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Snow Leopard to Include CoreLocation and Multi-Touch APIs
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If I understand correctly, the way these WiFi positioning systems work is that they basically wardrive around and log MAC addresses of routers and locations. Then the client collects MAC addresses of nearby routers and submits them to the system which reports back a location if it has MAC address(es) of nearby routers.
If an attacker has enough access to your system, it doesn't matter whether there is an API or not, they can already collect MAC addresses of nearby routers and thus use a WiFi positioning service to determine your location.
I suppose there might be some tricks you can do to avoid this for your router in your home (set your router MAC address to something non-unique, change your MAC address on a regular basis). But if you have neighbors who have WiFi routers who you can't convince to do the same, your only defense is to physically disable or remove any wireless device in your computers.
Whether or not there is an API to do this is irrelevant in this situation.
All your base are belong to us
This isn't the stuff of the future. It's being used today. Your IP# gives anyone access to your geo-location that might be interested in knowing where you're located... for geo-targeting/localization marketing, blah, blah, blah...
This isn't the stuff of the future. It's being used today. Your IP# gives anyone access to your geo-location that might be interested in knowing where you're located... for geo-targeting/localization marketing, blah, blah, blah...
I expect Snow Leopard to be prepared for items such as tablets and dear I say it netbooks. It seems now is the time to get on board with these technologies and the wave is just swelling.
Well yes. That's pretty much the method of most petty theft rings. Go to computer science school, then await the day someone allows triangulation of location in software. Create software that people will buy or download, then discover the approximate location of a computer you'd like to steal, hope it's somewhere nearby, then break in and hope it's actually there. Step 3- profit!
Genius.
BTW, SkyHook is used as the location solution for the iPod Touch, works very well.
You realize that ALL cell phones can be localized all the time when they are turned on? So theoretically cell phone companies know where you are all the time.... this can be useful if you need to be rescued after having an accident in the backcountry and you don't really knoe where you are (happens often in the Alps). Also, the second you use a credit card, the credit card company knows where you are... I could go on an on...I really don't get why people freak out about this location feature...
They don't want to steal your laptop. They want to present geo-targeted ads to you and all the denizens of the Net.
Agreed. Just because there's a framework doesn't mean it's an API accessible to developers. Apple has put frameworks in the OS that are never public, or much later become public. This just sounds like support for some new device.
Secure Certificates are required to use this. Handshaking between the "computer" and an Apple Authority.
Only if you have your cell phone on all the time. Mine is only on when I want to make a call. I think my cell phone should be for my convenience, not everyone else's.
Suspect you're referring to the SkyHook link. But, since the iPod Touch has the SkyHook solution built in, don't you suppose Snow Leopard will have the same solution.
Oh Apple Your Downfall Will Be Love For Everything But Productivity
I can think of 1000 diffrent things apple can do to further improve productivity currently missing on their operating system. But once again they go after somethign that serves no real purpose over looking important additions.
I can think of 1000 diffrent things apple can do to further improve productivity currently missing on their operating system. But once again they go after somethign that serves no real purpose over looking important additions.
Did you consider the option of, say, not running any location-based software? Just because a Mac has Core Location doesn't mean the men in Black will be after you...
Just because an application has GPS or gets your location doesn't mean it's sending anything (or everything) back to its creator. For those truly paranoid, there are always tools like Little Snitch which I think Apple should build into the OS and let people turn them on if they would like.
And for some reason--probably due to TV these days--everybody believes run-of-the-mill GPS is "trackable". For example, a "bad cop" goes rogue and the chief mentions "his car has GPS... let's track him." GPS is only a receiver... it doesn't send anything back to anyone. All radios leak signal but you would need a pretty strong antenna to pick up someone's GPS. (In reality, the only way the chief would know where the car is because the car computer is actually connected into their network.)
And for some reason--probably due to TV these days--everybody believes run-of-the-mill GPS is "trackable". For example, a "bad cop" goes rogue and the chief mentions "his car has GPS... let's track him." GPS is only a receiver... it doesn't send anything back to anyone. All radios leak signal but you would need a pretty strong antenna to pick up someone's GPS. (In reality, the only way the chief would know where the car is because the car computer is actually connected into their network.)
The problem with this theory is most thieves are actually pretty stupid. If they are actually smart, they're white hats making money, not stealing it. Why not just rob a rich neighborhood? People act like computers are an investment or something... and everybody is out to get them. The average hacker doesn't care about you unless you're rich, powerful, and actually have something to lose.
Actually, the MiB can find anyone, anywhere in the world, just by typing their name into a computer. They showed that when J looks at his ex-wife.. remember?
erm, wait.. I didn't just elaborate that much.
That's what I do. I think everyone should. Leave a message and I'll get back to you. If you're my child or spouse, then yes I want to be interrupted. Everyone else can wait.
Most of the time my cell phone isn't even on, because I really only value it when I've broken down somewhere, or can't make an appointment because of a traffic jam or something like that.
We value being connected WAY to much, to the point where it's annoying.
Only if you were to run an application that reads location from "Core Location" and then sends that information over the Internet.
Same applies to the mic and webcam built into every iMac. People on the internet can not see and hear you unless you are running software that sends the data from the camera/mic over the Internet. The GPS sensor is not different then the sound/picture sensor in that way.
What would be cool, take the mighty mouse and make it multi touch along the entire top surface, no wheels for scrolling, no buttons. now that would work if it was even possible to make.
