I've checked the date, it's not April 1!
I've checked the dictionary, and yes loon still means crazy!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Internet giant Google says that two out of every three people on the globe has no access to a fast Internet connection and so is not participating in the global conversation that connected people take part in every day.
That’s the problem it’s aiming to solve with its latest “big idea” project out of its Google[x] research and development unit. Announced yesterday in a corporate blog post, it’s called Google Loon, and the idea is deceptively simple: Float a bunch of balloons carrying solar-powered equipment that generates a wireless data signal up to the stratosphere, high above where airplanes fly, but still far below where orbital satellites circle the Earth.
Eventually, Google hopes to float a huge network of balloons that circle the Earth following wind patterns which would blanket countries currently lacking in Internet infrastructure with wireless networks comparable to today’s 3G networks.
This week, the company launched a pilot program in New Zealand, and it’s looking for other countries in the same latitude as New Zealand to do more trials. The video below explains how it will work.
We believe it's possible to create a ring of balloons that fly around the globe on the stratospheric winds and provide Internet access to the earth below. Balloons present some really hard science problems, but we're excited about the progress so far.
To learn more, visit: http://google.com/loon.
http://allthingsd.com/20130615/googles- ... bandwidth/