New Phone Uses GPS To Locate Your Contacts 147
Salvance writes "Palo Alto-based Loopt Inc. has announced an agreement with Sprint Nextel to immediately begin offering their cell phone mapping service to all 3.8 Million Sprint Boost subscribers (Sprint Boost is a service specifically targeting the under-25 market). This service will notify users when another subscriber in their contact list is within 25 miles, providing a real-time map displaying their contacts' locations. According to the article, the only apparent privacy safeguard is to provide users the option to 'temporarily cut out from being spotted by their friends.' Given a retailer's propensity to package together extra services, and the average user's lack of knowledge regarding their phone's capabilities, this new service seems ripe for abuse."
Wow! GPS enabled contacts?! (Score:3, Funny)
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Closer (Score:1)
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It looks like you can set it anywhere from 1/2 mile to 25 mile radius.
I hope that's configurable (Score:3, Insightful)
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Ripe for abuse? (Score:1)
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Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh, cant you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Unfortunately, the Police's political commentary seems only to have become more timely over the past twenty years... th
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What is far more important is evidence that the wholesale surrender of our civil liberties will foil any terrorist plots. If it has foiled some plot, then it is just that much more likely that the next plot will avoid that particular weakness. Also, "foiled" plots are easy to manufacture, whereas sound, well-reasoned arguments for why a given action will foil future plots are much
wow, that's every stalkers wet dream (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:wow, that's every stalkers wet dream (Score:5, Interesting)
Imagine opt-in GPS tracking instead of opt-out. Eg: Bob requests tracking of Alice within $distance for $duration, Alice might agree or not, but default is OFF.
Some phone pairs, like mom-child might have tracking ON and not possible to switch off (it might go into cell service plan).
Definitely something I would love to have....
I wonder how long it will take.... (Score:2)
The upshot is that lawyers now have a new income source.
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That's only because you don't know what upshot means [reference.com].
The dictionary is your friend. Learn to use it, or be ignorant forever.
Honestly now... (Score:3)
We have been using technology to bring people closer, but there are some advantages to keeping one's distance.
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*with parent hat on* Knowing where my kids are.
Besides that - can't think of a thing.
Oh and don't get me wrong - a GPS-enabled phone is not the best foundation for a trusting parent-child relationship; but when pressed to find something of worth in it - that's what I come up with.
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OK, I can see that.
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It worked for me I never knew how much my parents knew about me, I was always afraid the knew the answer before they asked. I think this would be a good thing for parents. It's easy
That was Bush... (Score:2)
>"Trsuat but verify"
Regan was senile, but he could pronounce English words properly. "Trsuat" sounds much more like something Bush would say.
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I just hope that the ability to (easily) track others will stay limited to subscribers of this and similar services.
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Er.. I think most luddites would argue that technology has kept us seperated, as the telephone, the TV, and the internet have directly contributed to the decline in face-to-face contact and communication.
The only reason this is a good idea is that it's a new idea. I can see a group of girls wanting this (at first), or some college buddies so they know what bar their friends are in when they finally finish that paper, but overall it will probably be of lim
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They could make that argument; my counterargument is that you're as close to people as you feel. Relocation and suburbism, as well as rampant inflation and a minimum wage that hasn't kept up with it in twenty years, THESE are the things that keep us
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Nonsense. There's perception, and there's misperception. Ever had a great friend in a MMORPG? Quit playing and see how well they keep in touch. That's just an example, and there are certainly counterexamples of people who find out they didn't know their spouse, but your basically asserting that "if you think you're close to someone, then you are," which is something most people learn isn't true in their youth.
Relocation and suburbism, as well as rampant inflation an
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Having had my wife become ill when commuting home and having had her call on her cell phone only able to tell me that she was parked, and near some trees, and unable to stay awake, I can certainly see a good use for this.
Apparently, you can deactivate the feature that provides your information. Admitt
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You: "Where are you?"
Friend: "I don't know - I'm beside a blue building near some traffic lights"
You: "Never mind, my phone says you're a block away. Stay there and I'll come meet you".
