These are all good points. I'd like to add that this is a non-starter for a HUGE group of people: parents with kids that require car seats. I don't know, maybe they will build car seat technology into it, but it would be a disgusting pool of snot, spit up, germs and goldfish. It also doesn't account for the (smaller) group of people who need work trucks for hauling and towing, and people who like to work on cars as hobbies. Oh, and did I mention rural folks? This would just be another tax on the have-nots who would enjoy higher costs when demand from city-folk drops off.

5G is not correlated with "high power consumption." In fact, one of the main goals in research is lower battery (power) consumption. In the past it might have been okay to blast power in all directions to make sure you are heard. Now, there is too much demand so we invest in technologies such as small cells to reduce power levels/interference and increase capacity.

5G is really all about efficiency, using our limited resources in a smarter manner. How can we increase spectral efficiency (stuff more bits per hertz)? How can we get more spectrum (see millimeter wave and FCC NPRMs)? How can we share more efficiently (see 3.65 GHz CBRS use of dynamic frequency allocation via SAS).

It even comes with softer questions that aren't as technical, such as "how can I quickly get permission to mount antennas in peoples yards (NIMBY issues)?" and how do I get fiber ROW?" since again there is no spectrum for wireless backhaul.

Surely you've heard of Banksy? He/she/they is regularly called a genius while still alive today.

This business model makes sense for Google since they can essentially sublease this fiber that they are leasing for more than they are paying. They can show an ROI for the investment since they will have no problem getting customers and that will pay off their fiber electronics quick enough. It often does not really make sense for most entities that want to actually use the leased fiber for their own needs as these leases represent significant opex costs, which come directly from the bottom line, as opposed to capex costs for a brand new fiber network (while though very expensive, can earn an ROI by doing the reselling of dark fibers or eliminating other telecoms costs). The end result is that Google Fiber customers will end up paying more for their subscriptions since there is a middle man involved.

What do you think the wireless gateway or base station is connected with? I work in wireless and deal with many, many wires.

It's a bit narrow-minded to compare any work being performed today to work that was performed 100 years ago. There were almost no knowledge workers then. Factory work was the norm. We have advanced to using our brains more which requires concentration and less movement distracting us. By all means, get up and move around more, but I think looking to the past is faulty.

Even with wireless APs, you will still probably need a wired DAS (Distributed Antenna System). This is especially common for cell carriers, but works for Wifi as well, especially in steel-framed buildings. Many buildings already have these paid for by the carriers and also carry public safety, so you may have conduit already available. There are software packages out there to help with this design, but you really need to hire someone.

Are the commenters forgetting that in low-income areas, many students don't have computers or internet at home, and their parents don't care enough to take them to the library. Therefore, they don't do homework. These tools are for use outside of class.

I work for a company who designs SCADA networks for water/wastewater clients. We rarely connect the SCADA network to the internet, but when we do, it takes a lot of time and money to do it right. Hire a firm who specializes in SCADA security, you can't do it on your own.

Windows is used all the time for SCADA applications, especially in distributed control systems. SCADA applications aren't just embedded devices, they are typically a Windows server installed on a workstation that is used for the HMI (human-machine interface) used for operators to communicate with the SCADA devices such as PLCs and DCSs. Most operators would not be able to function without Windows so they can check their email on Outlook, surf the web or play solitaire. If you want to use programming and algorithms from major manufacturers, a Windows machine saves money since there are already drivers and plug-ins made for Windows machines.

At $23 per page a standard college level English class could cost over $1000, possibly more than the tuition.

If there are advantages to both ePub and PDF, why not just create readers that can use either format? One for good text and one for good graphics.

I was a die hard Firefox fan for so long putting it on the computers of everyone I know. I just got bogged down with its sluggishness. I miss some extensions like Read It Later, but new extensions in Chrome like Google Voice blow me away.

Somebody mod this guy up, this would be way more efficient!

I already get Wolfram Alpha results in my Google searches with the "Wolfram Alpha Google" add-on. Plus, no ads...