Yesterday Google Fiber formally unveiled plans to build an ultra-high speed Internet and cable network in the Kansas Cities (Missouri and Kansas) that runs about 100 times faster than the current standard. I live there. So before the livestreamed announcement had finished buffering (and buffering ... and buffering ...) over my old service provider, my wife and I plunked down our $10 deposit toward the future and were rallying others to join us via our Facebook neighborhood watch group. Why? Installation hinges on the formation of "fiberhoods," blocs of about 5-10% of the total residents in a given area, meaning the communities that sign up the most people fastest will be first served.

As of Friday morning, at least 10 of the region's 180 or so zones had tipped. To help sell the rest, Google will open a fiber demo shop on Saturday, complete with multiple fiber-wired living rooms for residents who want a test drive first. (Something tells us this won't be the last such space.) Here's a sneak peak at the gadgets, user interface, and ambiance behind the push: