| Last week the city of San Francisco accepted | | | | Thanks to signal boosters every few blocks |
| a joint bid from Google and Earthlink to | | | | and a mandatory Google sign-in (no shocker |
| bring universal wireless access, or "Wi-Fi" | | | | there) they've got your location covered. |
| to that city by the bay. Residents will be | | | | Some are crying foul and citing Big Brother |
| able to log in wirelessly to the Internet | | | | tactics. I disagree. Free Internet access |
| from home, work, cable car, or wherever. San | | | | is not a guaranteed right and if electing to |
| Francisco is among the first cities of a | | | | take advantage of this offering means logging |
| number going "muniwireless"- that is, | | | | into a service under reasonable conditions, |
| citywide free Wi-Fi; Philadelphia has already | | | | well, so be it. At best, detractors come off |
| cut a similar deal with Earthlink, while | | | | as misguided; at worst, ungrateful. |
| Austin, Boston, and Chicago have also | | | | |
| announced plans to do the same. I believe | | | | Some critics of this free buffet are even |
| this trend will continue and foresee the | | | | turning up their noses at the fare. While |
| spread of Wi-Fi connection to most cities in | | | | Wi-Fi is that much better than dial up |
| upcoming years. | | | | (Google says the free connection will be |
| | | | about 300 kilobits per second), it's not |
| This endeavor, a pet project of San | | | | quite broadband. And this too, apparently, |
| Francisco's mayor Gavin Newsom, is good for | | | | has ruffled a few feathers. Whether it's a |
| his career and, more importantly, good for | | | | free lunch or just a snack, just enjoy it |
| San Francisco. The civic adoption of | | | | already. |
| universal Wi-Fi is rather progressive as it | | | | |
| tackles a hi-tech social issue by providing | | | | For those of us who can live with free Wi-Fi |
| Internet access for all. I truly believe | | | | here's an example of how local advertisers |
| this to be a kind act and, additionally, | | | | will be able to tailor ads to meet their |
| believe San Francisco's stature in the tech | | | | opportunities: It's a beautiful Saturday in |
| community will be greatly enhanced. Let's | | | | the park, you know, the kind that makes |
| not hold our breath waiting for free laptops, | | | | everyone feel like a kid again. At some |
| however. | | | | point the proprietor of a nearby ice cream |
| | | | parlor, call it "Biggie's", realizes his ice |
| It's fun to work in online advertising | | | | cream sales aren't justifying the foot |
| because brainstorming is a natural part of | | | | traffic he sees outside. |
| the job. When industry announcements are | | | | |
| made water cooler chit-chat inevitably leads | | | | An idea comes to our good-humored purveyor |
| to idea formation. In this particular case | | | | and he takes action by accessing Google's |
| we know that San Franciscans are all for it, | | | | localized search. It takes only a few |
| but what will this mean for Google and | | | | minutes to create and run an ad over the |
| Earthlink, who are providing the Wi-Fi free | | | | local platform that reads: "Today only: 2 for |
| of charge? The consensus: plenty. Their | | | | 1 Ice Creams at Biggie's Ice Cream Parlor. |
| service, while donated, also serves as | | | | 2-5 PM, All Welcome". |
| terrific PR and quite possibly an opportunity | | | | |
| for future business. As a provider of | | | | The only thing that will keep the crowds from |
| advertising, Google is on to something good. | | | | his business is a rain storm. Not only would |
| | | | park goers with online access via laptop or |
| Not only does this announcement add the word | | | | handheld device see these personally relevant |
| "muniwireless" to my vocabulary, but it may | | | | ads, but they'd be sure to spread the word. |
| show us how personalized search can be. A | | | | As a buzz is built in the park Biggie's Ice |
| co-worker at stunned me by pointing out that | | | | Cream will have a big day. Targeted and |
| this Wi-Fi could conceivably deliver search | | | | effective local advertising like this should |
| ads that would be relevant to the very city | | | | be a hallmark of muniwireless cities in years |
| block you're logged in from. Contemplate the | | | | to come. Good for San Francisco. I hope it |
| possibilities. | | | | comes to New York soon. |
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