Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Scientists Pursue Seamless Sneaker-Tracking GPS Software]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/sneaker-tracking-gps-software-ncsu/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/sneaker-tracking-gps-software-ncsu/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/sneaker-tracking-gps-software-ncsu/#commentsThe unrestrained GPS-integration movement spread to shoes last year, but sneaker-tracking technology has proven vulnerable to certain expected obstacles, like out-of-coverage areas. Apparently determined to ensure that no shoe goes unnoticed -- ever -- researchers from North Carolina State University are pursuing the development of portable footwear radar sensors.

NC State's official study, published in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, focuses on a "portable radar sensor prototype" that "attaches to a shoe." That radar relays a signal to an integrated navigation computer, which measures the distance between the shoe and the ground in order to determine whether the foot is stationary or in mid-step.

Continue reading Scientists Pursue Seamless Sneaker-Tracking GPS Software

SwitchedScientists Pursue Seamless Sneaker-Tracking GPS Software originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gpsGpsShoesGpsTrackingInertialMeasurementUnitsNorthCarolinaStateUniversitysciencesneakerstopwearableMon, 06 Dec 2010 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Caught Spying, FBI Asks Student to Return GPS Tracker]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/08/caught-spying-fbi-asks-student-to-return-gps-tracker/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/08/caught-spying-fbi-asks-student-to-return-gps-tracker/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/08/caught-spying-fbi-asks-student-to-return-gps-tracker/#commentsFBI Tracking Device Twenty-year-old Yasir Afifi took his car to the mechanic last week for an oil change, and wound up a minor Internet celebrity. When the California resident's Lincoln was raised on the car lifts Afifi and his mechanic, Mazher Khan, noticed something strange, with an antenna, near the car's exhaust. Afifi and his friend posted images of the device on Reddit, wondering if it was an FBI tracking device. A reader eventually identified the magnet lined tube as Orion Guardian ST820, a GPS tracking beacon used by law enforcement.

Afifi, who is a U.S. born citizen, knew he was on a federal watch list, largely thanks to being the child of the late Aladdin Afifi, also a U.S. citizen and president of the Muslim Community Association. Aladdin moved Yasir and his brothers to Egypt in 2003, but Yasir returned in 2008 to continue his education. But, while used to submitting to extra screening at airports, even Yasir was taken aback by the idea of having his every move monitored by the government.

Continue reading Caught Spying, FBI Asks Student to Return GPS Tracker

SwitchedCaught Spying, FBI Asks Student to Return GPS Tracker originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fbigpsLawEnforcementprivacysecuritysurveillancetoptrackingwebFri, 08 Oct 2010 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[GPS Sex Offender Tracking System Shut Down Because of Data Overload]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/07/gps-sex-offender-tracking-system-shut-down-because-of-data-overl/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/07/gps-sex-offender-tracking-system-shut-down-because-of-data-overl/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/07/gps-sex-offender-tracking-system-shut-down-because-of-data-overl/#commentsA major data system used to keep track of sex offenders shut down Tuesday morning, after unexpectedly reaching its storage limit. The blackout, which lasted about 12 hours, prevented law enforcement authorities in 49 states from keeping track of some 16,000 sex offenders, parolees and other marked citizens. Although tracking devices continued to record movements of known offenders, authorities at prisons and correctional facilities couldn't immediately receive the data after the system reached its limit of 2 billion records.

BI Incorporated, the Colorado-based company that runs the system, says it's substantially increased the storage threshold for the database, and that employees will now receive warnings whenever the system approaches its new limit of more than a trillion records. "People in our development group knew there was a threshold," BI spokesman Jock Waldo tells the AP. "They've never in their careers ... seen a system hit such a database threshold. It speaks of the enormity of the data we collect."

Continue reading GPS Sex Offender Tracking System Shut Down Because of Data Overload

SwitchedGPS Sex Offender Tracking System Shut Down Because of Data Overload originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BiIncorporatedblackoutcrimecriminaldatagpslawlawenforcementmonitoringparolepoliceprisonSexOffendersstoragetoptrackingThu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GPS Leads Spanish Man to Reservoir and a Watery Grave]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/05/gps-leads-spanish-man-to-reservoir-and-a-watery-grave/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/05/gps-leads-spanish-man-to-reservoir-and-a-watery-grave/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/05/gps-leads-spanish-man-to-reservoir-and-a-watery-grave/#commentsWe've learned by know that stubbornly following your GPS can lead to all sorts of trouble. Usually, the incidents result in little more than embarrassment and a lesson learned the hard way. Sadly, for a man on his way home from a street fair near the Spanish town of Capilla, it led to a close call for his passenger and to his own death.

The 37-year-old man was driving home in his Peugeot 306 towards the city of Seville when his GPS instructed him to turn onto an old road that led him straight into the La Serena Reservoir. The two men managed to escape the sinking car, but only the passenger made it ashore; the driver drowned while trying to escape. A Red Cross spokesperson told the Telegraph, "Because it was dark they didn't see the water in time to brake and the vehicle sank within a few minutes." It's just another reminder to second guess anything your GPS tells you.

SwitchedGPS Leads Spanish Man to Reservoir and a Watery Grave originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardistracteddrivingdrivinggpstoptransportationTue, 05 Oct 2010 17:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Android Phones Quietly Sending GPS Coordinates to Advertisers]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/01/some-android-quietly-sending-gps-coordinates-to-advertisers/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/01/some-android-quietly-sending-gps-coordinates-to-advertisers/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/01/some-android-quietly-sending-gps-coordinates-to-advertisers/#commentsResearchers from Duke University, Penn State University, and Intel recently got together and did a little digging through the Android marketplace. They chose 30 of the most popular apps, installed them, and then monitored their every move. Half of the apps evaluated were found to be sending private and identifiable information, including GPS coordinates, phone numbers and IMEI numbers back to advertisers. The researchers used a custom-designed app called TaintDroid to monitor the applications, and were disturbed to find GPS coordinates being sent back to ad providers by 15 of the apps in question. Researchers have not outed the 15 offending apps, but you can view the full list of 30 in the report here (PDF).

In a statement issued in response to the report, Google explained the privacy and security features that require explicit permission from users for an app to collect such information. Further, Google said that it offers developers advice on how best to handle customer data. While it's true that any app must ask permission before accessing customer data, the controls are fairly fine grained. An app must ask for access to your location, something you might want to grant a weather app, for instance, but developers don't need to have special permission to then use that data to feed you location-based advertisements. Google also has little power to prevent the abuse of such data, although it reserves the right to remove apps and block developers if they're considered a privacy or security risk.

Continue reading Some Android Phones Quietly Sending GPS Coordinates to Advertisers

SwitchedSome Android Phones Quietly Sending GPS Coordinates to Advertisers originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingandroidandroidmarketappsgooglegpsprivacysecuritysmartphonetopFri, 01 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Following GPS, Man Drives Van Up Swiss Mountain, Gets Stuck]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/following-gps-man-drives-van-up-swiss-mountain-gets-stuck/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/following-gps-man-drives-van-up-swiss-mountain-gets-stuck/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/following-gps-man-drives-van-up-swiss-mountain-gets-stuck/#commentsrobert ziegler's van
Share
Most people probably wouldn't drive their cars off a cliff just because their GPS system told them to do it. Driving off-road and up a mountain, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.

