Ok I have written before about free global wi-fi and I used the example of a mall with its many stores  and how it can take advantage of it, but now lets talk about  some different uses outside of shopping and malls.  What about a Wi-Fi 911? It just like dialing 911 on your phone but with extra benefits.  You make your call using VOIP  ( just like Vonage or Skype)  but this time they can pinpoint your location exactly  using  a  type or terrestrial GPS ( using triangulation based on what Wi-Fi  locations you are connected to and  satellite GPS)  This can greatly decrease the time it takes for help to get to you  when your not at home.  Missing children; as soon as a child goes missing  an Amber alert will have their face on every connected  device instantly as well as  a description of them and any information about the abductor.  If anyone sees them just clicking on the message  will instantly connect them to a hotline where their location will be recorded and they can tell them what they saw. That will significantly increase the chances the child will be found quickly and  hopefully unharmed. Lets say our cars are connected too and someone steals yours. You call up and reports it missing, the police type it in and your car shows up on a map giving its real time location. Whatever patrol unit is closest will make the stop and you will have your car back. My sons last school was using an automated phone dialing system that would call our home when any school event was coming up. I loved it.  With  everyone connected  a parent can subscribe to a school news feed  and always be up to date on what is happening in their children’s schools.  You could even subscribe to information feeds on different things like late breaking news, weather updates,  a gallery or museums coming displays or even local events.  Free Wi-Fi internet access is I believe critical to our connected future and I believe  the FCC’s decision on whitespaces  will be pivotal in that future. I also believe that a law should be passed requiring anyone with a wi-fi capable device be allowed free internet access.  Now I don’t think it would be right to make it cutting edge high speed but  no less then 500 Kbs.  That will be plenty fast enough for most things and still allow the current internet providers room to offer faster internet for those willing to pay for it.  I know I personally would like having access to a 500 kbs connection for free while I’m out but  have no problems paying for 5Mbs or better connection while home. I believe that will be a win win situation for everyone. People who can’t afford broadband will have access to it. Those that can will probably pay for faster access. Online business will have an even greater pool of people to sell too.  Brick and motors ( actual  physical stores) will have a new avenue to market their wares and new tool to attract customers. Cities will be able to more easily get the word out about coming event s  which can make them more profitable.  Schools can be more connected to parents. Emergency and public services will be more effective and I am sure  many more benefits will pop up because of it.  So come on FCC lets do the right thing for our future and open up those Whitespaces for everyone to use free of charge.

I have  written about  the Internet and how the time will come when it is an integrated part of our everyday lives. What I think we really need is better wireless  access. Now you can  use  WiFi hotspots and  they are good but  you only have access when you’re within range. Cell phone brandband cards are good , their speeds are improving  and you can get online anywhere you can get a cell signal, but they are a little pricey and most limit you to five gigs of data transfer a month.  You can use a service like Clearwire ,which is what I currently use, their speeds are  fast  and they  don’t  have a five gig cap but even with their pc  card  you still don’t have  connections everywhere.  I think it is time for a change in thinking. I feel that charging for Internet access is an outdated idea. I believe there needs to be free Wifi worldwide. I think there should be  free internet  access to anyone with WiFi capability. Now I’m not saying that all those who provide  interent access now needs to be put out of business. I just think that instead of them being internet providers they need to become content providers. People who choose to go through  them should have access to content  that they woudn’t be able to get through  the free access. Some examples might be  much faster access then the free WiFi can provide. Virtual worlds  that can only be accessed through  that provider. Exclusive or  easier access to high quality streaming audio and video. They just need to get creative and come up with content that will make people want to continue to pay them for access. I think it can really change the way we live  and the way businesses operate. Think about this for a moment you decide to head to the mall for a little shopping now you walk into the mall check out a few stores ,grab few flyers to see what's on sale  and toss them when your done, maybe you  check out the bulletin board to see if they have any events coming to the mall that you might want to come back and see. If your mall has a movie theatre you might head on over and see what's playing.  Now lets see what it could be. You decide to go into the mall. You  get ready , grab your pocket computer  with it’s mobile operating system, unplug your car from its charging station and off you go.  When you get to there the mall shows up as a local network and presents you with a little icon on your screen. Clicking on that shows you  a map of the mall; clicking on a store  tells you  what they have in stock, what's on sale, even if they have what you want in your size.  Going back to the mall map you click on events and see if anything is going on in the mall and what is coming. Clicking the movie theatre will show you what’s playing,  show times, ticket costs even what's available in the snack bar.  Business owners can take advantage of this connectivity as well.   What about  random hourly specials. One hour only special saving in our children’s clothing department. Things like that will have people coming back often to get a chance at hourly specials for things they want and need. The interesting thing about all this is it can happen now even without the free everywhere wifi.  We already have  devices like the Apple Ipod touch which has wi-fi built in. The stores inventory  are already  computerized. And it wouldn’t be difficult for businesses to  create local wi-fi networks for their stores .  That way when the free global Wi-Fi becomes a reality  we will all be able to roam freely from one network to another remaining connected  the whole time.