2013-06-15 Google's Project Loon explores balloon-powered Internet access

[btceic]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/15/us-google-balloons-idUSBRE95E0K620130615

(Reuters) - Google Inc has launched a small network of balloons over the Southern Hemisphere in an experiment it hopes could bring reliable Internet access to the world's most remote regions, the company said late Friday.

The pilot program, Project Loon, took off this month from New Zealand's South Island, using solar-powered, high-altitude balloons that ride the wind about 12.5 miles - twice as high as airplanes - above the ground, Google said.

Like the Internet search engine for which Google is best known, Project Loon uses algorithms to determine where the balloons need to go, then moves them into winds blowing in the desired direction, the company said.

By moving with the wind, the balloons form a network of airborne hot spots that can deliver Internet access over a broad area at speeds comparable to 3G using open radio frequency bands, Google said.

To connect to the balloon network, a special Internet antenna is attached to buildings below.

The Mountain View, Calif-based company announced the project on its official blog here, and its website www.google.com/loon/.

The 30 balloons deployed in New Zealand this month will beam Internet to a small group of pilot testers and be used to refine the technology and shape the next phase of Project Loon, Google said.

Google did not say what it was spending on the pilot project or how much a global network of balloons might cost.

Google has also developed self-driving vehicles, which the company says could significantly increase driving safety.

Those vehicles are beginning to gain support from lawmakers in places like California, where a bill legalizing their operation on state roads was signed into law last by Governor Jerry Brown.

(Reporting by James B. Kelleher; editing by Gunna Dickson)

[bitfair]

I may be a little slow, but what on earth did that have to do with Bitcoin???

[btceic]

How about a floating p2p exchange for starters.

floating bitcoind nodes

[bitfair]

How about a floating p2p exchange for starters.

floating bitcoind nodes

I read the article quite closely, and I'm quite sure there was absolutely no mention of that in the article. I couldn't find any direct or indirect reference to Bitcoin at all, actually.

[odolvlobo]

Didn't you notice the date? New Zealand's version of April Fools Day is June 15. It is even called Loonie Day.

[Singlebyte]

And in other news....The price of tea in China is?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_that_got_to_do_with_the...%3F

[r3wt]

And in other news....The price of tea in China is?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_that_got_to_do_with_the...%3F

next thing you know thepiratebay will be hosting their website on the ocean floor using sonar technology.

[btceic]

You guys have no imagination...

[kjlimo]

You guys have no imagination...

Bummer, I thought this was gonna be a fun conversation starter....

So it's official that this is an April Fools joke?  Or should I say a Loonie joke?

[Kupsi]

http://www.google.com/loon/

[BTCLuke]

http://www.google.com/loon/

That's no joke. When they say specific things like this:

Project Loon currently uses ISM bands (specifically 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands)

and have forms for your community leadership to fill out to see if google can work with your town, then clearly there is more than a joke afoot here.

It's also not impossible tech, like their typical April fools jokes usually are.


About the suitability of this thread; I have imagination and would LOVE to see this tech paired with Meshnet.

However, this is a press thread for press about bitcoin. As cool as this is, it isn't that at all.

[kjlimo]

http://www.google.com/loon/

Awesome stuff! 

However, this is one more step towards having the eye in the sky...

[TraderTimm]

I think its very relevant to bitcoin - an internet currency - when a project that can provide wireless to nearly anywhere on the globe is being developed. You realize these things ride on air currents? And they're working on how to steer using the opposing jets at different altitudes?

Even if it doesn't have bitcoin in the text, it still is interesting to me - thanks for posting it.

[btceic]

I think its very relevant to bitcoin - an internet currency - when a project that can provide wireless to nearly anywhere on the globe is being developed. You realize these things ride on air currents? And they're working on how to steer using the opposing jets at different altitudes?

Even if it doesn't have bitcoin in the text, it still is interesting to me - thanks for posting it.

Thanks, finally, someone who can see!

[grue]

I think its very relevant to bitcoin - an internet currency - when a project that can provide wireless to nearly anywhere on the globe is being developed. You realize these things ride on air currents? And they're working on how to steer using the opposing jets at different altitudes?

Even if it doesn't have bitcoin in the text, it still is interesting to me - thanks for posting it.

Thanks, finally, someone who can see!

So if it's related to internet deployment, it's related to bitcoin? Next time google fiber deploys to a new city, I'll be sure to post in the press section.

[herzmeister]

so google becomes an ISP, first in the 3rd world countries, later everywhere.

they'll know everything, they'll become skynet, quite literally.

end-to-end encryption might help, but they'll probably be able to block "unknown" encrypted traffic.

[BTCLuke]

so google becomes an ISP, first in the 3rd world countries, later everywhere.

they'll know everything, they'll become skynet, quite literally.

end-to-end encryption might help, but they'll probably be able to block "unknown" encrypted traffic.

Well, what's really interesting about this is that once they develop the tech and prove the system works, then WE will be able to duplicate the project and make an open-source balloon array for free worldwide Meshnet... Completely replacing the current internet.

...Where bitcoin will reign supreme.

One little problem tho: Governments can shoot down balloons.

[TraderTimm]

So if it's related to internet deployment, it's related to bitcoin? Next time google fiber deploys to a new city, I'll be sure to post in the press section.

No my myopic friend - because it can be adapted to a wireless meshnet that doesn't rely on Google being a gatekeeper. The implications are obvious.

[kiba]

Reported for being unrelated to bitcoin.