Slashdot Mirror
Apple and Google to Blog the World
Zrop writes "AppleInsider is reporting that Apple has been working on OS-level integration of an geographical mapping technology as an integral part of Leopard, its next-generation OS. The technology is rumoured to employ GPS functionality. Will GPS chips make Apple iPod phones and MacBooks location aware? Users would be able to post information at a location, hanging in the air, ready to be browsed by people passing by. Imagine getting highly relevant messages, without even pressing a button, simply because you are in the vicinity and your preferences match the content of the post."
"You're not standing in a puddle of water."
Neat, a way for me to tell passers-by, "Bob Johnson sucks ****," without the hassle of finding a bathroom stall and a marker. Heck, now I can let people know right as they're passing Bob's house. He'll be so happy.
You can do geolocation with WiFi, if you have a large enough database. We have one, and there are others. Here is a good example of this kind of action. There aren't many applications that deal with location, but as you can imagine, there is a point to location-based blogging, and apparently a need for it. I wasn't successful in building a killer location-based app, but I like to see the other valiant attempts by others.
Hay, I'm looking for a gig too, Apple and Google.
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
...if this is anything like the "sudden motion sensor," it's really exciting because of all the cool stuff third parties will do with it. For example, off the top of my head I can think of a few things that I'd like to see implemented: automatically switching the "location" (which is used for determining network settings) according to the actual GPS location, linking iCal events to locations so that I can get reminders when I'm in the right place, etc.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
How do I type if I'm hanging in the air? And isn't this Mac-user-levitation technology a bigger story than boring old GPS?
... and then they built the supercollider.
Why is it that when apple does this kind of thing it's somehow "cool", but when Microsoft does it, it's somehow "evil"?
Because when Apple does it, it becomes a well documented, open API. Microsoft? Not so much.
There are ads on the back and on the front inside of the shopping cart. There are ads on the floor that I walk on, while trying to manuever my cart around instrusive stands of featured products placed so as to block the aisle. Hanging off shelves in the aisle are little machines with bright blinking LEDs ready to dispense coupons for products. Flat-panel TV sets with sound hang near the meat section, running a continuous informercial. Another TV set with sound hangs above the cash register in the checkout line, running a different infomercial.
As I check out, the process is interrupted by the cashier asking whether I want to buy their X-Treme Value of the Week, which is stacked near the cash register with an ad on it, and hands me two long slips of paper: a receipt, and a bunch of ads and coupons. These latter are "highly targeted," alright: they are always for competing brands of products I just bought.
Can I "imagine getting highly relevant messages, without even pressing a button, simply because you are in the vicinity and your preferences match the content of the post?"
Yes, I can.
And I know exactly kind of messages they'll be.
And I betcha a nickel those preferences will be opt-out.
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
I don't remember everybody freaking out. That would surely make the world news, and lead to civil chaos, if the entire population of the planet started "freaking out." I don't remember anybody freaking out, actually. A few people raised some privacy concerns, yes. Not the same thing as everybody freaking out.
Now "They" will know where you are, but since it's Apple, slashdot puts a nice happy spin on it.Actually, the majority of the posts so far are talking about ways this could be abused, and a sprinkling of "Apple is teh suck" posts. I haven't yet seen anyone on slashdot say it is "cool" or put a happy spin on it.
... and then they built the supercollider.
"Sorry, your content is not authorized for consumption in the country which you currently are in"
---- Booth was a patriot ----
>> Users would be able to post information at a location, hanging in the air, ready to be browsed by people passing by. Imagine getting highly relevant messages, without even pressing a button, simply because you are in the vicinity and your preferences match the content of the post."
Right. This didn't even work when users were able to post information at a web site using invisible notes back in the 1990s. Remember that "revolution"? Users of a web site could discuss its contents with each other using software that interfaced with their web browser. End result? No one posted anything except the occasional juvenile comment.