That's exactly what 37-year-old Robert Ziegler recently did, when his van's GPS system directed him up some ruggedly mountainous terrain in Bergün, Switzerland. Although Ziegler had his suspicions about the route, his navigation system didn't tell him to turn back until his van was hopelessly stuck along a narrow path. "I kept hoping each little turn would get me back to the main road," Ziegler tells Metro.co.uk. "In the end, it told me to turn around, but, of course, I couldn't by then."

Continue reading Following GPS, Man Drives Van Up Swiss Mountain, Gets Stuck

SwitchedFollowing GPS, Man Drives Van Up Swiss Mountain, Gets Stuck originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carDrivingfunnyGPSlolzrescueswitzerlandtopWed, 29 Sep 2010 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Outdoor Gadgets Put Visitors, Rangers and Others in Danger]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/outdoor-gadgets-put-visitors-rangers-and-others-in-danger/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/outdoor-gadgets-put-visitors-rangers-and-others-in-danger/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/24/outdoor-gadgets-put-visitors-rangers-and-others-in-danger/#commentsGrand Canyon Usually, when we talk about the union of gadgets and the outdoors, we're discussing how the latest tech can make your excursions into the wild safer or more comfortable. It turns out, though, that our gadgets are just as adept at putting us in harm's way. The New York Times spoke with park rangers from around the nation, and compiled a list of anecdotes about cameras and cell phones putting visitors in danger -- or, put another way, visitors putting themselves in danger thanks to inattention to their surroundings, or over-reliance on a device's ability to save them.

A French teen suffered serious injuries when he fell 75 feet from the rim of the Grand Canyon while backing up to frame a photograph. Another woman was gored by a buffalo while she was attempting to record a video on her cell phone. More worrisome, though, are those who abuse or are overly reliant on gadgets, like inexperienced hikers who wander out with nothing but their GPS-equipped phone -- not even water. Others dial 911 or use the panic buttons on their SPOT GPS messenger devices for minor issues, like the group of Grand Canyon visitors who called in rangers via helicopter three times because their water "tasted salty."

Continue reading Outdoor Gadgets Put Visitors, Rangers and Others in Danger

SwitchedOutdoor Gadgets Put Visitors, Rangers and Others in Danger originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>campinggadgetsGrand CanyonGrandCanyonNational Park Servicenational parksNationalParksNationalParkServicenatureoutdooroutdoorsRangerstopTue, 24 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nick Newcomen's GPS Writing Tells World to 'Read Ayn Rand']]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/nick-newcomens-gps-writing-tells-world-to-read-ayn-rand/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/nick-newcomens-gps-writing-tells-world-to-read-ayn-rand/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/nick-newcomens-gps-writing-tells-world-to-read-ayn-rand/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ayn Rand

Share
Nick Newcomen had something to get off his chest, so he decided to write it across the continental U.S. Literally. With the help of a Qstarz BT-Q1000X GPS logging device and seemingly endless amounts of spare time, Newcomen spent a full month driving across 30 states, along a route he'd carefully planned before leaving his house. When he finally ended his trek, his trans-continental message was laid bare for all Google Earth viewers to see: "Read Ayn Rand."

As Wired explains, Newcomen began his odyssey in Marshall, Texas, after drawing out his circuitous route on a map. As he was driving, Newcomen would turn on his Qstarz BT-Q1000X GPS logger whenever he wanted to "write" a letter, and would switch it off in between characters. He then uploaded the GPS data to Google Earth, and, 12,238 miles later, his masterpiece was finally complete. (View it on Google Earth here.)

Continue reading Nick Newcomen's GPS Writing Tells World to 'Read Ayn Rand'

SwitchedNick Newcomen's GPS Writing Tells World to 'Read Ayn Rand' originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AynRandGoogleEarthGPSGpsNavigationGpsTrackingpoliticsQstarztexastopusFri, 13 Aug 2010 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Warrant Required for GPS Tracking, Court Rules]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/09/warrant-required-for-gps-tracking-court-rules/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/09/warrant-required-for-gps-tracking-court-rules/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/09/warrant-required-for-gps-tracking-court-rules/#commentsFiled under:

police car

The next time the police think about slapping a GPS tracking device on your car, they may be required to have a search warrant in their hands beforehand. In an opinion issued Friday, a D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals determined that unwarranted and prolonged GPS surveillance violates constitutionally mandated protections against unreasonable searches.

Federal prosecutors used evidence from GPS tracking devices to convict two D.C.-area nightclub owners, Antoine Jones and Lawrence Maynard, on narcotics charges. The government had argued that the suspects should never have had a reasonable expectation of privacy, since the GPS technology only tracked actions that the men committed in public. The three judge panel, however, saw things differently. "Society recognizes Jones's expectation of privacy in his movements over the course of a month as reasonable, and the use of the GPS device to monitor those movements defeated that reasonable expectation," the court wrote.

Continue reading Warrant Required for GPS Tracking, Court Rules

SwitchedWarrant Required for GPS Tracking, Court Rules originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>constitutionConstitutionalLawConstitutionalRightscourtfbiGPSGpsTrackingpoliceprivacysearchSupremeCourtsurveillancetopMon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LiveRider Turns Your iPhone Into a Serious Bike Computer]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/08/liverider-turns-your-iphone-into-a-serious-bike-computer/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/08/liverider-turns-your-iphone-into-a-serious-bike-computer/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/08/liverider-turns-your-iphone-into-a-serious-bike-computer/#commentsFiled under: ,

LiveRider iPhone Kit
As both a nerd and someone who is physically active, there are few things your writer loves more than combining a love for gadgets, stats and sweat. The $99.99 LiveRider iPhone kit turns your iPhone into a serious bike computer. Sure there are countless apps that can track your speed or map your route using GPS, but serious cyclists want more (and more accurate) info at their fingertips. LiveRider has two different hardware components: a wireless frame-mounted sensor that measures both speed and cadence, and a combination shock-absorbing mount/wireless receiver that pulls data into your iPhone or iPod touch. The companion app puts all this info at your fingertips, as well as data from the iPhone's GPS and tilt sensor measuring inclination and mapping your route. You can even use a chase mode to race towards a goal or attempt to beat your previous best time.

New Potato Technologies, the manufacturer, says the LiveRider system is compatible with all versions of the iPhone and iPod touch. Finding a quality handlebar mount for an iPhone is hard enough, so the potential of a quality shock absorbing mount that actually adds features to the phone has at least a few at the Switched offices salivating. [From: New Potato Technologies, Via: OhGizmo!]

