Google Latitude

[Parthiban]

Was reading about Google Latitude today, sorry if this is old news but I only just found out about it (in the metro!) and have to say it is a seriously cool piece of tech for the people..............

But my question is, would you actually use it?

[aido]

I'd use it fella, think it's more use in the cities though, I already know most of my mates are local anyway!

There have been a couple of companies doing this for a few years where they'd just query the handset somehow and it would triangulate via cell towers but without a message coming up - you'd just hear the phone communicating to the cell via feedback from a speaker or something. This is one step further as it uses wireless LANs and everything, pretty similar I guess to how they initially did the location function on the first iPhones and also what aGPS uses to speed up a fix.

Imagine how many peoples partners could now spy on them though!

[Parthiban]

Imagine how many peoples partners could now spy on them though!

Exactly, and you wouldn't be able to lie to your mates that you were stuck in the office if you couldn't be bothered to go out either (not that I do that of course)

[aido]

Oh aye bugger never thought of that - have used that one plenty of times :D

[Tyger]

A little bit too Big Brother for me.

Signing up to these kind of things severely limits your future as a successful criminal! :)

What with FaceBook, MySpace, Latitude et al we are all getting pulled into a permanent state of connection.

I like my Iphone in my pocket - if I could be located my Iphone is more likely to be stuck somewhere else! :D

Other thoughts...

http://www.macworld.com/article/138655/200...lelatitude.html

[aido]

Quite interesting that link mate, didn't realise they'd included an option to fake it out of the box!

I'm sure like it says though the agencies / police would be quite interested in tapping in to their data feeds but in all honesty I assume they already have systems for tracking movement of devices across cells already anyway as they use it once a court order is served don't they or at least when someone is under suspicion?

They'd have loved this in "Enemy Of The State"!

[Tyger]

Correct. The cops can find where you are from any mobile operator if they have a permit to do so.

They can be very accurate.

Bear in mind your mobile is measuring the power from up to about 8 different base stations. They know where you are!

3G phones are often using multiple cells at once for data traffic - more accuracy - so they could drop a bomb on your head if they wanted to!

[aido]

Exactly, I used to love running service mode or was it monitor mode on the really old Nokias, like you say it would always show at least a couple so they can triangulate you pretty easily :)

As a matter of interest what sort of accuracy do they quote nowadays for cell triangulation?

Think it was down to about the nearest 500 metres or something like that last time I read up about it but assume it's way better than that now?

..:: Edit ::..

Just seen this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_localization

Didn't realise they were using so many ways!

[Tyger]

Well the accuracy will vary depending on your network and the density of sites in that particular area.

They won't find you as well in Dartmoor as they would in London!

Some systems also use Wifi networks to increase accuracy. The Iphone does this, but I think the service is only active in the US.

I have a special code for Sevice Mode on the Iphone.

PM me if you are curious any lucky Iphone users :D

[aido]

You mean *3001#12345#* :P

I miss Nokia Network Monitor - that was it, couldn't remember the name of it!

[Tyger]

haha yeah that one! lol