Why is it a big surprise

that Apple and Google can track you on a GPS phone? What did they think GPS was for, just so they could play FourSquare? Hello, people, that was a no-brainer, as is the fact that once you have data, the police and other law enforcement authorities can get a warrant for the records. What do people think all those little applications do, and if the applications can keep track of where you are, surely the big honchos can, too, right?

Gee. Having just purchased a GPS phone, I knew this going in, before the wave of stories and righteous indignation of users started. I bought it knowing my location could be pinpointed and tracked. It's a no-brainer, and I don't know why people think it needs a big disclosure statement from the companies. Oh. Right. We have to put warnings that coffee may be hot on cups for stupid people, too. Don't get me wrong, disclosure is great. But these are companies who make money by amassing information, and I don't see how people can be so naïve as to believe that they won't do anything with it. Do people trust corporate America more than their government?

Okay, I'm obviously cranky. I'm going to go nap.

One reason I don't like the location functions on websites

Just how creepy is 'Creepy'? A test-drive

You probably know that some Internet and cell phone applications like Foursquare or Twitter can broadcast your location to the world. And you might know that Web sites with names like PleaseRobMe and ICanStalkYou have been created with shock value in mind to call attention to the potential consequences of broadcasting such information. But those sites picked on random individuals and exposed their whereabouts one at a time.

A new software tool created by Greek programmer Yiannis Kakavas goes much farther in the shock category. Called “Creepy,” Kakavas' tool makes it easy to gather all the location-based digital breadcrumbs that people leave online and plot them on a map. The map and associated time stamps make it easy to discern their routines -- “It looks like Bob goes to this coffee shop every Friday morning around 10:30” -- a tool of incalculable use to a would-be stalker. For Web users who loyally leave breadcrumbs everywhere ("Now at Whiskey Bar!" "Now at Park Diner," "Finally home") it's possible to recreate much of their daily lives using Creepy.

What's more, unlike ICanStalkYou, users can search for any Foursquare, Twitter or Flickr user they want. Kakavas tool also adds a handy handle-search tool, in case you only know your stalking subject by their real name.

As someone about to buy a GPS-enabled phone, I am not turning on location data for Twitter or playing Foursquare for just such a reason. I know it's probably easy enough to tell the area where I live from my writing here(and obviously there's a link to my resume on this page, so you can tell where I work), but I don't want everyone else to know exactly where I am at any given time. Why would anyone want to? That's what I don't understand. Isn't it enough that the phone companies and who knows what other entities know where we are?

Alright, I embrace social networking all the way

But even I don't get why any prudent person would want to broadcast their coordinates to web sites such as Foursquare, Twitter, or Facebook. It just seems, well, stupid to do so.
Facebook launches Places location based service

Social networking behemoth Facebook has added a feature that allows members to share where they are while on the move.

Places, as it is known, marks the company's first foray into the "location-based services" space, which has become popular with users who want to share where they shop, eat or play.

Sites such as Foursquare and Gowalla already offer similar features.

Places will initially only be available in the US through Facebook's iPhone app or by logging onto its smartphone site.

The company plans to extend the feature to all its 500 million members as soon as it can.

"This is meaningful because you can stay connected with your friends around you," said company founder Mark Zuckerberg.

:)

TomTom's GPS system now has Star Wars voices. Here's a video of Darth Vader outtakes:


If you happen to have one of their systems, you can get the voices here: http://www.tomtom.com/starwars/ (it takes you to a page in Dutch; just choose the drop down box to the upper right for other languages). So far there is Darth Vader, Yoda, and Han Solo. C3PO is coming soon. Thanks to Annie Mole of the Going Underground Blog for the link via Twitter. :)