the purposes of blanketing the US with internet access.

[Vesayen]

If they manage to do this and they somehow get a copyright(It DOES sound like copyrighting a pointer), google will be able to print their own money.


Edit: Seriously, PRAISE GOOGLE!


<--Googlephile.