gps posts

New Jersey May Ban GPS While Driving

by Kendra Cunningham — Jun 23rd 2009 at 9:31AM

New Jersey drivers, already banned from using cell phones while driving, may also be banned from programming their GPS units. Just fifteen months after a state-wide ban on behind-the-wheel talking and texting took effect in March of 2008, one New Jersey legislator wants to up the ante, according to the DailyRecord.

On June 8th, Harvey Smith, a Democratic Assemblyman from Jersey City, introduced a bill specifying that only voice-activated GPS systems could be programmed while driving. Disobedient drivers, according to the bill, would be fined $100 -- the same penalty for using cell phones.

Tags: cars, cell phone, cell phone drivers, CellPhone, CellPhoneDrivers, driving, gps, texting while driving, TextingWhileDriving, top

Computers

GPS Glitches Cause Concern Over Future of Satellites

by Caleb Johnson — Jun 18th 2009 at 3:30PM

At any given moment, there are dozens of advanced GPS satellites orbiting the Earth. These satellites help with everything from missile launches and aircraft flight paths to automated teller machines. In a way, it is frightening to think the world depends so much on these complicated devices and their functioning correctly. Now, it looks like paranoia may pay off.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, a GPS satellite launched by the Pentagon is producing less than accurate results and weakening the signals of other satellites in orbit. This satellite, developed by Lockheed Martin Corp., uses a new civilian frequency called L5 intended for use by air-traffic control systems. However, during tests, the Air Force discovered this signal is making others less accurate -- only to around 20 feet instead of the usual two feet. That difference may not sound like much, but it's critical when figuring the coordinates to deploy a smart bomb or tracking a 747's flight path.

Tags: government, gps, lockheed martin, LockheedMartin, military, pentagon, security, space, top

Cell Phones

'Indoor GPS' Could Make It Harder Than Ever to Get Lost

by Caleb Johnson — Jun 16th 2009 at 5:01PM

Ever had to use the restroom while at the shopping mall, but had no idea where to begin looking? Or, how about that time you were half an hour late to meet your date at the municipal art museum because you couldn't figure out how to find the American contemporary painting room?

Traditional GPS is useless in these situations because walls and ceilings block signals. However, according to New Scientist, a new indoor positioning system, being developed by Nokia -- it's being tested at a mall in Finland -- could make it nearly impossible to get lost in large public spaces.

Here's how it works: Since the walls block satellite signals, a cell phone uses nearby Wi-Fi network instead to determine its location and then display it on a map. New Scientist reports that the system would work with current devices and infrastructure.

Tags: gps, mall, maps, shopping, study, wifi

New GPS Shoes Join in Trend to Help Elderly

by Lee Bains — Jun 16th 2009 at 8:30AM

GPS-integration, it seems, is the pesto sauce of contemporary gadgetry; don't you remember several years ago when every restaurant with a glossy menu jumped on the pesto-wagon? We wound up with bizarre concoctions like pesto-glazed, blackened chicken fingers, and pesto guacamole served with cinnamon-dusted corn chips. GPS has given birth to just as many weird gadgets as pesto once did foodstuffs (GPS-enabled tennis shoes, anyone?).

According to a Friday report in the AFP, GPS engineering company GTX Corp. and shoe manufacturer Aetrex Worldwide have announced their newest joint venture: GPS-enabled shoes. That's right; there is, or is soon to be, a little bit of competition in the world of satellite-trackable footwear. And we see no problem here. Who's to say whether T.G.I. Friday's or Applebee's pesto-drizzled, ranch-style chicken breast is the better of the two? However, the new Aetrex shoes feature slight innovations here and there. Developers told the AFP that users would be able to program a "geo-fence" around a particular geographical area (the home of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia, for instance). Whenever the tennis shoe-wearer crossed that boundary, a Google Maps alert would be sent to a guardian's phone. Whatever the developers' plans may be, the shoes are not due for testing until later in the summer.

While we find a lot of these newly hatched GPS devices to be ridiculous, if not downright creepy (particularly with stories of GPS technology falling into insane hands circulating), we can stand behind such products as GPS shoes. They serve to empower folks that -- for some reason or another -- have lost some sense of autonomy. Soon, thanks to GPS and other micro-technology, slower-moving elderly folks will be able to put on their new clothes, walk to the store in their high-tech shoes, grab hold of a buggy, and do all of their shopping -- their location and health being monitored along the way. With such constant electronic vigilance, older folks might enjoy more independence than they have in years, providing their loved ones with more peace of mind. [From: AFP/News.com.au]

Tags: alzheimers, dementia, elderly, gps, gps shoes, GpsShoes, health, top

Cell Phones

Cell Phone GPS Chip Could Crack Rape and Murder Case

by Caleb Johnson — Jun 15th 2009 at 4:24PM

We've reported before on police using cell phones' GPS chips to solve crimes. Now, the same technology could help identify the man responsible for the May rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in South Sioux City, Nebraska, according to KTIV.com.

Prosecutors say the results of two search warrants will help determine the involvement of De Jesus Melisio-Camacho, who has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and burglary. One of those warrants permits the search of a cell phone that may belong to Melisio-Camacho. If the man is found guilty, he would either face a life sentence or the death penalty.

The search of the crime scene turned up fingerprints, DNA, and evidence of forced entry -- enough, police told KTIV.com, to conclude there had been a homicide at the mobile home. It is the second search warrant, though, that could prove particularly critical to the case.

The warrant asks for the cell phone's call records, as well as for its GPS data, which could be used to determine the phone's location at the time of the alleged murder. Police say these records are necessary "to show that the suspect, Camacho, was at the location at the time of the murder and sexual assault."

Melisio-Camacho will appear in Dakota County court for an arraignment on June 29th. He is, of course, innocent until proven guilty. However this shakes out, we are pleased to see police using technology to their advantage, even if it means Fido might lose his role as a cop's best friend. This is another great example of how GPS technology has a huge impact on our daily lives--from improving the lives of elderly folks to reminding drivers to slow down. These folks are using technology to make our world a safer and better place, and that is something we can definitely get on board with. [From: KTIV.com]

Tags: cell phone, CellPhone, court, crime, gps, law, murder, police

Car Tech

PhantomAlert Service Warns Drivers of Speeding Cameras

by Warren Riddle — Jun 8th 2009 at 7:25PM

Since the dawn of speed limits, lead-foot drivers and police officers have engaged in a gadget war of radios, radar detectors, and cameras. There is a current service, though, that appeals to both sects. PhantomAlert, a GPS device that pinpoints the locations of speed cameras and traffic light cameras (which snap a shot of a car's license plate as it illegally runs a light), not only has fans among the speeder set, but has also drawn positive reviews from law enforcement officers.

The device emits noises to alert drivers to upcoming cameras, and the service also allows users to submit speed trap location information, which can be uploaded to notify other subscribers. Even though the company's owner, Joseph Scott, has a history selling products that are intended to mask license plates from cameras, some police officers praise his latest development. Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police, told the Washington Post, "If it's a deterrent [to speeding and running lights], that's a good thing."

One user of the service, Steven Forage, told the Washington Post that PhantomAlert reminds him "of back in the '70s, when the CB's were out. People were networking, trying to keep from getting speeding tickets... This is a high-tech version of that." And, so far, it's a high-tech version that seems to meet police approval. Just don't tell Buford T. Justice. [From: The Washington Post]

Tags: car, gps, phantomalert, police, radar detector, RadarDetector, top

Celebrities, TV

Jimmy Fallon Unveils Dave Matthews Band GPS

by Caleb Johnson — Jun 4th 2009 at 8:01PM

We know what you're thinking. You love your GPS, but, sometimes, it can be hard to listen to street directions and your favorite acoustic jam band, too. So leave it to Jimmy Fallon to come up with the perfect solution. It's called the Dave Matthews GPS, and it features the band's complete library of songs! Who needs street signs when Dave can lead you to 'Grey Street?' You'll never 'Crash' your vehicle while listening to Dave's warbly vocals and acoustic guitar solos. And, according to Fallon, you'll never get lost with this 'Satellite.'

Warning: use of this device can lead to embarrassing white-boy dancing.

