LOONY TUNES: Google's "Internet via hot air balloon" idea wasn't entirely loony at all, according to this Wired piece. The Loon team has been able to deliver signals to rural Brazilian schools at speeds fast enough for access to Wikipedia and Google searches. These days, boasts Google, the balloons can typically fly for 75 days and deliver connections as fast as 5 Mbps to mobile devices. Of course, with the search giant buying drones and satellites these days, it may soon find more weather-proof ways to deliver the Internet.