SwitchedLiveRider Turns Your iPhone Into a Serious Bike Computer originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appscyclinggpsiphone appsIphoneAppsipod touchIpodTouchliveridertopSun, 08 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aussie Family Stranded Three Days After Following GPS Into Outback]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/#commentsFiled under:


Share
How far will travelers blindly follow a GPS device? According to The Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian family of four (and their poor pup) followed directions given by their GPS onto a road closed by heavy rainfall and became stranded for three nights in a pickup truck. The family, believe it or not, ignored posted warning signs and turned onto the Darling River Road while traveling between Brisbane and Perth in the northwest part of the continent. The truck promptly became bogged down in the thick mud, leaving the family stuck in the middle of the Outback, far from civilization. They called police immediately, but since conditions were so poor, it took authorities three nights to finally reach the foolish travelers on Sunday. Ignoring a closed city street sign is one thing, but driving right past a warning sign in the middle of Australia's wilderness just because your GPS device tells you to is another thing all together. [From: The Sydney Morning Herald]

Continue reading Aussie Family Stranded Three Days After Following GPS Into Outback

SwitchedAussie Family Stranded Three Days After Following GPS Into Outback originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiadirectionsGPSgps navigationGpsNavigationnavigationoutbacksatellitetoptravelTue, 03 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Brazilian Detergent Knows Where You Live, Thanks to Bizarre GPS-Enabled Boxes]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/02/brazilian-detergent-knows-where-you-live-thanks-to-bizarre-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/02/brazilian-detergent-knows-where-you-live-thanks-to-bizarre-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/02/brazilian-detergent-knows-where-you-live-thanks-to-bizarre-gps/#commentsFiled under: ,

omo detergent with gps device
Brazil -- land of caipirinhas, Carnival and one of the world's highest crime rates per capita -- will be a bit more like the world of 'The Running Man' starting next week. In one of the scariest advertising schemes known to us, Unilever's detergent line Omo will be placing GPS devices in select boxes of suds throughout the country.

According to Advertising Age, "consumers who buy one of the GPS-implanted detergent boxes will be surprised at home, given a pocket video camera as a prize and [be] invited to bring their families to enjoy a day of Unilever-sponsored outdoor fun." And "surprised" may be a bit of an understatement for the unaware, since Omo will have teams in 35 cities ready to track down each of the 50 boxes as soon as they are removed from store shelves. The SWAT-style soap trackers may even get to your place before you do.

Continue reading Brazilian Detergent Knows Where You Live, Thanks to Bizarre GPS-Enabled Boxes

SwitchedBrazilian Detergent Knows Where You Live, Thanks to Bizarre GPS-Enabled Boxes originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adAdCampaignsbrazilbulletgpsmarketingomoOmoDetergentpromotiontopunileverMon, 02 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Thief Nabbed After Swiping iPhone Used for GPS Testing]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/thief-nabbed-after-swiping-iphone-used-for-gps-testing/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/thief-nabbed-after-swiping-iphone-used-for-gps-testing/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/thief-nabbed-after-swiping-iphone-used-for-gps-testing/#commentsFiled under:

iPhone GPS in San FranciscoA useful tip to all would-be iPhone thieves: when stealing said iPhone, it's a good idea to make sure it's not running a real-time GPS tracking program. Unfortunately for Horatio Toure, he had to learn this life lesson the hard way.

As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the 31-year-old Toure recently stole an iPhone from a seemingly ordinary woman, Jordan Sturm, whom he stealthily targeted while riding around on his bicycle. He didn't realize, though, that the phone was running a GPS program, which clearly identified where the thief was heading. The woman, as it turns out, was an assistant to David Kahn, chief exec at Covia Labs of Mountain View. Kahn lent the phone to his assistant, Sturm, in order for him to demonstrate a new GPS-enabled program called Alert & Respond. As Sturm walked around San Francisco, Kahn was mapping her exact location on his laptop, and promoting the product before an audience of public relations employees in another part of town. When Toure swiped her phone, then, police easily tracked him down and arrested him about ten minutes after the incident.

Continue reading Thief Nabbed After Swiping iPhone Used for GPS Testing

SwitchedThief Nabbed After Swiping iPhone Used for GPS Testing originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alertApplecellphonesdumbcriminalsGPSGpsTrackingiphoneiphoneappsan franciscoSanFranciscothieftopThu, 22 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoda Botches Sound-Booth Session, Use Google Earth to Spy on North Korea]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/yoda-botches-sound-booth-session-use-google-earth-to-spy-on-nor/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/yoda-botches-sound-booth-session-use-google-earth-to-spy-on-nor/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/yoda-botches-sound-booth-session-use-google-earth-to-spy-on-nor/#comments There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • Geek drivers probably know about GPS provider TomTom, and that the company has recently released new voices for your dash-mounted navigator -- straight out of 'Star Wars.' Yes, you can have Darth Vader tell you, "Go around the roundabout -- the circle is now complete," basically ensuring that, if you haven't already roofied and snared a mate, you will never get laid again. At least TomTom has a sense of humor about it all, chronicling its behind-the-scenes problems with Master Yoda's sound-booth session. Check out the video at the link. [From: YouTube]
  • Sad news for Newsweek's Tumblr followers! Mark Coatney will be leaving his position as editor of the magazine's Tumblr... for a position at Tumblr. If you are one of Newsweeks's 10,400 Tumblr followers, you will probably miss Coatney as the guiding editorial voice. [From: Business Insider]
  • Want another reason why Google is going to take over the world? It may have better intelligence than our regular ol' government spies. Some Google Earth users and amateur sleuths have uncovered what could possibly be underground airfields at several military bases around North Korea. We're just hoping that the Defense Department knew about these already -- just like those WMDs in Iraq. [From: Wired]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our Tumblr blog.

SwitchedYoda Botches Sound-Booth Session, Use Google Earth to Spy on North Korea originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bestoftherestDarthVaderespionageGoogleEarthgpsMarkCoatneynewsweekNorthKoreasatelliteSpyPhotosStarWarstomtomtoptumblryodaMon, 12 Jul 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA['BlackBerry Protect' Brings Mobile Backup and Remote Wipe to Your Phone]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/blackberry-protect-brings-3g-backup-remote-wipe-to-your-phone/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/blackberry-protect-brings-3g-backup-remote-wipe-to-your-phone/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/12/blackberry-protect-brings-3g-backup-remote-wipe-to-your-phone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

BlackBerry Protect
BlackBerry isn't in danger of becoming irrelevant anytime soon thanks to its deeply entrenched enterprise install base. But it would be foolish to pretend there were no threats to the throne. Apple's iOS and Google's Android have been adding enterprise-friendly features, and Microsoft will soon be introducing the exciting looking Windows Phone 7 later this year. Recent teasers of BlackBerry OS 6 have revealed a company in the midst of a severe identity crisis that, rather than doing what it does best, is trying to compete with the other boys on the block at their own game. That's why we're excited to see BlackBerry Protect, a new distinctly business-user-friendly tool to secure your RIM handset (or fleet of handsets).

BlackBerry Protect offers remote management tools that should come by default (and for free) on every modern smart phone. First, the service will back up or restore your data over 3G. In the event you lose your precious CrackBerry, Protect can set off an alarm to help you locate your phone or remotely wipe it to protect sensitive information. If you still think you've got a chance of uncovering your phone, BlackBerry Protect can lock your handset and use GPS to locate it on a map. All of these features will be accessible through a handy Web interface.

Gallery: BlackBerry Protect

Continue reading 'BlackBerry Protect' Brings Mobile Backup and Remote Wipe to Your Phone

Switched'BlackBerry Protect' Brings Mobile Backup and Remote Wipe to Your Phone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlackBerryblackberry protectBlackberryProtectcellphonesgpsprotectrimsecuritysmartphonestopMon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeremy Wood's GPS Art Map: the Cartography of Experience]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/09/jeremy-woods-gps-art-map-the-cartography-of-experience/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/09/jeremy-woods-gps-art-map-the-cartography-of-experience/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/09/jeremy-woods-gps-art-map-the-cartography-of-experience/#commentsFiled under: ,

jeremy wood's 'traverse me'
Have you all been watching 'Work of Art,' Bravo's latest horrible venture into competitive reality programming? The show -- which pits artists of varying skill, experience and taste against one another for a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum -- asked the contestants this week to make an artwork based on their experience visiting an Audi showroom. (We're just going to gloss over how ridiculous that is for the sake of this piece.) Anyway, photographer Mark Velasquez decided to paint an overhead map of New York, which came across as a poor Mondrian rip-off, and which the judges rightfully dubbed "hotel art." What does this all mean in the context of this post? Well, it got us thinking about the function of maps as art objects.

