free things aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. There’s more free product online right now than at any other time in history. We’re talking Daily Show clips, Google Books and entire libraries of music and news from every corner of the globe backed by advertising.
Free is bait. It's supposed to get you hooked. If you’ve played many mobile games, this pattern might be familiar. It’s called “freemium,” in which companies offer their apps at no cost and then charge for the good stuff once you’re addicted. (This model is also popular among drug dealers.)
Mashable on internet has gone as far as it can with free news, entertainment, services, etc.