You might want to give a tip-off to these people: Amusement park abductions The details of the stories they claim are myth match pretty closely with what you said.
Got an 8 bit computer in the back of the closet with two serial ports? The modem part is 4 dirt-cheap chips: XR2211, 567, and 2 RS232 chips. The software is dead easy assembler code.
Back in the old days (1980) the 8 bit machine was the computer. SWTPc 6809 Flex boxes were the favorite, but just about anything was used, including TRS-80s.
Once you get up to those power levels, you could try Moon-bounce relaying. Of course, you need one heck of an antenna! (This isn't Buck Rogers, some Hams do this sort of thing.)
I suspect the bps would be fairly low, but I haven't checked on the state of the art in a couple decades. Oh yeah, add 1.5 seconds to the packet latency!:^)
Basically it's just a PCS pager and GPS receiver that can be remotely queried.
Lose the watch and kid protection features, and I'll bet you could get the basic features a lot cheaper. (Although packaged as a watch with full Dick Tracey cell phone features...)
If your cell phone will work in the subway, the watch should too. Granted the GPS won't work, but it could just return the last good position. I doubt it continuously transmits the position, but rather in response to particular page message.
What I wonder about is the battery life. It's running a pager and GPS locator, oh and a watch 7/24 off of a.. watch battery? What's the battery life? (Or did they forget to mention the battery backpack?)
How about a totally rad answering machine? "Hello, John Smith isn't in right now. He's at Third and Vine. At the tone..."
Of course, this wouldn't be very good for people who like to use the answering machine for screening calls: "Hello, John Smith isn't in right now. He's six feet away from the phone. At the tone..." Hmm... Maybe an access code for this feature would be a good idea! (As well as a Lie option.)
Whack the kid over the head from behind; remove watch at leisure. [etc]
The website clearly says that interfering with the device automatically initiates a tracking of the last location of the device and informs the parents.
Why remove it? A little aluminum foil would do the trick. (So always tell your kid never to accept aluminum foil from strangers!)
(Disney Sidebar:
There is a special security contigency and policy at Disney for just such an event AND i know of a person who had a child ABDUCTED at Disney. happily they were able to locate the child, return the child, and arrest the perpetrator very quickly, BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY. they tracked down the child with the extensive surveillance that Disney has, the childs hair had been cut and clothes had been completely changed except for the shoes, all within minutes, its disapointing that this happens in the world, but it DOES happen.)
This is awfully close to the "amusement park abduction" urban myth stories. This isn't a friend of a friend story is it?
If it wasn't two-way, the 911 feature won't be much use, would it?:^)
Actually, a nice feature would be the ability to send something a bit less drastic than a 911 request. Like being able to send an acknowledgement to a page: "Dinner's ready, come home now.", "Okay". (Or signal a remote PC to take a location snapshot.)
Hmm, how about an adult version for peadophiles on parole? Program in all the local school yards, etc, sample every few minutes and trigger an alarm if he gets too close.
Yes, the next computer I buy, I'll spend a lot more time evaluating the mother board/chipset than the chip. I mean, when you're talking about the speeds these days, everything has to be just so.
Alas, when Joe Sixpack shops for a machine, the question is always "How fast is it?" (Where "fast" means raw CPU clock speed.)
I've certainly had no problems with my Athlon 600. My Cyrix "166" occasionally had an iffy, but defintely kicked a Pentum 133's butt. Going back a ways, the NEC V20 wasn't that much faster than an 8088, but really improved disk transfers and graphics.
AMD's numbering is stupid, but so's it Intel's raw clock speed.
Well, it's nothing new. Just think about the treatment of the poor sad soul who suggested that the reason for the large number of deaths during childbirth was the septic condition of the doctors' hands, and suggested a good sterilizing washing. I regret not having his name at the tip of my mind, but he was truely an agnostic's saint. He died in a madhouse as I recall.
Heh, I was on the phone to me mom last night, and she mentioned that a step-cousin was in the Special Olympics (sadly under-reported in the news). Of course the phone was by the computer, and a quick Google, and *poof*, I had all the info about him and his history. (Never met him, never knew I had him. From his record, he can take a take an injury, a fall and try, try again. Good on him!)
And then there was the time an ex-girl friend (it was complex) had left my place and got stuck on the 401 (imagine 101 for Californians) and called me on her cell phone. Zap! Connected to the traffic-cam system, told her that after a few miles it cleared up.
Gawd damn, I'm a chair-bound Steve Mann!
As for dating, perhaps head-mounted traffic lights? And if someone's pupils are visible while while they traverse their menues, j00 4r3 0nw3d! Capture software to match against menu software.
Try to wear it through airport security! (The last thing your LCD goggles/speakers report is "Pleeze come this w4y to thiz small priv4t3 roam so that we might radish you." Uhoh.)
Vote Progressive Conservative. Oh sure, they won't win, the Liberals will get back in with whatever person survives the coming night of the leadership knives. But it will put a stake in the heart of the Reform^w Xenuphobia^w Alliance party.
If you're really desperate, you could vote the best person actually running in your riding, regardless of party, radical concept I know.
I doubt I'd vote for them regardless of what they do with this bill. (However, I'd like to tell them what to do with this bill.:^)
This is just DAT all over again. The recording industry interests are going to (try to) screw up decent distribution/backup technology for computer users. And I'm tried of buying albulms in 33.3333, tape, CD... (8-track, never heard of it. Anyone saying that I've heard of it will be hit with a massive libel suit!)
