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    Google's balloon-powered internet needs testers in California

    Google's balloon-powered internet needs testers in California

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    Google X's Project Loon intends to bring internet access to remote areas around the world through giant connected balloons — but while the project's aspirations may be to help abroad, it isn't going far from home for its next test run. Google is asking residents of California's Central Valley for help in determining how robust the balloons' internet connections are. Volunteers selected by Google will have a Loon antenna installed in their home or business, and when a balloon on a test run flies overhead, it'll start stress testing the connection to see how it holds up.

    Google had already begun an initial public test of Project Loon when it unveiled the experiment back in June. At the time, 50 testers had been set up in New Zealand, and Google said that it was planning to add more countries as time went on. The California test will run through the end of the year, but Google hasn't said how many volunteers it'll be taking throughout that duration of time. Those who are both interested and in the area will be able to apply over at Project Loon's Google+ page.