Technology improves. It’s something we know instinctively, but we typically don’t give much thought to how much and how quickly security and surveillance tech is advancing. Ars Technica has a deep look at just that, and its disconcerting implications on the real world. More »
If you go through tin foil like there’s no tomorrow (or because you think there’s no tomorrow), you might want to head down the store. A recent 2 – 1 ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that law enforcement agencies can obtain cellphone location data, without the need for a warrant. The decision comes after a defendant in a drug-related case claimed protection from his phone’s GPS location data being used under the Fourth Amendment. Judge John Rogers stated that the defendant didn’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy for data given off by a voluntarily purchased phone, going on to state that if tools used in such crimes give off a trackable signal, police should be allowed to use it. Rogers likened it to the use of dogs tracking a scent, and criminals complaining they didn’t know they were giving one off, or that the dog had picked it up. The use of technology in crime prevention, be it police tools, or that belonging to the greater population, has long been a source of complex discussion, and this latest development is unlikely to be the end of it. But for now, at least one guy is rueing his decision to get a better phone. Hit the source for the full case history.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets
Sixth Circuit rules that law enforcement doesn’t need a warrant to track your phone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AT&T’s new safe-driving initiative is more than a little creepy: it’s developing software that parents can use to remotely turn off text messaging and voice calls on their children’s cell phone when they’re out driving. More »
Many advertisers weren’t thrilled when Microsoft proclaimed that ‘do not track’ would be the default for Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8, but that reaction hasn’t made the folks in Redmond flinch. Brendon Lynch, the company’s Chief Privacy Officer, announced that the ‘do not track’ default is already baked into the code of the October-bound operating system that has been released to manufacturers. Upon booting Windows 8 for the first time, users will be greeted with a choice between “Express Settings” or “Customize,” the former of which has “do not track” enabled. IE 10 on Windows 7 will receive a similar treatment, with a “prominent notice” about the setting being switched on appearing alongside a link to additional information. Despite Microsoft’s efforts, it’s possible that advertisers could ignore the web browser setting if they feel their negotiations have been for naught. Considering the response to Microsoft’s initial default announcement, we suspect this won’t be the last development in the saga.
[Image credit: Tomas Fano, Flickr]
Filed under: Software
Windows 8 RTM will include ‘do not track’ by default for Internet Explorer 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 01:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Remember Mavizon’s plans for its Mavia car tracking device (formerly the AutoBot) from almost two years ago? The company promised availability sometime in 2012, and we’re here in earnest with the car companion ready for pre-order. The business model has changed significantly since 2010, however. It’s a cheaper $169 up front for the Bluetooth cellular OBD-II peripheral — $99 for the first hundred through the gates, or $299 for a two-pack — but the full tracking service will cost $5 a month, or $49 every year. Those who do make the leap can get a look at their car’s vital signs as well as set up geofenced notifications, track long-term performance and receive impromptu driving directions to a friend’s coffee shop check-in. The first batch of Mavia units should arrive within several weeks, we’re told, and should have both browser- as well as iPhone-based apps waiting in the wings.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Transportation
Mavizon Mavia tracker reaches pre-order at last, makes best friends of cars and iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you’re the sort of person that wants to keep an eye on where your dog is at all times, Garmin has a new system that let you do just that and help you train the dog the same time. This particular system is aimed more specifically at hunters who use dogs when out in the wild and is very expensive. The system has an MSRP of $799.99.
The Alpha 100 GPS tracking system can update the dog’s location as often as every 2.5 seconds. Hunters or trainers with multiple dogs can track as many as 20 animals with a single handheld from up to 9 miles away, depending on the terrain. The handheld device has a three-inch touchscreen that works while the user is wearing gloves and is designed to be easily viewable in direct sunlight.
The handheld device is also capable of sending preselected messages between devices in the field such as “help,” “come here,” or “go on without me.” The handheld can also give an audible or vibrating alert when a dog trees whatever you are hunting or goes on point. The handheld device is loaded with 100k topographical maps and the device works with other maps, including BirdsEye Satellite Imagery.
The Alpha 100 training features have to reconfigurable buttons that allows the user to set multiple combinations and levels of correction between continuous, momentary, or tone. The training method is described as “stimulation” which seems to be of the shock variety like some shock collars I’ve seen before. The handheld device is powered by a rechargeable battery good for up to 20 hours per charge and is waterproof to IPX-7 standards. The dog collar device is good for 24 hours of use per charge with a 2.5-second update rate. Additional collars can be purchased for $299.99 starting this month.
Garmin unveils Alpha integrated dog tracking and training device is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days.
While there might not quite have been the epic science news that we had last week, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty going on in the world of Alt. In this installment we get to see how CERN tricks out its offices, how one farmer tries to keep his flock, and learn about how the military will be high-tailing around the planet in just a few years. This is alt / week.
Continue reading Alt-week 7.14.2012: Bleeping sheep and ATLAS art
Filed under: Science
Alt-week 7.14.2012: Bleeping sheep and ATLAS art originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Yeah, you love your dog, but is he or she really pulling his or her weight? A new project from Adafruit brings an on-board computer to your roaming canine, tracking the distance to your and your pup’s goal with a progress bar. The project is pretty simple, and Adafruit offers up most of the supplies, including the GPS and Atmega32u4 breakout boards — though you’ll have to procure your own fabric to make the big flower and some black nail polish to blot out the bright LEDs. The functionality isn’t quite as advanced as, say, products from Garmin — nor is it going to fill up your Twitter stream, but the collar does have the potential to track your mutt’s walks around the neighborhood with a few tweaks.
Continue reading DIY GPS dog collar helps your pup fulfill its mobile computing potential
Filed under: GPS
DIY GPS dog collar helps your pup fulfill its mobile computing potential originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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