Google Gives the Gift of Free Airport Wi-Fi 158
itwbennett writes "Google is giving you something to be thankful for as you travel this holiday season. The company announced today that it is offering free Wi-Fi at 47 airports across the US between now and January 15. If you haven't booked your flights yet, you want to factor this into your plans. Here's a list of the 47 airports, which cover about 35% of all US passengers, according to Google. The Burbank and Seattle airports will continue to offer the free Google Wi-Fi indefinitely." The HuffPo notes another altruistic note in Google's gesture: "As another way to pass on the spirit of the season, once they log on to networks in any of the participating airports, travelers will have the option [of making] a donation to Engineers Without Borders, the One Economy Corporation, or the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. Google will match the donations made across all the networks up to $250,000, and the airport network that generates the highest amount per passenger by January 1, 2010 will receive $15,000 to donate to the local nonprofit of their choice."
HuffPo? (Score:0, Interesting)
HuffPo? Really? It's that hard to say Huffington Post? Really? Wow. I mean, I've heard of editors being too lazy to check for dupes, and too lazy to proofread and article, but just wow!
Google & Microsoft free ad money = Pure Evil? (Score:1, Interesting)
So, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. When Google and Microsoft give away free ad money to test their ad networks, they are effectively inflating the price of how much everyone pays for the ads. It's about as evil as you can get because it is pure evil, like if nobody noticed I'm sure they would do it more but everyone would notice the inflated costs if they did -- so they can only give out a $100/$75 per new account and nobody notices how you end up having to pay for this because you're the ones with the real money competing with fake money that inflates the cost of the ads artificially.
How's that for a reason not buy ads from them?
So... (Score:3, Interesting)
Supply and demand works here (Score:2, Interesting)
When Google and Microsoft give away free ad money to test their ad networks, they are effectively inflating the price of how much everyone pays for the ads.
Not really. They charge as much as you are willing to pay. The AdWords/AdSense prices are very low for well made ad campaigns for keywords with little competition but if you want to have the first ad when people search for generic, higly competed keyword (Like poker), you will have to pay like hell because so many others are also willing to pay for that place.
What google then does with the money only affects it's profit margins. It doesn't inflate the prices.
How's that for a reason not buy ads from them?
Regardless of what the company does, I will keep buying ads from them as long as it stays profitable for me (I am pleased with the amount/quality of visitors I get for what I pay).
Re:PDX not on the list (Score:3, Interesting)
Several airports on the list also offer free wi-fi. (Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; and I think Pittsburgh, PA come to mind) I just assumed that in these airports Google is picking up the cost of providing the service for the duration of their promotion. But good on PDX to hold the line and stick to their principles. Having flown through there a lot myself I can say firsthand that it's a darned good airport.
Pittsburgh (Score:1, Interesting)
Imagine all the marketing info .... (Score:2, Interesting)