Artist Jeremy Wood is similarly drawn to cartography, a discipline which is nearly extinct thanks to satellite technology and Google Maps. Wood decided to employ a GPS device as he spent 17 days walking 238 miles of unmapped land around the University of Warwick (eschewing both roads and paths). The result -- called 'Traverse Me' -- was a tangled abstraction of Wood's singular sojourn, pictured above.

Continue reading Jeremy Wood's GPS Art Map: the Cartography of Experience

SwitchedJeremy Wood's GPS Art Map: the Cartography of Experience originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artbravocartographygoogle mapsGoogleMapsgpsJeremyWoodmapsnaobustamentetopTraverseMeUniversityOfWarwickWorkOfArtFri, 09 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[GPS 'Crossroads' Will Drive You to Your Knees, Pleading for Mercy]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/07/gps-crossroads-will-drive-you-to-your-knees-pleading-for-merc/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/07/gps-crossroads-will-drive-you-to-your-knees-pleading-for-merc/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/07/gps-crossroads-will-drive-you-to-your-knees-pleading-for-merc/#commentsFiled under:

crossroads screenshot
GPS sheeple have blindly followed their navigation gadgets 400 miles away from their intended destination, to impassible avenues, and even through closed gates and stacks of rocks. But could the devices actually kill their owners? Well, maybe if that owner attempts to listen to 25 of them at once.

To investigate the "influence of others onto one's own path of life in an abstract way," artist Garvin Nolte embarked on a "Crossroads" GPS project. The glutton for monotonous punishment affixed 25 of the devices to his dashboard and windshield, and then filmed the mayhem of the ensuing cacophony of emotionless voices. Check the maddening video after the break for GPS art in motion; however, be warned, if you find yourself annoyed by incessant cries of "rerouting," then prepare yourself for complete and utter insanity. [From: Garvin Nolte, via: Technabob]



Continue reading GPS 'Crossroads' Will Drive You to Your Knees, Pleading for Mercy

SwitchedGPS 'Crossroads' Will Drive You to Your Knees, Pleading for Mercy originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcrossroadscrossroads projectCrossroadsProjectExperimentalArtgarvin nolteGarvinNolteGPSgpsfailnavigationtoptravelWed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's Autonomous, Web-Connected Car Knows When You're Driving Dangerously]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/06/intels-autonomous-web-connected-car-knows-when-youre-driving/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/06/intels-autonomous-web-connected-car-knows-when-youre-driving/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/06/intels-autonomous-web-connected-car-knows-when-youre-driving/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Intel's Internet Connected Car
Not content to rule the PC market, Intel is trying to shoehorn its chips into everything it can find. The latest target of the chip giant is the automobile, which it hopes to make truly "smart" by way of processors, sensors and wireless transmitters. At the company's latest Research Day event, it showed off an electric vehicle equipped with cameras and sensors that stop just short of turning it into a completely self-aware and autonomous form.

The most disturbing (and Big Brother-esque) feature is the car's ability to record speed and information about your steering and braking. When the car detects that you've been in an accident, it sends that data -- along with a video feed of the crash -- to the police and to your insurance company. Suddenly, fault detection is a much easier process. The sensors can also detect imminent danger and poor driving decisions, and can even, scarily enough, take control of the car. That system can even work in conjunction with cameras able to recognize street signs, and can thus effectively stop a motorist from turning the wrong way down a one-way street.

Continue reading Intel's Autonomous, Web-Connected Car Knows When You're Driving Dangerously

SwitchedIntel's Autonomous, Web-Connected Car Knows When You're Driving Dangerously originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArtificialIntelligenceautomobilebigbrothercartechelectriccargpsintelSmartCartoptravelTue, 06 Jul 2010 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter Places Pinpoints Location, Integrates With Foursquare and Gowalla]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/15/twitter-places-pinpoints-location-integrates-with-foursquare-an/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/15/twitter-places-pinpoints-location-integrates-with-foursquare-an/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/15/twitter-places-pinpoints-location-integrates-with-foursquare-an/#commentsFiled under: ,

screenshot of twitter places

On Monday, Twitter officially jumped aboard the geolocation bandwagon by announcing a new Places feature. According to the Twitter Blog, Twitter Places -- which is now live on twitter.com and mobile.twitter.com -- allows users to tag tweets to a specific place, rather than a city or broader area. For example, if somebody is you're tweeting about a World Cup match, you'll be able to tag whether or not whether or not he's in the stadium or just watching on TV from a local watering hole. When you select a location, Twitter Places will also show you tweets that previously came from there, and it will index nearby points of interests.

Besides providing more context, Twitter Places has also integrated with Foursquare and Gowalla. So when you publish your Foursquare location to your Twitter feed, Twitter should be able to associate a "Place" with it. That's just the beginning for Places, too, since Twitter has also released an API for third-party developers to toy with the new feature. This is huge news for Foursquare and Gowalla, as integration with Twitter will surely do a lot to more to legitimize both geolocation services. [From: Twitter Blog]

SwitchedTwitter Places Pinpoints Location, Integrates With Foursquare and Gowalla originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FourSquareGowallaGPSmososoSocialNetworkingtoptwittertwitter placestwitterplaceswebTue, 15 Jun 2010 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen's 2011 Phaeton a Sign-Reading, Google Maps-Downloading Machine]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/13/volkswagens-2011-phaeton-a-sign-reading-google-maps-downloadin/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/13/volkswagens-2011-phaeton-a-sign-reading-google-maps-downloadin/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/13/volkswagens-2011-phaeton-a-sign-reading-google-maps-downloadin/#commentsFiled under: ,

Volkswagen 2011 Phaeton
Judging by past experiments, Volkswagen believes autonomous features are the future of the automotive industry. According to Engadget, the auto manufacturer's 2011 Phaeton has a dash-mounted camera that reads street signs and adjusts to lessen glare from oncoming headlights. Once a street sign has been read, the information (e.g., traffic information, speed limit) is displayed on the car's dashboard. However, the most impressive Phaeton feature is the navigation system, including a GPS that syncs with a mobile phone to download up-to-date Google maps. Whether it's a minivan equipped with Wi-Fi or this literate car, Volkswagen seems to be at the forefront of automotive nerd-dom. [From: Engadget and the Torque Report]

SwitchedVolkswagen's 2011 Phaeton a Sign-Reading, Google Maps-Downloading Machine originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoautomobilecameracarcartechGPSPhaetonstreet signsStreetSignstopvolkswagenvolkswagen phaetonVolkswagenPhaetonSun, 13 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA Warns Solar Storms Could Wreak Havoc on Gadgets, Satellites]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/11/nasa-warns-solar-storms-could-wreak-havoc-on-gadgets-satellites/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/11/nasa-warns-solar-storms-could-wreak-havoc-on-gadgets-satellites/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/11/nasa-warns-solar-storms-could-wreak-havoc-on-gadgets-satellites/#commentsFiled under:

solar stormsBreak out your shades, grab some SPF and... beware of your cell phones? According to Space.com, NASA scientists say the sun is ready for a period of increased activity, and the Earth could be in the line of fire. "The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity," Richard Fisher, head of NASA's Heliophysics Division, told Space.com.

