e chose Kansas City, Kansas, as the first city to receive the network. Google announced that the network would be available in 2012, pending permits from the city. As part of the project, Google is working with local organizations to develop gigabit applications for the network. Another Google initiative focuses on mobile, contactless payment systems using Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. NFC is a system by which mobile smartphone users can pay for purchases by simply waving their phones close to retail credit card readers. Contactless technology refers to the fact that the payment device does not have to physically connect to the payment reader. This contrasts with current credit card scanner technology which requires the card to be swiped through the reader. Google will not receive transaction fees for the services. Rather, it has announced that it will make applications available for Android handsets, on which subscriber- targeted ads or discount offers will be displayed. This is an avenue to increase mobile advertising revenue. The initiative is a joint effort with MasterCard and Citigroup, which will provide the banking service, and VeriFone Systems Inc., which will supply credit card readers in retail outlets. The NFC initiative is part of Google's mobile software strategy. Other pillars in this strategy include putting the Google name on the mobile smartphone manufactured by Samsung and expanding its app store, Android Market, to include e-books and music. An app store sells programs designed specifically for mobile devices. These efforts are in direct competition with Apple, Amazon, and other mobile carriers. To lessen subscribers' dependence on Facebook, Google's new mobile operating sys- tem no longer enables subscribers to sync their Facebook contact list to their Android device. Syncing enables changes in one contact list to be automatically updated on the other contact list. Amazon Amazon.com is currently the largest online retailer in the world. When it was founded in 1994, it only offere