????谷歌公司的Loon項(xiàng)目計(jì)劃利用氣球，讓世界上缺乏網(wǎng)絡(luò)設(shè)施的地區(qū)也能享受到互聯(lián)網(wǎng)服務(wù)。據(jù)科技博客The Verge的一篇報(bào)道稱，這個(gè)項(xiàng)目可能為谷歌帶來上百億美元收益。

????在谷歌副總裁兼該項(xiàng)目主管麥克?卡西迪看來：全球目前共有45億人無法上網(wǎng)，只要?dú)馇蚰茏屍渲?%的人上網(wǎng)——谷歌向每個(gè)用戶每月收取5美元——就意味著上百億美元的收入。

????當(dāng)然，這個(gè)算盤并沒有考慮這套基于氣球的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)系統(tǒng)的運(yùn)營(yíng)成本，勢(shì)必將十分高昂。由于多數(shù)未聯(lián)網(wǎng)地區(qū)都處于發(fā)展中國(guó)家，每月5美元也是一筆很大的支出。

????Loon項(xiàng)目約四年前以實(shí)驗(yàn)形式啟動(dòng)。目前谷歌正在新西蘭測(cè)試這種可以上網(wǎng)的氣球，最終目標(biāo)是將該項(xiàng)目推向全球。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：清遠(yuǎn)

????Project Loon, Google’s project to use balloons to bring Internet access to underserved parts of the world, could bring in billions of dollars, according to a report in The Verge.

????Google VP and Project Loon lead Mike Cassidy sees it like this: if the balloons bring Internet access to just 5% of the 4.5 billion people currently without it— and Google gets $5 a month from each user—that would mean tens of billions in revenue for the company.

????Of course, Cassidy’s figure doesn’t factor in the costs of running the ballon-based Internet system, which could be high. And since most of the underserved parts of the world are in developing areas, $5 a month is a lot to charge.

????Project Loon began as an experimental project for the company about four years ago. Google is currently testing the Internet-beaming balloons in New Zealand, with ambitions to expand the project to other parts of the world.