Alright, enough jokes. This is a mildly entertaining clip from what amounts to the weakest of all the late-night shows. Kudos to Matthews for playing along and appearing near the end of the clip. [From: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon]

Tags: dave matthews, DaveMatthews, funny, gps, jimmy fallon, JimmyFallon, music, top, tv

Car Tech

Our Daily Deal: TomTom GPS for $49.99

by Terrence O'Brien — Jun 3rd 2009 at 2:39PM

The folks over at TechDealDigger are letting us know about some of the best deals they find on gadgets every day, so we're going to pass that information on to you. After all, in these tough economic times, every little bit counts. We may not be buying Swarovski-covered iPods any time soon, but everyone needs essentials like a computer, so take a look at what the online deals site sent us today.

GPS units' prices have been dropping pretty quickly over the past year or so. In fact, sub-$100 portable devices are so common that there is little reason not to own one at this point. If you have been too broke, though, or too cheap, today you are officially out of excuses. Amazon is selling a refurbished TomTom ONE 130 for $49.99, after a mail-in rebate. Oh, and it comes with free shipping. The ONE 130 features a 4.3-inch touchscreen, the TomTom Map Share program (for sharing or correcting points of interest), and a traffic receiver (for detouring around congested roads). Normally the ONE 130 retails for $129.99, so if you're willing to pay for a refurbished unit, and don't mind waiting for your rebate check, you can get a reliable GPS from a reputable company at more than a 60-percent discount. This might be the best deal our friends at TechDealDigger have sent us yet.

Watch this space every day for new tech deals. [From: TechDealDigger]

Tags: gps, our daily deal, OurDailyDeal, sales, shopping, techdealdigger, tomtom, top

Computers, Editor's Picks

8 Weird GPS Devices

by Lee Bains — Jun 1st 2009 at 7:21AM

Sometimes technology treads into such intimate territory that it freaks us out. Such is the case with GPS technology, which is increasingly finding itself implanted in everything from tennis shoes to USB drives these days, potentially tracking our every move. The eight non-traditional-GPS-gadgets we've compiled range from the useful to the downright creepy -- take a look!

Tags: features, gps, top

Advice, Editor's Picks, TV, Summer Fun, Tech Tips, Social Networking

Best of the Week: Spam, Polaroid 'Instant' Film Are Back

by Sean Captain — May 31st 2009 at 1:40PM

Even in our ever-accelerating, technologically turbulent world, we can count on some things to remain the same. Baby boomers, the generation that virtually invented short-lived trends, experienced another one with Facebook. After joining in droves last year, they started dropping from it like flies this spring. At the other end of the generational spectrum, teenagers continue to do really dumb things that get them in trouble. This time it was a texting teen who crashed her car into a cop -- on a day when she was playing hooky, no less. And, after a brief lull following the take-down of digital junkmailer McColo Corporation, spam volume has swelled back to 90 percent of all e-mail traffic. In other news...

A bunch of European chemists are trying to reverse-engineer Polaroid instant film so we can relive those instant-gratification analog days.
The Dallas Cowboys installed the world's largest TV in their galactic-sized stadium, a 60-yard-wide, 1080p video screen.
We've warned friends not to put too much money into an old PC, but a St. Louis man didn't heed that advice. When Best Buy techs opened up a computer he had dropped off for repairs, they found nearly $10,000 in cash stowed inside.
We saw what famous movie scenes would look like if they had taken place over chat programs.
A Houston TV station tested out tools to determine whether your cell phone is bugged.
We found six high-tech gadgets that do your garden work for you.
GPS tracking devices are showing up everywhere, letting you keep tabs on everyone and everything
And we tackled the thorny question of whether extended warranties for gadgets are worth the money.

Tags: bestoftheweek, cellphone, chat, facebook, film, gardening, gps, polaroid, spam, texting, top, warranty

Visionaries

Intelligent, Unmanned Boat to Attempt Trans-Atlantic Journey

by Peter Mychalcewycz — May 28th 2009 at 9:14AM

Once again, a team of well-meaning scientists is giving an intelligent, autonomous robotic vessel everything it needs to take over the world. Sigh...

According to CNN, eight third-year engineering students from the university ETH Zurich in Switzerland have created a four-meter-long, carbon-fiber yacht potentially capable of piloting itself across the Atlantic Ocean. Avalon, as its creators like to call it, will use a complex array of sensors and power sources to complete its journey. If successful, the Avalon will not only be one step closer to rendering humans inconsequential, it will also set a new world record for a vessel of its type.