At least if one earlier press release is true (service gives direction and distance, not just distance).
But yeah, opt in on a case by case basis seems like it'd be a much much better default.
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The rest of can stay happy with our non-GPS-tracking phone service.
Within 25 miles? (Score:2)
This can't operate the way they describe.
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You're confusing the "under 25 crowd" with the "under 22 crowd", i.e. students.
It sounds like a target is the so called "young professionals" out and about on the town
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Even if it were for young professionals, 25 miles pretty much covers a town/city radius. You would only be getting a notification if someone was coming in from out of town, or totally crossing town. If someone were traveling 25+ miles into your area and they wanted to see you, or even had the time to see you, don't you think this meeting would already be planned?
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And not everyone takes until 18 to graduate from high school, and not everyone goes to college at all. A sizable percentage of under 25s are not students, and a sizable percentage of those that are have a life that extends beyond campus.
Further, it seems that what this offers is not simply a "notification" as the contact crosses into or out of the range, as I read it, it gives you a realtime update of
*chime* (Score:5, Funny)
ted from acctg is shaggin ur gf lol
Thanks, Sprint!
Not really a privacy invasion: (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Not really a privacy invasion: (Score:4, Interesting)
Privacy invasion or stalker heaven?
You decide.
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That's not much of a feat. (Score:2)
They seem to be out of production right now, but there was a company that was making little integrated units consisting of a GPS receiver and Amateur radio transceiver, that fed into the APRS system. I think it was a combination of this transmitter [byonics.com] and an equally
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I doubt it is as accurate as sitting on the roof, but you do not need 100% coverage, you need 'decent' coverage, intermittent, once every block or so is enough to track, and once parked GPS is very good, even in bad conditions. (Assuming you have a unit which can be forced to keep trying.).
Me, i just wish I could figure out how I can take advantage of the GPS in my cell phone, far as I can tell it's useless
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Unless you have something to hide... (Score:4, Insightful)
you have nothing to worry about.
But I think the government is very happy about this service. I'm sure the phone company would be more than happy to provide this information to the government, if requested, regardless of whether or not you agree to be tracked. Remember, if you irritate the government, you could lose your license to the radio spectrum on which your revenue depends.
After all, if you have nothing to hide why would you object to the government knowing where you are at all times? Don't you realize that this is for the safety of the children? Are you really going to object to technology that could help solve a kidnapping?
It is optional today. But not for long. As soon as the government figures out that this can be used to track everyone, in real time, it will become mandatory. They'll pass the law in the name of "protecting the children", or "fighting terrorism", etc...
What about stalkers? (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm not worried about stalkers, personally, but this is the sort of thing that you might see being handed out to girls on college campuses or boys on grade-school ones.
Married couples could see this causing trouble.
Tony: "You shut tracking off for a few hours there. Where were you?"
Toni: "You're a freak. I'm leaving you."
Tony: "For the guy/girl/goat that you were off with when you went off the radar?!"
Honestly, though, it's kind of a cool feature.
I can't fib on my whereabouts :( (Score:4, Insightful)
How about they work on dropped calls and poor coverage first.
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Word!
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I felt him (Score:5, Funny)
no worries about this (Score:2)
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-dave
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Which are condition that are easily met in a openair music festival, and could be the best application for such a technology.
:
The concert you were lisetening to with your girlfriend just finished, and you want to go back spend some time with the rest of your friends. At which concert are they ?
The previous options were
- Try phoning them, and yell in the phone in hopes that you'll understand each other over the background noise.
- Try writing S
average user's lack of knowledge? nonsense (Score:3, Insightful)
Lack of knowledge about a phone? Get real. This is the under-25 crowd we're talking about. Do you think the 40+ year-old moms & dads are going to be the ones lining up for these products? And to a GenY'er, a phone is almost an extention of themselves. Ringtones, downloads, games, IM's, push-to-talk, voicemail, etc. are all an essential part of staying online.
