It's ten o'clock. Do you know the GPS co-ordinates of where your children are?

[RogerS]

The New York Times has a GPS focus in its Circuits section (http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2007/12/04/technology/techspecial2/index.html?8dpc) today -- ten articles about GPS devices, free-standing and built-in, from accessories (solar panel charger) to innovative use (pet locator) to data-tracker (think: where did I take this photo?).

Hundreds of column inches. Not a word on the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, by the way.

One article describes (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/technology/techspecial2/05kids.html) one family's use of GPS in cellphones to help monitor their children's whereabouts. It mostly describes Sprint's $10 monthly Family Locator service (Verizon has something similar).
When Mr. Gray uses the service, he turns to his computer and clicks on the Sprint Web site to locate either child. "Within about a minute, an icon appears on a map showing where the phone is," he said.
The story goes on to quote Charles S. Golvin, an analyst with Forrester Research. The location services complement "one of the main motivations adults have in giving their children cellphones -- to get in touch with them in an emergency." And GPS ties into this because, he notes, "it's a comfort to have a bit more information."

Parents may find an N810 a better present, if only because it combines location and internet calling with a full range of computing. And it seems to me that cam calls are bound to be more frequent and more reassuring on an internet tablet than using the costly telecom alternative.Read the full article. (http://www.internettablettalk.com/2007/12/05/its-ten-oclock-do-you-know-the-gps-co-ordinates-of-where-your-children-are/)

[Jerome]

Dare I say that children deserve some amount of privacy too?

[lavo]

I would disagree that the N810 would be a better device. A child is not going to have a relatively bulky tablet in their pocket at a party, but more likely the ubiquitous cell phone that he/she and all their friends will have. Furthermore, the internet calling option is only good if you are in range of an open wifi access point. Great in a dense city, but out in the burbs or the countryside a wifi point might be harder to come by.

How does Sprint's service work? When on the Family Locator plan, does the GPS in the phone always poll a satellite, or is there a message sent to the phone via the cell network, which then activates the GPS and returns the coordinates? Answering that question would be the key to whether a N810 would be suitable or not.

[Mara]

...and that only works when not inside buildings... :rolleyes:

[Reggie]

FYI, Google maps on the N95 shows your location even without connecting to the satellites.

[Hedgecore]

Apparently by the time the N810 gets a lock on a signal the kid will be home. So I hear. ;)

[deeteroderdas]

More precisely, this service will only show you where the GPS device is...a bit pedantic, I know. But if, for example, a child is abducted (heaven forbid!) the first thing an abductor would do is remove the cell phone from the kid and ditch it.

Same with the kid who wants to go somewhere he/she is not supposed to: Leave the phone at a friend's house.

I'm not trying to be negative, but until the GPS is embedded in the child's skin, it's just a neat idea.

[anidel]

I think Sprint does not use GPS for the Family Locator service. I am sure they use the cell id for determine (more or less) where are you.

It's same thing that Google Maps mobile does now on several cellphone with latest J2ME.

[promethh]

Oh, look at that, it's ten o'clock and my kids are at:
39 01'17" N
77 22'43" W

Performing lat/long lookups by cell ID only gives you the FCC Registration of the lat/long coordinates of that tower. Danger had the same cell tower ID and coordinates available in their Hiptop SDK for the T-Mobile Sidekick before they removed it from the API for privacy concerns.

I'm *much* happier with my N810. I can usually keep a 5-satellite lock on a bus or near a building window. I can usually keep a 7-satellite lock when driving my Xterra or Forester. Acquisition times when warm/hot (near/at last location) have been 30sec-2min, and 2-6min when "cold" (unknown location)

[sevo]

More precisely, this service will only show you where the GPS device is...a bit pedantic, I know. But if, for example, a child is abducted (heaven forbid!) the first thing an abductor would do is remove the cell phone from the kid and ditch it.

Same with the kid who wants to go somewhere he/she is not supposed to: Leave the phone at a friend's house.

I'm not trying to be negative, but until the GPS is embedded in the child's skin, it's just a neat idea.

Chances that a child is abducted are marginal - chances that it lends its phone/device to a friend, has it stolen, or places it at a inconspicuous place while going on a romp are high indeed.

That is, short of GPS implants (which is just one step off brain surgery to make children more docile, IMHO - welcome to our brave new world) nothing will enable you to eavesdrop on even marginally smart children, and with the gap in technology competence between teenage children and their parents you should better start to worry when your kids will plant a GPS bug on you rather than vice versa...

[Hedgecore]

I have to give you credit promethh, that's actually in Washington. (Yes, I google mapsed it.) :o

Seriously now. This is a HUGE invasion of your kids' privacy. If I were a parent, as much as I'd frown on them drinking in a ravine, smoking behind the mall, sneaking out in the middle of the night to do whatever it is that horny teens do (play Yahtzee?), it's part of growing up! Hundreds of millions of kids worldwide have made it through and become healthy members of society... and I don't think the minivan screeching to a halt in the alley with full highbeams on and mom jumping out yelling 'Oh my god! Billy! Beer? Really!!!' is going to be any more positive.

And to entertain the "What if the child is abducted!" fear mongering. Howabout this. Look up the number of kids that have been abducted. Look at the number of auto accident deaths. You might be safer walking off with the strange man in the comic book shop that smells like mothballs than you are getting into your own car.

[deeteroderdas]

Chances that a child is abducted are marginal - chances that it lends its phone/device to a friend, has it stolen, or places it at a inconspicuous place while going on a romp are high indeed.

That is, short of GPS implants (which is just one step off brain surgery to make children more docile, IMHO - welcome to our brave new world) nothing will enable you to eavesdrop on even marginally smart children, and with the gap in technology competence between teenage children and their parents you should better start to worry when your kids will plant a GPS bug on you rather than vice versa...

Well, since she'll probably be the one picking my nursing home, if it ain't a good one (meaning no free wifi :D) she'll need that GPS implant on me to track me down...:D

[promethh]

I have to give you credit promethh, that's actually in Washington. (Yes, I google mapsed it.) :o

That's actually where I was, Hedgecore. I pulled up MaemoMapper on my N810, clicked "Satellite Details", and copied the Lat/Long into ITT. :)

How long do you think it'll be before we see "geolocation services" for N810 users? :D ...I'm working on a little right now, but nothing I want to make public just yet. I am sure I'm not the only one.