Tags: ai, boat, gps, nautical, robot, top

Computers

GPS Showing Up in the Darndest Places

by Lee Bains — May 27th 2009 at 8:02PM

As we've noted before, tracking devices powered by GPS are becoming increasingly ubiquitous these days. GPS-equipped phones have recently made headlines for such disparate reasons as aiding police and enabling stalkers. While many of us are a little weirded out by the increasing prevalence of these devices, a recent story in the Telegraph demonstrates that some folks are quite comfortable with the gadgets.

Preparing for her son Harry's backpacking trip to Australia and Thailand, Rachel Wilder made sure that the 19-year-old left their Oxfordshire, England home carrying a tiny GPS tracker. Called Traakit, the device is small enough to fit in Harry's wallet, from whence it will transmit his location to a Web site that his mother, in turn, can access. Even more remarkable than the device's tiny size is the fact that young Harry seems to be just fine with the situation, explaining to the Telegraph, "[If] you were to get kidnapped or driven off into the jungle, people would be able to find you from the signal."

Tags: gps, gps tracking, GpsTracking, location-based, privacy, top, travel

Car Tech

GPS Satellites Could Break Down by 2010

by Warren Riddle — May 19th 2009 at 2:49PM

Millions of U.S. consumers have come to depend on GPS technology for a variety of daily activities, like avoiding traffic jams, finding the shortest route to a vacation destination, or for just finding the nearest movie theatre. Hopefully, those GPS-addicts haven't cleaned the maps out their glove compartments just yet -- according to a U.S. government report obtained by U.K. newspaper The Guardian, the nation's satellites used for GPS may be failing and could even begin to malfunction by 2010.

Tags: future, gps, gps navigation, gps satellite, GpsNavigation, GpsSatellite, predictions, top

iPhone

Scientists Turning to Folks With iPhones to Get Research

by Terrence O'Brien — May 6th 2009 at 4:22PM

Scientists May Turn To People With iPhones for Research

Citizen scientists are nothing new. In fact, they've been helping the Audubon Society to catalog birds since 1900, and have even been enlisted by NASA to study stardust collected in probes. But new technology like 3G data networks and advanced cell phone operating systems like the iPhone's OS X have scientists scrambling to put powerful, connected, mobile tools in the palms of amateur scientists everywhere.

According to CNN, scientists at several universities are working on developing an iPhone application that will be able to identify and track plant species with little more than a photo and GPS coordinates. Enthusiasts will be able to snap photos of leaves that will then be sent to a database where the images will be analyzed and the leaves automatically identified. The phone will also send back GPS data so that researchers can see where plants are flourishing or dying out, and so that they can better track the damages done by global warming.

Citizen scientists equipped with new tools to make their data more reliable can only expand the boundaries of scientific observation. And since science is based upon observable data, the more information that is gathered, the better and more reliable researchers' inferences will be. [From: CNN, Via: Fark]

Tags: botany, citizen science, CitizenScience, gps, iphone, iphone apps, IphoneApps, research, science, top

Car Tech

Ambulance Drivers Told to Use Old-Fashioned Maps Again

by Peter Mychalcewycz — May 3rd 2009 at 1:16PM

It seems that normal civilians aren't the only people experiencing difficulty with their GPS systems these days.

According to the Telegraph, England's North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has told its employees not to rely solely on their ambulances' GPS systems anymore. Paul Liversidge, the company's director of ambulance operations, told the paper that the change was necessary, since his crews' frequent over-reliance on the systems often led to delays getting to patients.

So are the drivers expected to return to paper maps? That looks to be the case, although a NEAS spokesperson said in a statement that there is no substitute for local knowledge when it comes to navigating with ease. You think?

We are happy to see such logic win out in this case, but, unfortunately, the warnings may have come a bit late. Last year, a woman died before she could reach the hospital when the ambulance drivers transporting her were misdirected by a GPS device. If you find yourself needing to go from Point A to Point B in a situation of life and death, you may be better off with instincts and a good ol' fashioned map than you are with your Garmin. Or you could use the ultimate satellite navigation system -- your trusty sextant and the North Star. [From: Telegraph]

Tags: ambulances, dumb gadgets, dumb tech, DumbTech, gps, hospitals, killer gadgets, KillerGadgets, medicine, top

Most Emailed Stories

Editors' Picks

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

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