Wireless

For a while now, I have been interested in the possibilities of location based applications for mobile phones. These are applications you could use on your cell phone that would incorporate your exact current location on earth in providing some service to you. Obvious uses for things like this are tracking people's movements, finding your way around town, etc.

GPS technology is clearly mature enough to include into cell phones. Unfortunately, cell phone companies have been reluctant to incorporate this technology into mainstream phones, presumably because of privacy fears of the public. In short, people don't want others to know where they are all the time. If the technology is present in their phone somewhere, someone might secretly track their movements. Bah! Personally, I don't think anyone cares where I go. Not even the FBI, Cingular wireless... not even terrorists. Yes, some companies might find some use in the aggregate information, like say, Safeway tracking my purchase patterns with my club card. But personally, I'm not threatened by that.

But wouldn't it be cool to be around town and have your cell phone tell you that your friend Fred was in the bookstore you're walking by right now? You could go say hi. Or maybe tip you off that your blind date is standing right next to you. Eek! Now you can make a quick getaway!

In any case, for me, the benefits outweigh my fears.

The other night, Shannon had a dinner party at our house where I met Ryan, who writes for Wired News. He told me about an MIT project that is faking GPS functionality in an experiment where the data gleaned from tracking participating cell phones are used to predict users' everyday behavior. I'm not sure how useful that information is to anyone (So what if they know I'm probably going to the gym right now?), but it's interesting that they were able to do it without GPS.

Ryan also suggested, after talking with me for awhile, that I might enjoy reading Reason Magazine. After taking a quick look at their website, I think he's right. And he didn't even need a PHD from MIT to help him predict that. Although I'm sure it wouldn't have hurt.