when you then visit their offices to create an account (yes you have to physically go to their office), there is one lazy ass guy handing out routers and the” waiting room” looks worse than a backstreet dentist in new delhi. and then ofcourse … there is hardly any reception anywhere in brussels. simply an atrocious company, here in belgium at least.

Yep….right on the money…

And how open is it when

Google basically paid $500m to ensure that the masses are forced to use Google…..aka…”Google may also be the default search engine on devices connected to the network.”

You know for sure that any Google Android device will have a great user interface…except perhaps for the portion that allows someone to attempt to change the default search browser!

And, oh, Intel actually backed away from this deal. It only put in half of what it was originally asked for last year. And Google had to be pulled in kicking and screaming.

I’ll bet there are plenty of people who said that about - http://tinyurl.com/4uaf5g

It’s an awfully conflicted investment group on this deal - although I agree with most of the posts that you have to admire and cheer that Google is putting their money behind their efforts to encourage open networks - hope it works.

I wish things were open on wireless airwaves, but somehow I don’t feel that Google is really all that interested in openness after they are the default provider of a bunch of services in the wireless space.

It’s probably better than the status quo, but call me skeptical. The whole “frying-pan/fryer” reference comes to mind.

Sprint, WiMax, Intel, Google… Sprint may have been in the dumps for a while, but it’s not run by idiots… not entirely. As a former Sprint Employee, I gotta say I like what they’re doing… and I’ve seen them do some dumb stuff.

Why such a hater? Between this and the other post, seems like you have zero faith in what really is such a promising technology. I’m gonna take a wild stab in the dark and say Google & Intel are smarter than Erick Schonfeld. I could totally be wrong on that, and TechCrunch may have the next Gates, Zuckerberg, or Brin working for them, but hmmm…. I gonna throw my chips on “No”. They know what they are getting into. Intel has pretty much staked it’s reputation on this considering the billions of dollars they’ve spent and the companies they’ve lobbied. If WiMAX succeeds, it will expand to developing nations and the Intel OLPC type laptop will become even more attractive. Jackpot for Intel. Google is investing simply because it offers another entry point for devices on the internet. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them sell off their shares once this becomes self-sustaining. This isn’t an investment for monetary gain for Google, it just ensures that there is at least 1 “open” wireless entry point, and that is their main concern right now.

Clearwire won’t go “bust”, Clearwire may not meet high expectations, but I 100% guarantee Clearwire & WiMAX won’t go “bust”.

Can we have Duncan back?

“Google makes no promises or representations about its performance, quality, or content.”

It bothers me Google is pushing iGoogle and these widgets but they don’t stand behind them enough to ensure they are safe, according to their own disclaimer they don’t vouch for their own widgets.

For a company that stores $10b in cash, and spent $1-3 billion in acquisitions, $500m would be like five pennies.

If they get it right, that’s good for Google, if they’re bust, Google still loses less than a billion. Bah!