Countless aspects of our daily lives -- from driving to directing military activity -- depend on the satellites that orbit around our planet. When charged particles are blasted into space due to a sunspot eruption, these solar ions can knock out our beloved satellites. In other words, there's reason to worry, especially since, as DVICE reports, a major sun storm could cause $2 trillion in damages.

Continue reading NASA Warns Solar Storms Could Wreak Havoc on Gadgets, Satellites

SwitchedNASA Warns Solar Storms Could Wreak Havoc on Gadgets, Satellites originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPSNASAnasa heliophysics divisionNasaHeliophysicsDivisionsatellitesciencesolar stormSolarStormsolarstormsspacesuntopFri, 11 Jun 2010 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM's Traffic Jam Tech Predicts Gridlock Before It Happens]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/10/ibms-traffic-jam-tech-predicts-gridlock-before-it-happens/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/10/ibms-traffic-jam-tech-predicts-gridlock-before-it-happens/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/10/ibms-traffic-jam-tech-predicts-gridlock-before-it-happens/#commentsFiled under: ,

traffic jamReal-time traffic updates delivered to your GPS or cell phone are not particularly new. But, as Scientific American points out, there is a major limitation to these systems. Namely, most drivers are already on the road, and often already stuck in traffic, when they receive these alerts. This is because they're little more than live traffic reports and cannot predict what traffic may look like in the future. IBM has developed a system, which has been tested in Singapore, Finland and New Jersey, that is able to predict traffic conditions up to an hour ahead of time.

The new technique uses predictive modeling, based on a number of factors, to accurately predict traffic volume and speed. By combining live data from sensors and cameras, GPS transponders in taxis, analysis of historical traffic information, roadwork conditions and weather forecasts, IBM was able to accurately predict conditions over 85-percent of the time in the three trial markets. Alerts of traffic problems are then broadcast to both navigation systems and road signs, at which point they can even give accurate estimates of when traffic will return to normal.

Continue reading IBM's Traffic Jam Tech Predicts Gridlock Before It Happens

SwitchedIBM's Traffic Jam Tech Predicts Gridlock Before It Happens originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartechGPSgridlockibmpredictive modelingPredictiveModelingtoptraffictraffic managementtraffic predictionTrafficManagementTrafficPredictiontransportationThu, 10 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blind Hiker Battles Hardships on Appalachian Trail, Updates Facebook]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/blind-hiker-battles-hardships-on-appalachian-trail-updates-face/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/blind-hiker-battles-hardships-on-appalachian-trail-updates-face/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/09/blind-hiker-battles-hardships-on-appalachian-trail-updates-face/#commentsFiled under: ,

Blind hiker on trail
Share
On March 5th, Mike Hanson set off to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. What makes Hanson's attempt to tackle all 2,174 miles of the longest hiking trail on the East Coast extraordinary is that he is almost completely blind. As we mentioned when we originally reported the story, he isn't using a guide or even a seeing eye dog. Instead, he's relying on a GPS unit with text-to-speech capabilities on a Nokia smartphone (specifically the N82) to make sure he stays on track.

Before leaving, Hanson promised to post updates via Facebook and on his blog at BlindHiker.com when possible. But, as should be expected, walking through the wilderness does not provide many opportunities to get online. Since departing, Mike's Hike has seen only three, very brief updates, one of which was to apologize for not updating sooner. But the lack of updates does not indicate trouble or failure -- far from it. According to the last post, Hanson passed through Harpers Ferry, West Virginia on June 4th; which means our visually impaired adventurer is almost halfway done. The physical half-way point lies several miles further north in Pennsylvania, but, because the trail passes directly through Harpers Ferry and is home to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters, it is considered the "psychological" mid-point.

Continue reading Blind Hiker Battles Hardships on Appalachian Trail, Updates Facebook

SwitchedBlind Hiker Battles Hardships on Appalachian Trail, Updates Facebook originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppalachianTrailblindblindhikerfacebookgpshikingMikeHansonnokiaNokiaN82topWed, 09 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Lifelogging Device Allows Cats to Tweet, Lonely Owners to Giggle]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/sonys-lifelogging-device-allows-cats-to-tweet-lonely-owners-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/sonys-lifelogging-device-allows-cats-to-tweet-lonely-owners-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/sonys-lifelogging-device-allows-cats-to-tweet-lonely-owners-to/#commentsFiled under: ,

sony unveils cat tweeting deviceWhen Mattel's 'Puppy Tweets' opened up Twitter to the entire canine community, cat owners everywhere were outraged over what they saw as overt discrimination -- and with good reason. Why, pray tell, should a dog's inner thoughts be valued higher than a cat's? Would the animal kingdom really sit on its hands and allow Twitter to refuse service to an entire population, simply because of the size of their paws or the length of their tongues? But now, Sony has smashed through the bestial barrier, with the help of a new breakthrough bauble.

As Tech-On reports, Sony's new lifelogging gadget is comprised of a box containing a camera, an acceleration sensor and a GPS tag. Once attached around the neck of your favorite kitty [Ed. Note: But there are so many!], the device monitors virtually everything the feline does, including walking, sleeping and eating -- which is pretty much all any cat does. Not only that, but Sony's new contraption also allows your cat to tweet about his or her activity via a Bluetooth device that sends out one of eleven pre-set messages to a computer. If, for example, your cat is eating, the gadget picks up on it and notifies the computer, which then tweets, "This tastes good," on your cat's account (even, of course, if the grub's just okay). The company is also looking to expand the list of default tweets, in the hopes of making them dependent upon the combination of actions an animal does. For example, if your cat eats after walking, the automatic tweet would read, "Meals taste better after a walk," or, perhaps, "Meals taste better when I don't tweet about them".

Continue reading Sony's Lifelogging Device Allows Cats to Tweet, Lonely Owners to Giggle

SwitchedSony's Lifelogging Device Allows Cats to Tweet, Lonely Owners to Giggle originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalscat tweetsCatsCatsAndDogsCatTweetsdeviceGadgetsGPSkittenskittypetssocialnetworkingSONYtoptweeting catsTweetingCatstwitterwebWed, 02 Jun 2010 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[GPS Upgrade Glitch Knocks Out Thousands of Military Receivers]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/gps-upgrade-glitch-knocks-out-thousands-of-military-receivers/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/gps-upgrade-glitch-knocks-out-thousands-of-military-receivers/http://www.switched.com/2010/06/02/gps-upgrade-glitch-knocks-out-thousands-of-military-receivers/#commentsIf the announcement of an $8 billion upgrade wasn't enough, let us further highlight the importance of the 24 satellites that make up the Global Positioning System (GPS). According to the Associated Press, a software compatibility problem knocked out between 8,000 and 10,000 GPS military ground receivers for nearly two weeks in January before the problem could be identified and temporarily fixed. The Air Force, which initially blamed a defense contractor for a defect that wouldn't let devices lock on to GPS satellites, didn't confirm the exact number of weapons, vehicles or navigation systems that were hit, but said no live weapons systems were affected.