Now I'm expected to believe that people are going to be walking around with a cellphone and eagerly texting messages and posts that others will be able to read when they enter the area.
Good luck with that.
You want to know who isn't running Firefox 2.x? They spell it "definately" and "rediculous".
Cars with OnStar and every cell phone made in the past 5 years (if not longer) already have the ability to be tracked. If someone especially desired it, your computer could also be located (to a lesser degree of accuracy).
If "the man" wanted to know where you were at any given time, it's not like it was hard before. The serial number 'scare' (if you can really call it that) was different because it reported information unrelated to any communication purpose. With wireless devices of any kind, you're already broadcasting your location by using it (even just having it turned on), so it's really a non-issue. Why not provide the option of doing something with it?
The difference between Microsoft and just about anyone else (including Apple) is that Microsoft would turn it on by default without any real security concerns, and it would "integrate" with a soldering iron. Take Media Center for instance--if you choose "satellite" in the setup, you CAN'T continue if it doesn't detect an MCE-compatible IR receiver (even if you don't want to use it). You also can't cheat by calling your connection "cable" and then choosing a satellite lineup. Microsoft is too smart for that. With this, it's like texting to a bulletin board (the cork-and-pin variety). You can put something up there that might be helpful to someone else--but you aren't obligated to post anything, nor are you obligated to read any of it.
... you will hover by a school and be attacked by "LOL U teh gay!!1" messages.
... you wife borrows your nano nuclear powered PDA only to receive the following message as she passes one of the store downtown "Hello again, Mr Smith! We hope you enjoyed Chixx with Dixx 69. May we also suggest: Brazilian Tranny Wars 43?"
... your n00b neighbor has got his box pwned again and it is constantly broadcasting ads for Viagra alcopops and penis pumps with festive Christmas motifs.
Reading the article (btw, why was it linked to twice in the summary?), it seems to me to just be an opinion piece based on rumors and a single patent application. The patent application itself sounds more like it describes the rumored 'iPhone,' which would make GPS functionality not that out of place seeing as many cellphones on the market now employ GPS technology. As far as the OS-level integration, it seems more like adding GPS and/or map support to the OS is what Apple is interested in. More like iMap, with an API for other 3rd party apps to access it. There is nothing anywhere that there are going to be GPS chips in the computers or ipods. There are just people speculating. It seems to me that it's more likely that it will have support for 3rd party GPS devices. I know that the default on slashdot is tinfoil-ism, but sometimes you have to be a little more realistic than getting your panties in a twist over wild speculation.
Because Apple doesn't have an OS monopoly.
Since when did Apple sign illegal OEM deals that forced OEMs to not ship competing products to prevent them from entering the market?
Next.
"Sufferin' succotash."
There is a long, boring answer to this which involves Microsoft's past and present sales and PR tactics. This is the answer most slashdotters would give.
A more interesting answer is, 'because their software sucks'. If Microsoft's software was better, they would have some fans, and on social websites like this one there wouldn't be such a strong prevailing dislike of them.
Obviously apple also engages in evil business ethics. But because they have fans, they can get away with it a bit more. Microsoft has, as far as I can tell, no fans. I am a long-time PC owners, and I don't give a toss about the monopolistic and unethical behaviour of either company, but I couldn't look you in the eye and say that Microsoft ships really good products. This is why I don't spring to their defense if some Mac or Linux fan calls them 'evil'.
But GPS:
a) Does not work indoors, and there are very few times I would consider using a laptop outside in this climate.
b)Eats battery like nothing else, this might be good for the odd fix now and again when you boot up, but running continously would probably put a bit of a crimp on your battery.
Come as you are, do what you must, be who you will.
"You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door."
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
ADC was only DVI, power, and USB together in one plug. Anyone wanting to use a standard DVI monitor only needed an adapter. Mini-DVI is just a another example of the same pins in a different connector to save space. Of all the real examples of standards, those two are the best you could come up with?