When are they going to learn that it's all just information. Eventually they are going to run out of fingers to plug the leaks, and are going to have to deal with the problem that digital information can be copied error-free? And no I'm not going to accept equipment that has some half-assed serial number or zone limitation. I don't pirate music or movies, and I don't see why when I backup my hard drive, I have to pay the record companies payola. From friends who have worked for major labels, they're as fscked busineses as the worst dotcoms at the peak of the insanity. Just because they deal with things that spin, the world does not revolve around them!
Slashdot Mirror
Aquariums are old hat. For the ultimate in geekiness, make a computer lava lamp.
It sure brings new meaning to playing "Punch the Monkey", don't it?
You might want to give a tip-off to these people: Amusement park abductions The details of the stories they claim are myth match pretty closely with what you said.
Back in the old days (1980) the 8 bit machine was the computer. SWTPc 6809 Flex boxes were the favorite, but just about anything was used, including TRS-80s.
Here's a link: Earth-Moon-Earth
I suspect the bps would be fairly low, but I haven't checked on the state of the art in a couple decades. Oh yeah, add 1.5 seconds to the packet latency! :^)
ping moon ...
Lose the watch and kid protection features, and I'll bet you could get the basic features a lot cheaper. (Although packaged as a watch with full Dick Tracey cell phone features...)
I still think battery life is the kicker.
What I wonder about is the battery life. It's running a pager and GPS locator, oh and a watch 7/24 off of a .. watch battery? What's the battery life? (Or did they forget to mention the battery backpack?)
Of course, this wouldn't be very good for people who like to use the answering machine for screening calls: "Hello, John Smith isn't in right now. He's six feet away from the phone. At the tone..." Hmm... Maybe an access code for this feature would be a good idea! (As well as a Lie option.)
And what happens when someone sends you a message about the health of your cat?
Of course they need a version for wireless palm devices so that you can walk around while locating a "misplaced" child.
The website clearly says that interfering with the device automatically initiates a tracking of the last location of the device and informs the parents.
Why remove it? A little aluminum foil would do the trick. (So always tell your kid never to accept aluminum foil from strangers!)
"Billy, you know were supposed to come straight home from school, but the logs show that you were playing by the creek again." "Aww MOM!"
This is awfully close to the "amusement park abduction" urban myth stories. This isn't a friend of a friend story is it?
Actually, a nice feature would be the ability to send something a bit less drastic than a 911 request. Like being able to send an acknowledgement to a page: "Dinner's ready, come home now.", "Okay". (Or signal a remote PC to take a location snapshot.)
Hmm, how about an adult version for peadophiles on parole? Program in all the local school yards, etc, sample every few minutes and trigger an alarm if he gets too close.
Scarey police state possiblities...
Alas, when Joe Sixpack shops for a machine, the question is always "How fast is it?" (Where "fast" means raw CPU clock speed.)
I've certainly had no problems with my Athlon 600. My Cyrix "166" occasionally had an iffy, but defintely kicked a Pentum 133's butt. Going back a ways, the NEC V20 wasn't that much faster than an 8088, but really improved disk transfers and graphics.
AMD's numbering is stupid, but so's it Intel's raw clock speed.
Well, he did say that there were a lot of Canadian sci-fi writers on break from Andromeda (Herc in Space!). National animal, don't ya know! :^)
A Bowwoofwoof cluster of them! :^)
Well, it's nothing new. Just think about the treatment of the poor sad soul who suggested that the reason for the large number of deaths during childbirth was the septic condition of the doctors' hands, and suggested a good sterilizing washing. I regret not having his name at the tip of my mind, but he was truely an agnostic's saint. He died in a madhouse as I recall.
And then there was the time an ex-girl friend (it was complex) had left my place and got stuck on the 401 (imagine 101 for Californians) and called me on her cell phone. Zap! Connected to the traffic-cam system, told her that after a few miles it cleared up.
Gawd damn, I'm a chair-bound Steve Mann!
As for dating, perhaps head-mounted traffic lights? And if someone's pupils are visible while while they traverse their menues, j00 4r3 0nw3d! Capture software to match against menu software.
Try to wear it through airport security! (The last thing your LCD goggles/speakers report is "Pleeze come this w4y to thiz small priv4t3 roam so that we might radish you." Uhoh.)
If you're really desperate, you could vote the best person actually running in your riding, regardless of party, radical concept I know.
This is just DAT all over again. The recording industry interests are going to (try to) screw up decent distribution/backup technology for computer users. And I'm tried of buying albulms in 33.3333, tape, CD... (8-track, never heard of it. Anyone saying that I've heard of it will be hit with a massive libel suit!)
When are they going to learn that it's all just information. Eventually they are going to run out of fingers to plug the leaks, and are going to have to deal with the problem that digital information can be copied error-free? And no I'm not going to accept equipment that has some half-assed serial number or zone limitation. I don't pirate music or movies, and I don't see why when I backup my hard drive, I have to pay the record companies payola. From friends who have worked for major labels, they're as fscked busineses as the worst dotcoms at the peak of the insanity. Just because they deal with things that spin, the world does not revolve around them!
Power-tripping rent-a-cops?
From how he looks in the pictures, maybe they were afraid he was going to assimilate the plane?