Security expert John Pike summed up America's reliance on GPS by telling the AP, "Everything that moves uses it." Pike, director of Globalsecurity.org, further explained that the coordination of American soldiers, vehicles and weapons is enormously dependent on the system. Though the software was tested, problems didn't show up on Trimble receivers (the ones affected by the glitch) until the January 11th upgrade. GPS is supposed to decrease the chance for human error by providing live, accurate location data, but a major glitch during active combat could lead to a defense disaster. [From: AP/Fox News]

SwitchedGPS Upgrade Glitch Knocks Out Thousands of Military Receivers originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AirForceGPSgps glitchGpsGlitchmilitarymilitary gpsMilitaryGpssatellitetopWed, 02 Jun 2010 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[FAA Mandates All Aircraft Must Use GPS by 2020]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/28/faa-mandates-all-aircraft-must-use-gps-by-2020/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/28/faa-mandates-all-aircraft-must-use-gps-by-2020/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/28/faa-mandates-all-aircraft-must-use-gps-by-2020/#commentsA new set of requirements handed down by the Federal Aviation Administration will overhaul the nation's air traffic control system within the next decade. According to an Associated Press report on CBS News, the FAA mandated that all aircraft and ground control must install and use GPS-tracking systems by 2020. It will cost $4 billion for the estimated 7,000 airliners and cargo planes plus more than 200,000 general aviation aircrafts to update their equipment. As of now, it isn't clear whether the government will help pay or simply leave airlines and pilots high and dry.

But, in the long run, this new air traffic control system will save money and lives. With GPS, the location of every aircraft will be continuously broadcast, unlike the current radar-based system. Since pilots will have a better sense of where other planes are located, air traffic controllers can also space aircraft more closely together and put them on more direct flight path. In turn, saving time, fuel and money, since planes won't be in the sky as long.

Continue reading FAA Mandates All Aircraft Must Use GPS by 2020

SwitchedFAA Mandates All Aircraft Must Use GPS by 2020 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 28 May 2010 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlinesairplaneairportaviationenergyfaaflightfueleconomygovernmentGPSsafetytoptransportationtravelFri, 28 May 2010 08:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Location History Dashboard Makes Latitude Appeal to Data Nerds]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/27/google-location-history-dashboard-makes-latitude-appeal-to-data/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/27/google-location-history-dashboard-makes-latitude-appeal-to-data/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/27/google-location-history-dashboard-makes-latitude-appeal-to-data/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Google Location History Dashboard
We never really grew to accept Google Latitude. Apple's refusal to approve a proper Latitude app ensured the social network was doomed, but its rather rudimentary feature set certainly didn't help matters. When Google launched Buzz, it only seemed natural that the location-based status updater would be folded into the newer product. But, for some reason, Google decided to maintain them as separate products. Even stranger (to us at least), Google is continuing to develop Latitude, and this week introduced the extraordinarily creepy Dashboard view for your location history.

Dashboard is supposed to give you a "more interesting" way of visualizing you location history by identifying trends and breaking down where you've been and how far you've traveled by time, trip and location. In order to get the most out of Dashboard, you'll need to either enable Latitude updates in the background on your phone, or stop to check-in regularly. (The Dashboard itself estimates one to two weeks of data is needed.) And, just for good measure, the Dashboard will tally the total distance of your trips and display them in relation to the distance from the earth to the moon. Google says it will continue to tweak and improve the Dashboard.

Continue reading Google Location History Dashboard Makes Latitude Appeal to Data Nerds

SwitchedGoogle Location History Dashboard Makes Latitude Appeal to Data Nerds originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 27 May 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>googlegoogle latitudeGoogleLatitudegpslocationlocation-basedsocialnetworkingtopwebThu, 27 May 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost No More! GPS Satellites Getting $8 Billion Upgrade Over the Next Decade]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/24/lost-no-more-gps-satellites-getting-8-billion-upgrade-over-the/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/24/lost-no-more-gps-satellites-getting-8-billion-upgrade-over-the/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/24/lost-no-more-gps-satellites-getting-8-billion-upgrade-over-the/#commentsFiled under:

gps upgradeAn ongoing, multi-billion dollar satellite upgrade will vastly improve the accuracy of the 38-year-old Global Positioning System (GPS), according to the Los Angeles Times. Scientists and engineers from Boeing Lockheed Martin are currently working on an $8 billion project that would make GPS accurate to within an arm's length, constituting a significant improvement over its current 20-foot margin of error. To do this, the 24 satellites that make up the system will be replaced one-by-one over the next decade (the first one having been launched last weekend), and six spare satellites will be kept on hand.

In addition to providing more accurate tracking, the revamped system will help prevent GPS outages. "We know that the world relies on GPS," Colonel David B. Goldstein, the project's chief engineer, told the L.A. Times. GPS technology is used by banks, the U.S. military, Wall Street, hospitals and just about every other industry you can imagine. "It's a ubiquitous utility that everybody takes for granted now," said Bradford W. Parkinson, the inventor of GPS. Hopefully it won't be too accurate; we'd be lost without the promise of GPS misdirection horror stories. [From: The Los Angeles Times]

Continue reading Lost No More! GPS Satellites Getting $8 Billion Upgrade Over the Next Decade

SwitchedLost No More! GPS Satellites Getting $8 Billion Upgrade Over the Next Decade originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 24 May 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BoeingGlobalPositioningSystemGPSGpsUpgradeLockheedMartinnavigationsatellitespacetopMon, 24 May 2010 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Plane-Mounted Lasers Map Mayan Ruins in Detailed 3-D]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/12/plane-mounted-lasers-map-mayan-ruins-in-detailed-3-d/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/12/plane-mounted-lasers-map-mayan-ruins-in-detailed-3-d/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/12/plane-mounted-lasers-map-mayan-ruins-in-detailed-3-d/#commentsFiled under: ,

3-D Survey of Mayan Ruins
For archaeologists, the days of trudging through dense jungle to map out ancient sites by hand could soon be over. The New York Times reports that husband and wife team Dr. Arlen F. Chase and Dr. Diane Z. Chase recently used an Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper to provide 3-D images of ancient Mayan ruins in Caracol, Belize. "This will revolutionize the way we do settlement studies of the Maya," Dr. Arlen Chase told the Times.

Over the span of four days, a small airplane equipped with Light Detection and Ranging technology (LIDAR) flew over the roughly 70 square miles of ruins (the largest site mapped with LIDAR to date) more than 120 times. The aircraft bombarded the ground with mapping lasers powerful enough to penetrate the jungle, and collected the pulses that were reflected back from the surface. A GPS device working in concert with advanced computers gathered the data, which then rendered a 3-D map of the ruins and surrounding landscape.

Continue reading Plane-Mounted Lasers Map Mayan Ruins in Detailed 3-D

SwitchedPlane-Mounted Lasers Map Mayan Ruins in Detailed 3-D originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 12 May 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DairplanearchaeologygpslaserlasersLIDARmappingmapsresearchtopWed, 12 May 2010 07:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Tourists Blindly Follow GPS through Boulders and Fences in Australia]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/10/tourists-blindly-follow-gps-through-boulders-and-fences-in-austr/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/10/tourists-blindly-follow-gps-through-boulders-and-fences-in-austr/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/10/tourists-blindly-follow-gps-through-boulders-and-fences-in-austr/#commentsFiled under:

Tourists Blindly Follow GPS
We know what you're thinking: "It's been way too long since I've heard a good GPS fail story." This latest tale is actually an incredible double fail where poor judgment only served to make the failure of the GPS system even worse.

