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Google Envisions Free Cell Phones For All

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-have-no-friends-you-insensitive-clod dept.

Salvance writes "Google's CEO Eric Schmidt envisions a day when all cell phones are free if the user agrees to watch targeted ads. While he provides no specific plans for Google to give away phones, the implication is that he expects such moves in the future given Google's current pilot successes with delivering text ads on phones." From the article: "Schmidt also said his company was working on how to allow users to maintain basic control of their personal data. Currently, Google stores consumer data on hundreds of thousands of its own computers in order to provide additional services to individual users. The company is looking to allow consumers to export their Web search history or e-mail archives and move them to other sites, if they so choose."

4 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Just the "device" ? by kihjin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I could be wrong, but it seems this only means that you would get the device for "free," not the service. This is hardly a revolutionary idea; cellphone providers have been "giving" away devices for free (along with those nasty catch-22's) for ages.

    This is not to say I'd go long with this anyway. I'd be very annoyed if my phone beeped every 10 minutes, only to discover that I've received an advertisement.

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  2. What the hell by jlarocco · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Am I the only person who hates advertisements? I don't want to see ads while I browse the internet. I don't want to see ads while I'm watching movies or TV. I don't want to hear ads on the radio. And I sure as hell don't want ads on my cell phone.

    Charge me for your product or service, then leave me the fuck alone.

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    1. Re:What the hell by Wizard+of+OS · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Isn't that the reason that you can:
      - still buy a mobile phone that doesn't have advertisements?
      - get pay-tv where you can watch movies without interruption (at least here in the netherlands)
      - become a slashdot subscriber and NOT see the ads anymore.

      This is a new businessmodel, for those of us who don't want to pay for the product or service but instead want to view ads. If you don't like it, don't use it. There are (and will be) plenty alternatives for you.

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  3. What kind of company? by DerekLyons · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Which reveals in stark relief what sensible people have been saying for a while - Google isn't a search company, or a technology company - it's an advertising agency.