Positioning becomes commodity

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/technology/cnet/stories/959085.htm">http://www.businessweek.com/technology/cnet/stories/959085.htm</a><br /><br />Motorola has presented a new global position system (GPS) chip for use in mobile devices. According to the company the chip is so small and cheap that it is practically possible to use it in consumer-electronics. I find this news very, very interesting. "The chip will give users of such devices the ability to tap into the satellite system and pinpoint their geographic location."<br /><br />From the article: "All of a sudden, starting 10 or 15 years ago, every electronics device had a clock," said Tim McCarthy, business director for GPS at Motorola's Automotive Group's Telematics Division. "I see position awareness going down that same path. It's just a question of how long it takes. If it's an electronics device that moves around, there's some benefit to being able to determine your location," McCarthy said. ... The Instant GPS chip measures only 49 square millimeters, or less than half the area of a Pentium 4 chip. It will sell for roughly $10 in volume quantities, allowing device makers to add GPS for about a quarter of the cost of the current multiple chipsets, which cost about $40, McCarthy said."<br /><br />I find this news very, very interesting. Currently we have two options to implement the location factor into mobile solutions: bulky and expensive GPS receivers or expensive and proprietary carrier technology and (not so precise) networks. My conclusions:<br />• Once this new chip finds it way into cell phones and PDAs, the GPS hardware and software market will change radically.<br />• Carriers lose yet another aspect of their networks that can generate revenue. Instead, they are heading towards becoming bit pipes.<br />• More location based services running on the Internet (mobile as well as fixed) will be developed and used.<br />• Expect to see GPS enabled devices, cars, toys, and so on and so on.<br />• "GPS" term as common as "32 MB RAM, 206 MHz, 240x320" in future Pocket PC specs

[krisbrown]

Very nice, but your position to that accuracy is very personal information.

My old Nokia 9110 had a program on it which would log every cell site that you passed through, this info has been used by the Police in Northern Ireland to prove terrorists were at a crime scene, the next step is
'No Mum I'm not at the boyfriends', 'Prove it, send your co-ordinates from the phone '

This WILL happen, can we not see where our technologies will take us?

[JonnoB]

If the cost gets lower and the power requirements reduced further and then a trasnponder added, this could be a great commodity. Imagine this scenario: "Darn, lost my car keys! Let me call the 1-800-lost-my-keys-again service to locate them"

Or, a chip in a purse, briefcase, etc that gets stolen... Sort of like the consumer minimized lo-jack we see for cars now.

[T-Will]

Don't forget about Big Brother though... :?

[daveburrows]

I think within the next couple of years you'll see GPS receivers put into many more watches, mobile phones, and probably as standard in-car (perhaps the screen will be extra).

GPS certainly is the way to go!

Dave Burrows
Pocket GPS - http://www.pocketgps.co.uk

[BugDude10]

GPS itself is a one-way service unless otherwise implemented, so the initial use is in portable devices to help users locate themselves (and find nearby points-of-interest on their PDA map, perhaps get menus from nearby restaurants, etc.). Only if the device has signal-sending capability (like in a cell phone or perhaps a properly equipped PDA) can "Big Brother" or anyone else track you down (like the parent wondering whether the kid is really at the library or "1-800-find-my-keys"). I certainly don't want just anyone tracking me down, but I'd love to be able to figure out where I am (and have the authorities find me if I call 9-1-1).

Let's not get overly worried unless/until someone tries to take this capability too far.

Now, where did I leave my Pocket PC...?

[daveburrows]

May be not Big Brother :wink: but certainly the mobile phone companies can already triangulate your position between cells and find your rough co-ordinates, and they do currently do this although most of them will tell you they don't.

Privacy is a big concern, in the US there is a trial going on now with GPRS enabled phones where you'll use a special ordering service at a ball game and they'll bring you a hotdog to your seat, and also you can purchase a ticket at a car park before you arrive, without having to pay any cash, it all goes through your credit card that's registered with the transaction company, sand they can track where you are so all of this is going to be much more possible with GPS.

I love GPS, but the thing that scares me the most is watching Enemy of the State, where suddenly a downlink satellite is powered on and starts giving birdseye realtime photos of where you are so you can be tracked by the CIA, FBI or any government agency or security forces. I haven't done anything wrong or broken the law, but privacy is a Big concern!

Dave Burrows
Pocket GPS - http://www.pocketgps.co.uk