A group of South Korean tourists found themselves stuck in a gully in the Australian wilderness after following their GPS's direction off-road. The group can be forgiven for driving their Ford Falcon (a small sport sedan) over dirt and gravel paths, though this should have set off alarms. What is unbelievable is that the group of men hit several roadblocks along their journey, including closed gates and a pile of boulders that should've suggested turning around. Instead, the men cleared rocks and opened fences and followed the GPS until their trusty Ford decided it could go no more. Then, as if they had something to prove (their complete lack of common sense?), the group of men tried to hoof it out of Cordalba State Forest. The group was eventually found and rescued, and now serve as a reminder that, for all their power and convenience, a gadget is only as smart as the person using it. [From: News.com.au, via: Geekosystem]

SwitchedTourists Blindly Follow GPS through Boulders and Fences in Australia originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 10 May 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiacartechcommon senseCommonSensefailfunnygpslosttoptouristsMon, 10 May 2010 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How Can Digital Navigation Affect Your Brain?]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/05/how-can-digital-navigation-affect-your-brain/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/05/how-can-digital-navigation-affect-your-brain/http://www.switched.com/2010/05/05/how-can-digital-navigation-affect-your-brain/#commentsFiled under:

gps device navigation
Share
As navigation technology has become more sophisticated, and more easily accessible, people have become increasingly dependent upon GPS and online maps in finding their ways around town. But according to some, your GPS may be doing a lot more long-term harm than short-term good.

As former American Demographics editor Brad Edmonson tells NPR, "Getting directions from a computer is like having a conversation on Facebook: It usually works, but there is also a good chance that you'll miss something important. The computer doesn't give you the context." So how can GPS systems contextualize? To many, the answer is social networking. The maritime industry has already incorporated blogs into its framework to help ship captains navigate the high seas, and more truckers have begun embracing tools like Dash Express, which combines navigation capabilities with real-time Internet news feeds and social networking.

Continue reading How Can Digital Navigation Affect Your Brain?

SwitchedHow Can Digital Navigation Affect Your Brain? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 05 May 2010 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braindementiagooglemapsGPSmappingnavigationneurologytopwebWed, 05 May 2010 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Drug Addicts Tracked Via GPS to Examine Environment and Addiction]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/04/23/drug-addicts-tracked-via-gps-to-examine-environment-and-addictio/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/23/drug-addicts-tracked-via-gps-to-examine-environment-and-addictio/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/23/drug-addicts-tracked-via-gps-to-examine-environment-and-addictio/#commentsWe've always been told that addiction of any kind is a condition that stems from the brain. Drugs, alcohol or caffeine exert a specific effect on both the brain and the body, the latter of which dictates subsequent consumption. But how much of an addict's behavior can be explained simply in terms of where he or she hangs out? That's the question that National Institute on Drug Abuse researcher David Epstein seeks to answer in a new study on recovering Baltimore's heroin addicts.

Epstein and his colleagues have begun tracking 25 heroin addicts, each of whom is given a small GPS device that keeps track of their whereabouts. According to CNET, patients are also given special PDAs that beep throughout the day with a set of multiple choice questions about their drug use, environs and stress levels. The GPS and PDA data are recorded, and are used to construct a map; where each person went and where they got high.

Continue reading Drug Addicts Tracked Via GPS to Examine Environment and Addiction

SwitchedDrug Addicts Tracked Via GPS to Examine Environment and Addiction originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drug addictionDrugAddictiondrugsgpsnational institute on drug abuseNationalInstituteOnDrugAbusestudytoptrackingwebFri, 23 Apr 2010 09:19:00 EST<![CDATA[MoSoSo 101: Checking in With Foursquare, Yelp and Location-Based Apps]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/04/19/mososo-101-checking-in-with-foursquare-yelp-and-location-bas/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/19/mososo-101-checking-in-with-foursquare-yelp-and-location-bas/http://www.switched.com/2010/04/19/mososo-101-checking-in-with-foursquare-yelp-and-location-bas/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The social media fast lane is heating up with real-time location updates. Apps now tap into your cell phone's GPS to track where you and your friends are, and, more importantly, what's happening nearby. Now that the world can finally say "tweet" with a straight face, there's a new term to learn: MoSoSo, or mobile social software. Read on to find out what it is, how it works and how to setup your privacy settings.

SwitchedMoSoSo 101: Checking in With Foursquare, Yelp and Location-Based Apps originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dodgeballfeaturesfoursquaregowallagpslocationmosososocialnetworkingtopwebMon, 19 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[GM and Segway Unveil Two-Wheeled Pod Car Concept]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/28/gm-and-segway-partner-to-create-futuristic-two-wheeled-pod-car/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/28/gm-and-segway-partner-to-create-futuristic-two-wheeled-pod-car/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/28/gm-and-segway-partner-to-create-futuristic-two-wheeled-pod-car/#commentsFiled under:

After failing in its first attempt to popularize two-wheeled transportation in large urban areas, Segway has partnered with General Motors (GM) to introduce a new concept car. According to Wired, the Electric Networked Vehicles, or EN-Vs, will be revealed to the public at the World Expo 2010 this May in Shanghai. The two-wheeled cars have a carbon-fiber shell and can run at about 25 mph, on a single charge, for about 25 miles. Although the EN-V is currently in the concept phase, what really makes it unique is its ability to communicate with other vehicles around it. Also, every EN-V has a GPS device housed inside and features an adaptive cruise control, meaning that you could practically sit back and relax during the morning commute. Able to seat two passengers, it's about one-sixth the size of a conventional car, and weighs only 1,000 pounds.

Continue reading GM and Segway Unveil Two-Wheeled Pod Car Concept

SwitchedGM and Segway Unveil Two-Wheeled Pod Car Concept originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcar techCarTechchinaelectric networked vehiclesElectricNetworkedVehiclesen-venvgmGPSsegwaytransportationSun, 28 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Ohio Man Fights Speeding Ticket by Using His Phone's GPS]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/27/ohio-man-fights-speeding-ticket-by-using-his-phones-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/27/ohio-man-fights-speeding-ticket-by-using-his-phones-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/27/ohio-man-fights-speeding-ticket-by-using-his-phones-gps/#commentsFiled under: ,

An Ohio man is using his cell phone's GPS to fight a speeding ticket that he received back in March of 2009. According to CNET News, Jason Barnes was fined $35, and had two points deducted from his license for allegedly driving 84 mph on a 65-mph stretch of Interstate 75. Barnes has testified that his employer used GPS-tracking to detect employee speed violations, and he claims that his Verizon cell phone's location logs can prove that he was, in fact, driving around 50 mph. Unfortunately, an Ohio appeals court isn't buying it.

"Barnes presented no evidence from a person with personal knowledge regarding how the GPS calculates speed, whether there is any type of calibration of the equipment used to detect speed, whether the methods employed by his particular company to detect speed are scientifically reliable, or the accuracy of the GPS's speed detection," wrote Judge Stephen Shaw on behalf of a three-judge panel assigned to the case.

