6 ms·

Wasn't Page about to focus? Shutting down small, useful and used tools because Google should only do a few thngs, but all of them well? So will this litter the

Wasn't Page about to focus? Shutting down small, useful and used tools because Google should only do a few thngs, but all of them well? So will this litter the countryside, and even worse, the oceans with electronic equipment incl. highly toxic batteries? will they maintain and retrieve every single one of those balloons? who pays for that?

Dylan16807 13y ago
I find it odd that you assume they're going to take these highly advanced routers and litter with them.
- revx 13y ago
  I share the same concerns - what about the batteries and other products that aren't as expensive as the routers?
  - yohui 13y ago
    (from http://www.google.com/loon/faq/#pilot http://www.google.com/loon/faq/#pilot) Q: WHAT STEPS IS PROJECT LOON TAKING TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE? A: We are taking several steps to ensure Project Loon does not negatively impact the environment: - We’re working to guide all balloons to collection points upon descent, so we can reuse, recycle, or dispose of the parts responsibly - When balloons do not make it to one of these collection points, we will be offering a reward for reporting the location of the balloon so we can collect it - We can track where the balloons land and we have a team of people who focus on recovering the balloons - We'll have a boat for recovering balloons that go into the sea close to New Zealand - We've started looking into using biodegradable films for our balloon envelopes - Our balloons’ electronics are entirely solar powered.
    - mtdewcmu 13y ago
      "Our balloons’ electronics are entirely solar powered." I wonder if that means there won't be batteries. But no batteries would mean no service at night. Also, no navigation at night. Pulling them out of the deep ocean would likely be infeasible. They might be able to make them float, though, and get them when they wash up on a beach somewhere. Edit: there are some answers here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5887330 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5887330 They do have batteries.
jsmeaton 13y ago
They address this in one of the videos. They can direct the balloons to land at collection points for recycling etc. How they do that I have no idea - but it's definitely something they've considered in great detail.
turing 13y ago
I could easily rattle off a dozen Google products I'd see killed if it meant another project with the the potential impact of Loon.

Dylan16807 13y ago

I find it odd that you assume they're going to take these highly advanced routers and litter with them.

revx 13y ago
I share the same concerns - what about the batteries and other products that aren't as expensive as the routers?
- yohui 13y ago
  (from http://www.google.com/loon/faq/#pilot http://www.google.com/loon/faq/#pilot) Q: WHAT STEPS IS PROJECT LOON TAKING TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE? A: We are taking several steps to ensure Project Loon does not negatively impact the environment: - We’re working to guide all balloons to collection points upon descent, so we can reuse, recycle, or dispose of the parts responsibly - When balloons do not make it to one of these collection points, we will be offering a reward for reporting the location of the balloon so we can collect it - We can track where the balloons land and we have a team of people who focus on recovering the balloons - We'll have a boat for recovering balloons that go into the sea close to New Zealand - We've started looking into using biodegradable films for our balloon envelopes - Our balloons’ electronics are entirely solar powered.
  - mtdewcmu 13y ago
    "Our balloons’ electronics are entirely solar powered." I wonder if that means there won't be batteries. But no batteries would mean no service at night. Also, no navigation at night. Pulling them out of the deep ocean would likely be infeasible. They might be able to make them float, though, and get them when they wash up on a beach somewhere. Edit: there are some answers here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5887330 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5887330 They do have batteries.

jsmeaton 13y ago

They address this in one of the videos. They can direct the balloons to land at collection points for recycling etc. How they do that I have no idea - but it's definitely something they've considered in great detail.

turing 13y ago

I could easily rattle off a dozen Google products I'd see killed if it meant another project with the the potential impact of Loon.