As endorsements of new technology go, a billion bucks is pretty good — The Financial Times notes that Rupert Murdoch plans to invest $1bn in a US WiMax network to provide Internet access to DirecTV customers. Nothing's set yet (Rupert says to check back in two months), but it seems a likely — and eminently logical — move.

As Daily Wireless puts it, "One billion dollars. Wow. That should buy a national footprint."

In a Hollywood Reporter interview (via Daily Wireless), Murdoch says, "WiMax is the thing of the future."

Techboard notes, "It could be a shrewd move. Wow, News Corp and Murdoch are really getting aggressive about the Internet. And so they should!"

I couldn't agree more.