Continue reading Ohio Man Fights Speeding Ticket by Using His Phone's GPS

SwitchedOhio Man Fights Speeding Ticket by Using His Phone's GPS originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcourtdrivingGPSlawspeedingSpeedingTickettoptransportationVerizonSat, 27 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Chameleon Soccer Ball Colorfully Eliminates Human Error]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/24/the-chameleon-soccer-ball-colorfully-eliminates-human-error/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/24/the-chameleon-soccer-ball-colorfully-eliminates-human-error/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/24/the-chameleon-soccer-ball-colorfully-eliminates-human-error/#commentsFiled under:

The World Cup of soccer kicks off this summer in South Africa, and even though the globe is ready for the world's most popular sporting event, an impressive hi-tech ball unfortunately won't be. AGENT has designed a technologically incredible soccer ball, capable of changing its color depending on various circumstances on the pitch.

The transparent CTRUS ball design, which requires no air because of a "skelle-core" inner structure, features a GPS/RFID chip that automatically monitors the ball's location. If the ball goes out of bounds, into the goal or offsides, the CTRUS instantly changes color. The ball's sensors, which haven't yet been publicly demonstrated, also reportedly track speed and force.

Continue reading The Chameleon Soccer Ball Colorfully Eliminates Human Error

SwitchedThe Chameleon Soccer Ball Colorfully Eliminates Human Error originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agentctrusfootballgpssoccersoccer ballSoccerBallsportstopWorld Cup 2010WorldCup2010Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[GM Wants to Bring AR to a Car Windshield Near You]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/18/gm-wants-to-bring-ar-to-a-windshield-near-you/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/18/gm-wants-to-bring-ar-to-a-windshield-near-you/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/18/gm-wants-to-bring-ar-to-a-windshield-near-you/#commentsFiled under:

GM Wants to Bring AR To a Windshield Near You
Augmented reality has primarily been used to locate nearby restaurants, insert 3-D baddies into video games, and offer glorified advertisements. General Motors, however, is trying to put the technology to good use, and integrate it into the windshields of future automobiles. Under the generic title "enhanced vision system," the prototype uses sensors, GPS, and video cameras to overlay useful information in a heads-up display (HUD), and thus aims to curb distracted driving.

GM envisions transparent phosphors that are able to highlight lanes in fog, and can pinpoint destinations, not on a map, but in the driver's field of vision. The system could also be used to alert drivers to passing cars, or to animals and children in the street ahead. Sadly, GM doesn't expect the technology to make its way into a commercially available vehicle until at least 2016. We're just hoping some other company takes that as a challenge, and pushes this technology to its limits. [From: New York Times]

SwitchedGM Wants to Bring AR to a Car Windshield Near You originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arAugmentedRealitycarcartechdistracteddrivingdrivingGeneralMotorsgmgpstopThu, 18 Mar 2010 08:36:00 EST<![CDATA[NYC Grabs Cabbies' GPS Data, Busts Open $8M Taxi Scam]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/15/massive-new-york-city-cab-scam-uncovered-using-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/15/massive-new-york-city-cab-scam-uncovered-using-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/15/massive-new-york-city-cab-scam-uncovered-using-gps/#commentsFiled under:

In New York City, a cab driver can be your best friend, regaling you with tales about the Big Apple of yore, and blasting Boston for an epic sing-along. He or she can also be your worst enemy by innocently proclaiming the credit card machine is "broken" after the ride has ended, forcing you to trek to an ATM, and thus allowing him to get off tax-free. Apparently, however, the truly seedy side of New York cabbies has been revealed by GPS, and amounts to a scam of nearly $8.3 million.

Apparently, drivers have been flipping the switch that denotes the type of ride a passengers is taking in order to fraudulently change the $0.40 city rate to the $0.80 charged to passengers traveling in Westchester and Nassau counties. After one rider complained, a commission was established, and began collecting GPS data from cabs in order to review trip locations and rates throughout the city. The commission's findings? A whopping 1.8 million improper fares charged throughout the city, or the biggest fraud in taxi history.

Continue reading NYC Grabs Cabbies' GPS Data, Busts Open $8M Taxi Scam

SwitchedNYC Grabs Cabbies' GPS Data, Busts Open $8M Taxi Scam originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cabCabDriverfraudgpsGpsTrackingNewYorkCityscamtaxiTaxiDrivertopMon, 15 Mar 2010 18:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Himalayan Paragliders Post Live Updates with iPhones and GPS]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/himalayan-paragliders-post-live-updates-with-iphones-and-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/himalayan-paragliders-post-live-updates-with-iphones-and-gps/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/12/himalayan-paragliders-post-live-updates-with-iphones-and-gps/#commentsFiled under: ,

Not all of us have the time, money or (let's be honest) the cojones for extreme adventures, like paragliding the entirety of the Himalayan mountain range. Thanks to modern technology though, we can all live vicariously through the Himalayan Odyssey Team's trip of just that nature, as we sit comfortably in our cubicles.

The group of five gliders will be traversing 800 miles of mountains, from Dharamsala to Sikkim, India, all while allowing people to track their progress via the Web. SPOT GPS trackers and iPhones will let the team check in periodically and update a Google Map with their position. Visitors to the team's site will not only be able to see every zig, zag and loop, but comment on the their trip in real time.

Continue reading Himalayan Paragliders Post Live Updates with iPhones and GPS

SwitchedHimalayan Paragliders Post Live Updates with iPhones and GPS originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gpshimalayan odysseyHimalayanOdysseyhimalayasiphoneparaglidingradiosspotgpstopFri, 12 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Design Concepts: Gadgets for the Visually Impaired]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/03/11/design-concepts-gadgets-for-the-visually-impaired/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/11/design-concepts-gadgets-for-the-visually-impaired/http://www.switched.com/2010/03/11/design-concepts-gadgets-for-the-visually-impaired/#commentsFiled under:

The Web is teeming with the unrealized ideas of both students and established designers who set out to produce astonishing renderings and prototypes for unusual products. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, money, or technology, many of those products never progress from the planning stages to the mass market. But that doesn't mean we can't salivate over them, nevertheless.

According to the 2008 National Health Interview Survey Provisional Report, approximately 25 million Americans have reported significant vision loss. While this special-needs gamut runs from total blindness to mild visual impairment, designers recognize that a significant portion of the population requires alternate considerations. That's not to say that the impaired can't already do -- or do better -- many of the things that people with 20/20 vision can. We reported last week on the crazily courageous Mike Hanson, a blind hiker traversing the Appalachian trail with naught but a GPS device. Soon thereafter, a blind gamer put many of us sighted geeks to shame by beating the hell out of 'Ocarina of Time.' But, despite the fact that these two mavericks have helped smash the concept of "disability," we thought we'd compile a list of some rather awesome devices that we'd love to see go swiftly into production.

Continue reading Design Concepts: Gadgets for the Visually Impaired

SwitchedDesign Concepts: Gadgets for the Visually Impaired originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>b-touchblindblindnessbraillebraille camerabraille phoneBrailleCameraBraillePhonebraillereaderbright-fcameracell phoneCellPhonecookingdesigndesignconceptse readerEReaderfeaturesgpsproject beeProjectBeetactility phoneTactilityPhonetoptouch sighttouch turnTouchSightTouchTurnvisuallyimpairedThu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST