Google's Project Loon Brings Internet Access Using Balloons

[JMcEntegart]

Google's whacky plan to bridge the gap in the web.

Google's Project Loon Brings Internet Access Using Balloons : Read more

 

[zeek the geek]

If these are solar powered along with that kind of range, devices will need some special air card to reach those. I just don't see this working out right without causing problems for AIR traffic and tons of other stuff. Wonder how much each Balloon costs and what the offered speeds are. 1-3mbps would be sufficient for most people and provide and decent loading times. Assuming it's "free or like $5 a month"

 

[teh_chem]

Funny, this sort of idea was posted by people after TPB (and other torrent services) were being shut out by ISP's--a pirate-hosted pirate network using low-lying satellites or balloons hosting a "free" internet (free of wiretapping and snooping).

 

[nukemaster]

Looks interesting.

Wonder if they will be using ground stations to receive and transmit to the balloons. After all, I do not think many laptop wireless cards are powerful enough to send over those distances.

 

[ojas]

How is 20Km up the edge of space? That's still the stratosphere...

 

[digiex]

How long will the balloons stay afloat? Helium in the balloons will somehow be depleted over time.

 

[fimbulvinter]

Connect to the internet for free!*

*we may hand over all your information to US Intel at any time.

 

[freedom4556]

How long will the balloons stay afloat? Helium in the balloons will somehow be depleted over time.

It's not magic. It's called diffusion. The rubber or latex (even Mylar! but much slower) are somewhat porous to the tiny helium molecules. High concentration to low concentration over time, aided by a pressure differential. Did you sleep though middle school physical science?

 

[borisof007]

THIS PLAN IS LOONY

Couldn't help it.

 

[altriss]

@ nukemaster

Of course they will use base stations. Here the idea is to bring the signal to some local base station to spread the connexion to people.
Wifi is designed for "home" use, not for more than 100m (and even 50m...)
Here the idea is to avoid the use of massive and expansive cables, it could be an idea for hard-to-reach-areas, such as mountains or islands.
However as many research project, it is probably a big dream which will provide some side-effect-technologies which will be used by consumers.
I don't really expcet to see any ballon away from experimentations. Remember the last big balloon authorized over NewYork? Zeppelin proved us we cannot so surely rely on ballons.
But the dream is big and it will definitly bring up great innovations!

 

[nukemaster]

over NewYork? Zeppelin proved us we cannot so surely rely on ballons.

OR did it teach is
A. Do not paint the damn thing in the most flammable paint ever created.
2. Fly a helium balloon with hydrogen(not like they had much choice, but yeah)
III. Stick with numbers or letters not both.

 

[noob2222]

great, google is going to blot out the sun with baloons.

 

[smeezekitty]

Sounds like it will have serious practicality issues. And wouldn't you need a wireless adapter with an external antenna or something to RX/TX to it?