Samsung Releases GPS Phone

Fletch writes: "I received an email from Samsung today announcing the release of 'America's First GPS Phone.' The phone does appear to have some neat GPS-based services, such as restaurant and traffic info. Those of you with privacy concerns need not worry. According to the manual (p122, large pdf file) the user does have the ability to turn the 'Position Location' off. (it will be automatically turned back on when/if an emergency call is made)." The manual doesn't say whether the phone initially defaults to "Tracking On" or "Off".

To save everyone from downloading that PDF file, here's the relevant section (innovative capitalization and punctuation in the original):

"America's First GPS Enabled Wireless Phone Designed to Support Location Based Services of the Future Imagine having a phone that can use GPS technology to provide you with....

• Driving directions
• Traffic service
• Entertainment/services location
• 911 emergency location services
• Location of family/friends

Location services for 911 calls are not currently available. While these services are not available today (or) (are still under development), this leading edge phone has the technology required to support such network based services upon their launch.

Settings

The settings allow you to turn the Position Location ON or OFF. If the option is turned OFF, the Sprint PCS Network cannot locate your position using the Position Location feature. This option is automatically turned ON when an emergency call is placed, then turned back OFF when the call is completed.

To turn Position Location ON or OFF:
1. Press for Main Menu.
2. Press for Locator.
3. Press for Settings.
4. Read the Position Location disclaimer by using the Up & Down arrows.
5. Press to display the Setting screen.
6. Press the Up or Down arrows to cycle between the available choices.
7. Press to Save and exit.

Comments

One useful application

[VultureMN]

They could combine a GPS-enabled phone with a scent-detecting device. At some point in time, it'll detect the presence of burning bud and have a pizza delivered to wherever you happen to be.
Ooohyeah.

In this week's simpsons episode.

[tcc]

Moe finally tracks Bart prank calls cuz he used Homer's Samsung phone with GPS enabled on by default. :)

Can't Laden use one?!

[garoush]

How about offering one of those to Osama bin Laden and his followers? Don't they need one to keep in touch with each other?

Bill collecting

[decipher_saint]

"Hi we're just calling to let you know, Vinny and 'Low Blow' McGurk are on they're way to break your legs at the corner of 99th St. and 101st Ave, please stand by"

Leave it on.

[mlknowle]

I think that tracking should always be on! It would help prevent terrorism!

Prehaps congress should institute legislation which requires all cell phones to have GPS technology built in. And digital music protection, just to be safe.

Re:A New Era of Phreaking

[Anonymous Coward]

Director of FBI: Mr President, Osama Bin Laden just called saying he will nuke LA. The good news is he used a GPS phone so we now know his location.
George W. Bush: Launch ICBMs now, authorisation code 12345!
Military guy: Yes sir!
Military guy: Missiles on the way
Military guy: Umm, wait a minute..
George W. Bush: What is it?
Military guy: These coordinates are in LA.
George W. Bush: Wha.. Oh..!

Re:Opened the flood gate

[Telek]

It can turn itself on? That can't be good.


Woah... You mean that something that is software configurable... So the software itself can activate the feature!

Who'da thunkit?

Next thing you'll be telling me that my cellphone can change it's own time too...

(BTW, I think that's basically (if not a necessity) a great idea, so you can normally have it turned off if you want, and then it will automatically turn itself on when you make that 911 call)

cellphone cursor..

[ldopa1]

I read an article in Wired a while back that the folks over at MIT's "Oxygen" project are working on a way to use these phones as a type of realtime cursor. They say that with an electronic compass and GPS (military grade), you would be able to point your phone at a building and the phone could tell you information about the building. The example they cited was a restaurant where the phone gave you the menu for the restaurant from out in the street, and offered you the chance to make a reservation. I thought it was pretty cool.

Of course, if I think about it hard, maybe that isn't such a great idea. I can just picture what the cell phone would say about my house in five years:

Address: 1313 Mockingbird Lane
Phone: 699-555-1212
Type: Residence
Owner: LDOPA1
Currently: Masturbating

I don't think I want that to happen...