Small Company Promises SF Free WiFi

Earthlink, other providers pull out amid rising costs

(NEWSER) - Hopes for wireless cities are flickering out one by one as Internet providers run up against mounting logistics and small profits, the New York Times reports. Ambitious plans to provide free or cheap high-speed service to poor residents of cities such as Philadelphia, Houston, and San Francisco have ground to a halt as the providers, most notably Earthlink, pull out of the projects. More»

Flying 'towers' could revolutionize rural Internet, cell use; Google interested

(NEWSER) - A decidedly whimsical business model could bring wireless Internet and cell service to wide swaths of rural America, slinging signals from balloons drifting toward the edge of space. Don’t scoff—the system is already providing services for truckers and oil companies, courtesy of Space Data Corp., and Google is so intrigued it might buy the little company, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

This won't help its 'Don't Be Evil' mantra

(NEWSER) - Google has pronounced itself "profoundly sorry" for the revelation that its roving street-map vehicles have been inadvertently collecting data about websites people visit over unprotected WiFi networks. The company says it's ditching the data and fixing the problem. (See its explanation and apology here .) Some early reaction:

• "It’s not likely that Google grabbed enough data about many individuals for this to be a major privacy concern," writes Jason Kincaid at TechCrunch . But as it faces increased scrutiny from privacy advocates and governments, "this is certain to haunt Google nonetheless."

Fight for market share finds willing fodder in snow-delayed fliers

(NEWSER) - There’s a new public option in town: free wireless from Google for the holidays. The search giant has partnered to provide WiFi gratis in 47 airports nationwide from now until the middle of January; the generosity even extends to in-flight access on continental Virgin flights, PC World reports. Google would probably like to spread its beneficence across the entire nation, but its partnership with the likes of Time Warner and Boingo doesn’t allow universal coverage. More»

Adviser thinks Obama should open power grids, fund innovation

(NEWSER) - Google CEO Eric Schmidt thinks the government needs to fund a massive reinvention of America’s energy infrastructure, opening up the grid to startups and funding innovation, Information Week reports. It’s crucial “that small startups with funny names get founded and funded in the new regime,” said the adviser to President-elect Barack Obama. “That’s where the wealth will be created.” More»