We have driverless cars and computer glasses that may possibly include X-ray vision. What’s next? Google announced this week that it launched 30 high-flying balloons that will beam down Internet access, at the speed of a 3G network, to remote areas of the world that have limited or no connectivity. The Google team launched Project Loon, named for what may sound like a crazy idea, from a site in New Zealand. Balloons will circle the globe using wind streams at altitudes above commercial air traffic. Google says that for 2 out of 3 people on the planet, an affordable Internet connection is out of reach. They want to connect the 5 or 6 billion remaining people that are currently on the other side of the digital divide. It’s lofty goal. Literally. Check out this video posted yesterday on Google’s official blog.
