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Google's urban tech lab is working on free, city-wide WiFi
When Google unveiled its urban improvement initiative, Sidewalk Labs, it left one big question: what was this new outfit actually working on? As of today, you should have a good idea. Sidewalk and a group of investors have bought and merged two key companies behind LinkNYC, an effort to offer free, public WiFi across New York City. The combined entity, Intersection, will extended LinkNYC's internet-for-all technology to cities worldwide. Ideally, you'll one day "walk down any street" and expect to get fast wireless data. That sounds more than a little ambitious, but it makes sense given Google's sheer clout and desire for a ubiquitous internet. The easier it is for you to hop online, the easier it is for Google to serve up its money-making ads.
NYC MTA to install 90 futuristic touchscreen kiosks across the subway
Replacing those unused telephones that still dot the streets of NYC with high-tech kiosks is just the start. Control Group, one of the companies looking to Reinvent Payphones, has been hired by the MTA to bring its touchscreen and app-driven vision to the New York City Subway system. All told, 90 of 47-inch panels will be installed in stops from Grand Central to Bedford primarily near booths, but also on the platforms themselves. At least initially the rugged displays will primarily be used to feed information about delays and outages and, of course, serve up ads. Eventually, the stainless steel-encased kiosk will be able to run apps approved by the MTA, but the star of the show will be the navigation system that offers a mastery of New York public transportation that Google could only dream of. Sadly there's no concrete timeline for the rollout, we'll just have to keep an eye on the platform. There's one more image waiting after the break for the truly curious.
