Getting broadband Internet out to rural areas has always been a challenge, and the methods proposed in the past--wireless data networks like WiMAX, mesh networking and femtocells--were anything but cheap. If Intel is to be believed, however, they've developed a new technology that could bring a signal to the far reaches of the globe for a couple of hundred bucks. The company's just-announced "Rural Connectivity Platform" (RCP) is said to extend the reach of a conventional WiFi signal to a whopping 60 miles, using specialized software and an antenna that can transmit data at around 6.5 megabits per second. What's more, a single RCP device costs only $500 and consumes so little power that it can be run off of a solar panel. No word yet on when we'll start seeing RCP--hopefully an official announcement from Intel is forthcoming.

For more on the new tech:
- see this article from Technology Review