That being said, I do think that there is potential for abuse. Stalkers, for instance. Or college profs following up on students too "sick" to attend class. (but plenty well enough to catch a movie or go to the beach, instead!) Also, how long before this information is subpoenaed by attorneys. (For instance, in auto collision cases -- if client was at a bar for three hours prior to a fiery crash, that doesn't look good.)
However, it could be a cool feature -- see who's nearby for a quick lunch meet-up. Finding your family/friends at an amusement park/mall/beach/etc.
Like nearly all technologies, it's benign. It's up to the user to make it good or bad.
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Who puts their college professors on their phone's contact list? Students must have developed much closer relations with faculty since I've graduated.
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Perfect (Score:1)
Your contacts or my contacts? (Score:2)
Even better do they realize we can triangulate someone closer then their resolution if I have 3 of these phones locating the same #? If all mappings are relative to 'Jack' (person on contact list) then if there are 3 other locator's that are given mappings relative to Jack then each mapping on the 3 phones will have different information to Jack's location.
With this information com
Well... (Score:4, Funny)
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I hope I'm not the only one... (Score:2)
Contacts? (Score:1)
You're being tracked anyway (Score:2)
This service simply exposes the information to other cellphone users.
The only way to avoid having location information recorded is to keep the phone turned off and have incoming calls go to a pager.
A phone that tells you when you don't need it? (Score:2)
Surprise ! (Score:3, Funny)
Isn't most of the under 25 market still in school? (Score:2)
Marauders' Map (Score:1)
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
25 miles sounds nice... (Score:2, Funny)
-- M.B.W.A. - Management By Walking Around
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Won't work all that well (Score:2)
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Is it 100% accurate 100% of the time. No, but that's not the point. If you're out on a friday night bar hopping, you might run into a friend.
-dave
Open Air (Score:2)
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However, to date the spectrum operators have operated as cartels to maximize profits without the risk of competition, arbitrarily restrict consumer choice, and subvert the public interest. Sure, their costs are high, but their profits are so high that t
Time To Change The Ads (Score:2, Funny)
Stalker central! (Score:1, Redundant)
opt in for specific people (Score:2)
This could be handy but I would want to be able to turn it on for individuals, not the world. Also, 25 miles is worthless. 90% of my family and friends are always within 25 miles. It would be more useful if it said they were using the same tower or within 1-2 miles.
My biggest fear is that they will charge for people t
Come On, Stop Being Negative (Score:1)
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If any of you actually took the time to go and see what Loopt [loopt.com] is about or looked for more information, you would realize several things.
For starters, this is OPT-IN ONLY [loopt.com]. You can't just see everyone's info, and you get to pick who you share your info with. You can choose who can and cannot see your info.
Second, the point of this is to see when you're in the same three blocks as your friends. You may not be in the same restaurant or same building as your friends, but you would be surprised at how
almost got it right (Score:2)
For cellular companies..... (Score:2)
NEW REVENUE SOURCE
This needs to work like the 360's friends list.. (Score:2)
For what practical purpose? (Score:2)
Anyone hav
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-dave
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Thief's dream (Score:1)
Now wait for the person to leave his home. Take the time you need, you know he's not in range.
Reminds me of a movie called Louis 19 [imdb.com]. (EDtv [imdb.com] was the American adaptation of the same screenplay for the US market) Where the guy is followed 24/7 by a TV crew. One night he comes back and his apartment was broken into and everything was stolen.
once step from that Trek:NG episode "Legacy" (Score:2)
They all had implants that would light-up when rival gang members were near-by...
Maybe Boost will roll that feature out next year...
Marketing Challenge (Score:2)
Helio has taken a different approach (Score:3, Interesting)
With Buddy Beacon, users must intentionally broadcast their location to their friends list. It does not constantly track your whereabouts and auto-broadcast your new locale. It's more like "find me here" than "i'm searching for so-and-so..."
In the loopt (Score:2)
Also, this is for Sprint/Nextel's Boost Mobile pay-as-you-go division, not Sprint/Nextel contract phones.
(Disclaimer: I work for Boost's tech support divi
Response from loopt (Score:2, Interesting)
Looks like they finally caught on to mologogo.com (Score:2)
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