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Cool idea: Google and Wi-Fi

Om Malik is reporting on Business 2.0 that Google could be preparing to launch their own free Wi-Fi service (via John Battelle).

I’m going to admit that I’m not one of the people that are particularly worried about “Big Brother” keeping an eye on me. If he were, he’d be awfully bored. With that disclaimer, I think a nationwide free Wi-Fi network would be amazing. Just turn on your laptop in a city and use it — no worry about having to pay Starbucks or Barnes & Noble.

How does Google benefit? Advertising, of course. The wi-fi technology Om Malik talks about would allow Google to know where you are (approximately, I’m sure) and offer maps and advertising directed right at you. I doubt it will be able to get the accuracy of GPS, so perhaps directions from your spot to your destination are a bit of a stretch, but I’d have no qualms about receiving ads directed to me based on my location.

Google is already working on location-based advertising, but the current system would require you to specify your location in some sort of user setting. The wi-fi network would eliminate the user input step.

I’m sure Big Brother watchdogs won’t appreciate this sort of thing (and neither would current ISPs that charge an exorbitant monthly fee for high-speed Internet access — they’d stand to lose a lot of customers), but I’m all for it. I’m OK with giving up a little bit of my privacy for improved technology and convenience. Google is amassing a dangerously large amount of personal information on people out there, and it’s probably only a matter of time before a rogue Google employee does something nasty with that information.

But for free wi-fi anywhere I go? I’ll take my chances.

Tue August 16th, 2005 4:37 pm

Filed under Business, Web

3 comments

  1. Zach Reed said:
    August 16th, 2005 8:17 pm

    I’m with you on the free wi-fi. I’m already satisfied with using Google and Gmail. I can’t see how they’d mess this up. I’m still waiting for new light to be shed on the rumored GoogleOS. It’s like what I mentioned in my e-mail about switching to Apple: I’d just like to have an alternative to Windows that isn’t Linux. Know what I mean? I visited the Apple store in Chicago this past weekend and was very impressed with the iMac and the PowerMac. Guess I’ll wait a few months and see if anything happens with GoogleOS before I make my decision. 2006 should be very interesting.

  2. Eric said:
    August 17th, 2005 10:24 am

    I don’t see any way the broadband companies will allow total free WiFi access. They have tons of lobbyists on their part on the Hill that enjoy those couple dollars of tax we pay each month.

    I might be more easily convinced of projecting the broadband companies to institue national subscription based Wifi coverage similar to that of cell phone technologies.

  3. Josh said:
    August 18th, 2005 3:35 pm

    A company awash with capital (Google announced a $4B cash out today, I think) diversifying into the access distribution market, thereby providing the impetus for the industry to settle standards squabbles and basically force healthy competition in an as-yet uncapitalized market? Maybe.

    Comcast, Verizon, Qwest, etc giving up a business model that allows them to profit handsomely from exclusive demand in favor of a national subscription system? No way. Let’s face it, with the recent exeunt of Michael Powell, the FCC is now even less on the side of the consumer.

    For anyone seriously thinking about stepping foot in this market, the truly glaring issue is the intrinsic complexity of WiFi MANS; I mean really, there isn’t even an 80x standard for WiFi AP controllers on the books–not to mention the problems involved in managing such a relatively narrow (and ridiculously crowded) chunk of spectrum.

    IMO, without some serious elbow grease on the part of the industry (Cisco bought Airespace back in February, so cancel that competitive drive), I think large-scale WiFi clustering or WiFi MANs are somewhere in the future; I just wouldn’t bet the farm on the word “near”. :)

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