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Location-based Security for Wireless Apps
developerWorks writes "Studies by industry analysts forecast even greater demand for wireless and mobile devices, creating substantial opportunities for wireless device application and service providers. Faced with an increasingly difficult challenge in raising both average revenue per user (ARPU) and numbers of subscribers, wireless carriers and their partners are developing a host of new products, services, and business models based on data services. This article looks at location-based services, security, and how they boost both service and revenue."
... is supposed to be wireless too, but the one time i took a screwdriver to check ... i found out i was really f*cked by that salesman ;-)
Faced with an increasingly difficult challenge in raising both average revenue per user (ARPU)
I swear, if ARPU becomes the next buzzword, I'll die!
Though it sounds a little bit "big-brothery" for my wireless device to know where I am at all times, I know that it is going to happen anyway. They can already triangulate the location of your cellphone. We might as well use it for location specific apps.
I can think of TONS of great apps that would be location specific. For instance, a GPS that would tell you where the nearest Pizza Hut is. A Or a two-way radio or other device that also told you WHERE the other person is. Paying tolls automatically is a good one too.
Wireless security is still many inovations away fomr being as secure as a land line. I personally would never do anything over wireless that I would not do on a public computer, the idea of truly securing wireless is easier said then done.
Everyday You see me is the worst day of my life -Office Space
Shouldnt there be a 802.11b/wireless topic?
Be you Admins? nay, we are but lusers!
Developing business models a la myextremefuneral.com? I hope all the VCs learned their lesson during the last gold rush: the only viable business model consists of selling a product or service for a profit.
"I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq"
-- Paul Wolfowitz, 7/21/2003
Sex - Find It
Wireless is nifty, but I won't really be happy until a chip in my brain is recieving data and I get a nice little readout in my peripheral vision. Neruomancer anyone?
Can I bum a sig?
We're working on that! The next generation of cell phones will have a second screen just for popups. Thanks for the tip--we're securing a patent at the present.
Love,The Industry
I can just picture it now-- I get my PIN wrong three times trying to check my bank balance, and two cops come over and arrest me.
What I'm reading is that they are trying to figure
out a way to stuff more features into wireless
computing so they can charge more for those features.
Also, (as mentioned by an earlier poster) they'll
have the ability to figure out where you are at
all times so they can specifically target you with
information that they think you'll need. Sounds like
doubleclick.net would love to get in on this. It would
be the next level in geek fetish toys. The ezpass
thing, (as said earlier) is cool though. Not to
mention:
Ads popping up as you drive by places telling you
what you should buy there. Example - You just passed Dick Monalds and our McRib is only a buck
today!
Or, Playing at the theatre today, this movie, that
movie. This cool one starts in 5 minutes!
As long as there are serious user controls, this
could be a cool thing. The interface is going to
have to be freaking stellar and unobtrusive to
keep people from sending their SUV's through
krogers when their cellphone, pager, and pda all
go off at once.
The most important thing any republican needs to know.
How much do we really need to be in constant communication with the rest of the world? Don't people want to be able to get away from work? Do we really need yet *another* place to see ads? I'm starting to understand what my grandfather used to say (see my sig.)
~ "When I'm of that age I'm just going to live up a tree."
Faced with an increasingly difficult challenge in raising both average revenue per user (ARPU) and numbers of subscribers,
whoa...hold the phone here. MUST it be both?
Why not:
(Good service + small fee per subscriber) * large # of subscribers = PROFIT.
Probably they just want to get as much as possible before the inevitable shredding party, SEC investigation, the jailing of the scape goats, the private island for the honchos, annd the abandonment of the public.
Screw long term growth. Get it now.
I can see that location information can be very useful, but how does it make it secure?
It is almost impossible to replicate location information and use it elsewhere to gain unauthorized entry. Even if the information is intercepted during communications, an intruder cannot replicate that data from some other place...
Why not? if I'm that bothered to gain access, surely I can cripple a device to generate bogus location information?
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Any technology paper that starts talking about "business models" scares me. I can't help but think that "business model" is just a scheme to use intellectual property, lawyers and standards bodies to put a cash siphon between the "real" producer of something of value and the consumer.
Yes, I know its a b-school buzzword for explaining how specific industries or businesses operate, but even that informs me that there's not common sense, old-fashioned, buy low-sell high capitalism behind this idea, but instead there's a fast-buck, get-in-get-rich mentality behind it..
Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Benefon has had a really cool phone, ESC that combines GPS location, GSM and a map application -- and the phone is just not selling...
I starts to seem that the whole location based service concept is going to be the next WAP: over hyped and under utilized.
"There is a terrorist behind every bush"
So now we have a security system that encourages tresspassing? I'd think GPS information can't be THAT accurate, so there might very well be a thief with a PDA outside your window, stealing your corporate secrets.
If you want more info on GIS with some decent links (including s/w that runs on linux and Java applications) to relevant examples, check out this article at dailywireless.org.
It's a good page to start from if the IBM article feels a bit dry.
Mind the gap...
Most of my mobile phone conversations consist of:
>Hello, I'm [here], where are you?
>Oh, I'm [here]
>Now I'm [here] can you see me.
>Sorry you broke up, what did you say?
>I'm [here], I can't see you.
etc...
It would be great if I had a phone which allowed my to find my friends. Of cousre the phone companies would hate it, they'd loss loads of $ on all those uncessary lengthy phone calls.
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