Clark has been annoyed for years that we have monopoly-provided Internet service in the United States. It stifles innovation and creates poor access conditions. In fact, we have a sub-Third World user experience and we pay more than most of the developed world.

But there is a ray of hope. After a major donnybrook, archenemies Google and Microsoft are working together to establish what's called "white space." This newly available spectrum will mean free Internet access all over America in the next 18 months.

The coming white space advancement is tied to the February 2009 conversion of TV stations from analog to digital signals. That conversion will free up the spectrum necessary to transmit Internet service for nothing.

Hardware makers are already gearing up to manufacturer portable gizmos that will allow you to go on the web for nada. We're not talking about vaporware here; this is real stuff that's going to happen.

Clark admits that he often gets drawn in by technologies that over-promise and under-deliver. But his recent track record of tech predictions included some good picks. Want proof? Look no further than his fascination with the cheap mini-laptops that have become a huge hit.

There's so much good stuff on the horizon. To paraphrase Churchill, "America does the right thing after trying every other alternative." We are on the cusp of a time when our Internet experience will start playing catch-up with the rest of the world.