Earlier this week, I noticed that Google was giving away some little piece of software to make wireless networking more secure. I thought this was a little odd of the search engine giant, but now it's starting to fit.
Google, the online search leader, confirmed Tuesday it has begun a limited test of a free wireless Internet service, called Google WiFi.
The existence of the Wi-Fi service, which offers high-speed connections to the Internet over short distances, is confirmed by public pages on the company’s Web site and was first reported in a Silicon Valley newspaper in July.
It's currently limited to a Pizza Parlor, and a gym, both near their corporate HQ's, as well as in a shopping square in San Fran.
In July, the San Jose Mercury News reported that in exchange for using the free Google WiFi service, customers would be required to load a copy of Cisco’s secure network software and Google’s “toolbar” program on their laptops.
My guess is they're giving away the access to get more search engine business and clicks. Beware though: big brother, your name may be google.
Perhaps this will turn out to be a bidding war for giving away free Wifi access when Microsoft enters the fray!
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