Cloud Computing: Google’s balloon-powered Internet takes flight – behind the scenes with Project Loon

Grazed from ITWorld.  Author: Tom Spring.

Google is bringing new meaning to the word "cloud computing." No Google is not rolling out a new SaaS solution. Instead Google is launching Project Loon that aims to bring Internet access to every corner of the globe via high-altitude balloons. Yes, that’s right it’s called Project Loon, as in "a crazy person" as Merriam-Webster defines the word. But it’s June and this is not an elaborate April Fool’s joke.  

Google’s Project Loon is an ambitious experiment to use a network of high-altitude balloons to bring Internet access to parts of New Zealand that would otherwise not have Web access. It’s a test of Google’s larger ambitions to pioneer efforts to bring the Internet to other parts of the world including Africa where millions do not have access to the Internet…

On Sunday Google is holding what it calls a Festival of Flight at Christchurch, New Zealand and is inviting the public to go behind the scenes to meet the Project Loon team. Google is also inviting New Zealanders to register to be a Project Loon pilot tester…

Read more from the source @ http://www.itworld.com/cloud-computing/361118/googles-balloon-powered-internet-takes-flight-behind-scenes-project-loon