Tag: Global Positioning System

Why I Just Canceled Spotify

I learned that Spotify just updated their Terms of Service (TOS). Like Facebook, they want as much information about me as they can get. They should change their name to Spotispy. For example, they now are collecting: Where you are 24/7 How fast you are moving Your contacts’ information in your address book All of the media files on your… Continue reading

The Future Just Isn’t What It Used to Be

Predicting the Future I view much, probably most, of the conversation/predictions about what the future holds with a generous amount of skepticism. But some predictions hold a believable level of certainty and, frankly, are worrisome to me. Self-Driving Cars, for Example I believe that self-driving cars are in our not-too-distant future. And this frightens more than comforts me. For example,… Continue reading

Persistent Ambient Sensing & Analysis

Sounds boring and geeky? But frankly, it’s absolutely fascinating and should scare the living hell out of you! Your smart phone contains many sensors that can (and do) capture data at any time. But what if these sensors captured data all of the time: temperature, compass, GPS, gyroscope, WiFi antenna, Bluetooth antenna, cell antenna, accelerometer, etc. What if an app… Continue reading

Taxi Magic

Travel a lot?  Frequently call a taxi? Taxi Magic may just be the app for you! I needed to call a taxi for a trip to LAX.  I went online to lookup the number for Yellow Taxi and found this app:  Taxi Magic.  I downloaded it from iTunes.  Used it.  Loved it! Setup your account.  The app automatically locates you… Continue reading

360º Pano of Carlton Point in Tasmania, Australia

One of the advantages of having a GPS is that I never really feel lost. Instead, I feel better equipped to explore. Especially when following coastal areas, where I can see the edge of the land mass on the GPS, I feel compelled to ask, “I wonder where this road leads?” And when that unsealed road dead ended in a… Continue reading

@Apple: Trust Matters!

One of the stories taking the internet by storm:  the iPhone is tracking everywhere we go and storing that data in great detail (longitude, latitude, and timestamp down to the second) both on the iPhone itself and on any computer to which the iPhone syncs. Now, of course, we all agreed to let Apple do this to us.  Our agreement… Continue reading

Your Driveway Is No Longer Private Property

Image via Wikipedia And I hate it that the front door to the house isn’t private property.  Daily, people leave fliers and business cards and unsolicited junk on the door! This week’s big news story:  the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that the government can, without a warrant, sneak onto your property, your driveway, and place a… Continue reading

Navigon iPhone Navigation Application

I haven’t posted much to my blog lately because I have been intensely busy, mostly with traveling, writing, and physical therapy.  And I have made some minuscule effort to avoid the computer as typing at the keyboard seems to train wreck my bad shoulder! Recently, well, over the past several days, I used my Navigon application on the new iPhone… Continue reading

Enterprise Car Rental @ Denver International

Seems that lately I’ve been grousing around about everything. I tend to be a fairly happy-go-lucky sort of guy, but when things annoy me, especially when my shoulder hurts, I vent about them. I don’t hold them in. So, when something good happens, I try to be equally as quick to share the love. Well, tonight, I want to share… Continue reading

Umm, There’s an App for That…

In one of life’s supreme ironies, AT&T today posted an iPhone app that allows you to report substandard service. That’s right folks. Got a dropped call? No reception? AT&T Marks the Spot [iTunes link] is designed to get that info to your favorite cell company so they can act on it. Let’s see… I don’t have any reception, so I… Continue reading