Track a Soda Can with GPS?

I am Kobayashi writes "According to the Indianapolis Star Online, next summer Coca-cola will feature a promotion in which winners will be located by satellites tracking GPS devices implanted in the winning cans.... Hopefully they track you fast before you throw-away (or recycle) your winning can...." And in another bit of Coke news, they've got a new high-tech billboard: jhkoh writes "Reuters/Yahoo is reporting that Coca-Cola has unveiled an 'intelligent' billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus -- at 99 feet wide, the world's biggest -- that supposedly will respond to weather, movement, and SMS text messages. The billboard itself is 52 square meters of LED display. How soon before someone hacks it?"

Comments

GPS Reception

[c_oflynn]

Hmm... GPS reception inside aluminum cans? Seems a bit sketchy if you ask me.

AND it will have to transmit as well, thats going to be a nice piece of technology.

But seems you could possibly cheat - there are devices to detect semiconductor material (used to detect "bugs"), so with a bit of tweaking you could possibly figure out which can has something inside.

Ugh.

[CGP314]

"When it's raining, big drops will appear on the screen and when it's breezy, the Coke sign can ripple as if it's being blown by the wind," a spokeswoman for the company said.

Well, it sure is good to see technology used for the benefit of humanity, and not just a stupid gimmick.

Re:Ugh.

[Em Ellel]

"When it's raining, big drops will appear on the screen and when it's breezy, the Coke sign can ripple as if it's being blown by the wind," a spokeswoman for the company said.

Take my geek membership away, but would not a plain cloth sign do the same?

-Em

Re:Ugh.

[uberdave]

I saw a special weather string on my recent trip to the caribbean. The device is mounted so that the weather string hangs vertically. If the string is wet, that means it's raining. If the string is hanging on an angle, that means it's windy. If the string is horizontal, that means it's really windy. If the string is gone, that means it's a hurricane.

Re:Just GPS?

[Dstrct0]

Even easier: just look for the can with the antenna!

Something not quite right here...

[WeirdKid]

I didn't read the article, but, generally speaking, GPS receivers don't transmit, and GPS satellites don't track.

Re:NOT GPS!!!

[stratjakt]

The oddity of Coke's promotion revolves around how winners will get their prizes. The cans used will be equipped with Global Positioning System transponders

Don't feel bad, I'm sure you didn't know what GPS stood for, thinking it was just another hip sounding acronymn you saw on slashdot.

I wonder how they will get around the legal issues

[hchaos]

In general, in the US, it is illegal to have a sweepstakes-style contest that requires a purchase for entry (because it is technically gambling).

Reminder

[handy_vandal]

Avoid London.