Thread: Project Loony!
Results 1 to 5 of 5
-
18th Jun 2013, 1:38 PM #1
Project Loony!
Google say,
The Internet is one of the most transformative technologies of our lifetimes. But for 2 out of every 3 people on earth, a fast, affordable Internet connection is still out of reach. And this is far from being a solved problem.
There are many terrestrial challenges to Internet connectivity—jungles, archipelagos, mountains. There are also major cost challenges
We believe that it might actually be possible to build a ring of balloons, flying around the globe on the stratospheric winds, that provides Internet access to the earth below. It’s very early days, but we’ve built a system that uses balloons, carried by the wind at altitudes twice as high as commercial planes, to beam Internet access to the ground at speeds similar to today’s 3G networks or faster. As a result, we hope balloons could become an option for connecting rural, remote, and undeserved areas, and for helping with communications after natural disasters. The idea may sound a bit crazy—and that’s part of the reason we’re calling it Project Loon—but there’s solid science behind it.
===
So, are Google completely off their rocker?
Or do you think this might work?
http://googleblog.blogspot.nl/2013/0...ject-loon.htmlAssume you're going to Win
Always have an Edge
-
19th Jun 2013, 3:18 PM #2
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
- Location
- Loughton
- Posts
- 11,593
Possibly part of the reason that so many people don't have access to the Net may be due to people in the third world being unable to afford it? or am I once more missing the point?
-
19th Jun 2013, 6:36 PM #3
Well you need to have something to connect to the net first. It's not enough just to have 3G and 4G and Wi-Fi beaming at you, you need the equipment to receive!
On the other hand, the West is discarding PCs and TVs at an alarming rate:
So maybe there are enough to go around?
I'm a little worried about the global domination aspect of Google's plans too...Pity. I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank. EXTERMINATE!
-
19th Jun 2013, 9:08 PM #4
-
20th Jun 2013, 2:56 PM #5
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
- Location
- Loughton
- Posts
- 11,593
This is more or less what I meant; the cheaper the equipment... Though there are parts of the world where food and drinkable water would be somewhat higher up the wish list, though I don't doubt that the net would be able to supply farming info and the interweb equivalent of the flying doctor in the long term.
Talking of global domination, you do know the difference between ISPs and Ebenezer Wallis, don't you...?
Similar Threads
-
Project Skaro - Celebrating 50 Years: We need your help!
By WhiteCrowNZ in forum The Fiction FactoryReplies: 4Last Post: 22nd Jan 2013, 9:44 AM -
The BF Time Warp 045: Project: Lazarus
By Anthony Williams in forum Big Finish and BBC AudiosReplies: 2Last Post: 25th Aug 2012, 3:28 PM -
The Project Manager's Guide to...
By SiHart in forum Adventures In Time and SpaceReplies: 8Last Post: 4th Apr 2012, 8:42 AM
PSAudios 6.1. Bless You Doctor Who
[/URL] (Click for large version) Doctor Who A thrilling two-part adventure starring Brendan Jones & Paul Monk & Paul Monk Bless You,...
23rd Nov 2020, 3:02 PM