[GeoStL] Re: The Know where you are!

Got news for ya,   They already know where you are if you have a cell phone.
All the new cell phones include a GPS unit in the chips/software per FCC
ruling under the guise of assisting 911 operators.

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12776
  -----Original Message-----
  From: geocaching-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:geocaching-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Mike Griffin
  Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 10:08 PM
  To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: [GeoStL] The Know where you are!


  Interesting navigational article.. However, They would also be able to
track you as well...

  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A car navigation company is using the increased
power of the latest mobile phones to debut the world's first route finder
service that works without any help from a personal computer or a mobile
telecom network.



  Privately-held Dutch firm Route 66, already one of Europe's biggest
sellers of CD-ROM-based car navigation kits for use on personal computers,
said it would sell road maps of an entire country and the necessary
navigation software on a tiny memory card that can be inserted into the
latest advanced phones.


  It is the first time detailed maps for countries such as France or Britain
are stored and used on a phone.


  The software works on advanced phone models from Nokia (news - web sites),
Samsung, Siemens and Sendo which cost between 400 and 500 euros before
subsidies.


  As part of the 399-euro package, which includes a satellite positioning
module, users can opt to receive free traffic information, which the route
finder can use to avoid busy areas.


  Until recently, car navigation kits cost thousands of euros, but privately
held companies such as TomTom and Route 66 have started bringing them to
much cheaper, hand-held computers.


  Route 66 is now expanding into the even bigger market of mobile phones
which have enough computing power to handle small computer-like
applications. Market research firm expect this segment to grow to 170
million units a year within four years.


  Also on Friday, French mobile phone service provider Orange launched a
499-euro route finder service. It sends directions of a specific journey to
handsets over the air, and does not work with a map stored on the phone.
Sweden's WayFinder has a similar package that does not use a specific mobile
network.



  Mike

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