[geeks] Now for something completely geek

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 @ 17:29 -0400, Nadine said:

> On 8/18/06, Charles Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com> wrote:
> > Thu, 17 Aug 2006 @ 21:32 -0400, James Fogg said:
> >
> > > Now that cell phones have GPS receivers, is there any way to acquire
> > > that data and use it? I've heard of web sites that let you track a phone
> > > location, is the really possible? Is there a way to get the phone to
> > > display geodata like a simplified GPS receiver?
> >
> > I'd just like to learn how to turn them off, completely.
> 
> Nextel/Sprint (at least when I was using them) are turned off by
> default unless they are sold in a fleet with applications using said
> GPS.  AFAIK, there is no way to turn on the GPS remotely, but I
> haven't investigated.

Sprint phones are turned *ON* by default.  Not sure about Nextel.

But what I really mean is that you can never turn them completely off,
and most of them can be activated remotely, or by the local cell
controllers.  Lot's of ideas have been talked about for what to use it
for, like automatic notification of local points of interest, and other
things, most of which I find annoying, and also a security problem.

You also cannot disable GPS location when dialing 911 and other numbers.

I'm just wierd enough to think that is stupid.  If I want someone to
know where I am, even 911 personnel, I'll tell them.

So I want phones where the user has 100% control over them, or I'm
unhappy at least a little.

I'm also wierd enough that I'm sick of phones with cameras and other
useless non-phone stuff on them.  With each passing year the cell phone
market has fewer and fewer *PHONES* in it.

> Longitude/Latitude.  I spent at least 30 min. on the phone with a
> major nation-wide emergency response company[0] trying to explain to
> them where I was, since it was out in the sticks of PA.  I offered

That's part of why I would like GPS disabled.

Two friends of mine ran into all kinds of stupid trouble over that.

One of my friends had literally weeks of trouble that would not have
happened without the GPS location information.

I've used 911 several times in my life and never had any trouble, but
most of the time there is zero need for location information, and I
think I should have control over what information is given about myself.


-- 
shannon "AT" widomaker.com -- [Well, I have entered the "metallic years." 
Silver in my hair, gold in my teeth, lead in my ass... -- Sheldon Hall in
the rescue list]