Comments on: Why GPS Matters http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/ TheAppleBlog, published by and for the day-to-day Apple user, is a prominent source for news, reviews, walkthroughs, and real life application of all Apple products. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:30:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Aaron http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-93340 Aaron Sat, 06 Jan 2007 23:52:49 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-93340 Coincidence? maybe....read this http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/07/01/06/2116256.shtml Coincidence? maybe….read this

http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/07/01/06/2116256.shtml

]]> By: Joey Livingston http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92776 Joey Livingston Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:27:37 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92776 Wouldn't one of the most important functions of built-in GPS be the potential of recovering your stolen Macbook/Macbook Pro? Wouldn’t one of the most important functions of built-in GPS be the potential of recovering your stolen Macbook/Macbook Pro?

]]> By: Aaron http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92598 Aaron Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:00:44 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92598 From the last few comments it has become clear that the upsides for having GPS in computers is minimal considering the costs involved to make such a thing happen. And I wouldn't knock the rumour itself, its obviously generating enough interest! From the last few comments it has become clear that the upsides for having GPS in computers is minimal considering the costs involved to make such a thing happen. And I wouldn’t knock the rumour itself, its obviously generating enough interest!

]]> By: Michael May http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92526 Michael May Thu, 04 Jan 2007 16:04:14 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92526 Haha... Steve J: And there is one more thing... for all you geographically confused farmers, we've put GPS in all our macs so you know where you are! This is getting stupider by the minute. Come up with some decent rumours or wait till monday, please! Haha…

Steve J: And there is one more thing… for all you geographically confused farmers, we’ve put GPS in all our macs so you know where you are!

This is getting stupider by the minute. Come up with some decent rumours or wait till monday, please!

]]> By: Steve http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92523 Steve Thu, 04 Jan 2007 15:16:36 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92523 "within x miles of where you are" This would actually be useful for farmers or people who live outside of towns. The only thing a user can set is their town-based location. For a farmer who lives exactly 20 miles between 2 towns, that doesn't help them much if they're looking for the nearest parts dealer (yes, they should know where to get tractor parts by now:). “within x miles of where you are”

This would actually be useful for farmers or people who live outside of towns. The only thing a user can set is their town-based location. For a farmer who lives exactly 20 miles between 2 towns, that doesn’t help them much if they’re looking for the nearest parts dealer (yes, they should know where to get tractor parts by now:).

]]> By: Michael May http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92492 Michael May Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:47:06 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92492 I'm pretty sure that GPS doesn't work inside - even 2 feet from the window, it needs direct line of sight for a large part of the sky, so that would eliminate its use in most places. Secondly, it's therefore doubly pointless for desktops, since i) they don't move and ii) they stay inside. Thirdly, I'm pretty sure most people use their laptops inside as well. I can't really see this as appealing to the mass market, so why would apple do it? *prepares to eat hat next monday* I’m pretty sure that GPS doesn’t work inside - even 2 feet from the window, it needs direct line of sight for a large part of the sky, so that would eliminate its use in most places. Secondly, it’s therefore doubly pointless for desktops, since i) they don’t move and ii) they stay inside. Thirdly, I’m pretty sure most people use their laptops inside as well. I can’t really see this as appealing to the mass market, so why would apple do it?

*prepares to eat hat next monday*

]]> By: Aaron http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92410 Aaron Thu, 04 Jan 2007 08:02:11 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92410 Thanks for answering my question! The items you mentioned are probably just a few of the many ideas Apple could implement if GPS is in Apple hardware, however there is the issues of security and privacy which you failed to mention and I think your readers should be aware of. The example of having co-ordinates as meta data sounds all well and good (trivial as it is), however on the flip side implementations involving GPS could work against the user. Forget the meta data example. Anyone who has a different agenda (i.e. hackers) MAY be able to do some damaging stuff with GPS if it becomes a part of Apple hardware and becomes mainstream. Would you really want a hacker to know the exact location of your MacBook? Would you want anyone to know? Some may not care, others would be really thinggy about it, like me :) Thanks for answering my question!

The items you mentioned are probably just a few of the many ideas Apple could implement if GPS is in Apple hardware, however there is the issues of security and privacy which you failed to mention and I think your readers should be aware of. The example of having co-ordinates as meta data sounds all well and good (trivial as it is), however on the flip side implementations involving GPS could work against the user.

Forget the meta data example. Anyone who has a different agenda (i.e. hackers) MAY be able to do some damaging stuff with GPS if it becomes a part of Apple hardware and becomes mainstream. Would you really want a hacker to know the exact location of your MacBook? Would you want anyone to know? Some may not care, others would be really thinggy about it, like me :)

]]> By: Brian http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92387 Brian Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:51:54 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92387 Having a GPSr built into Apple hardware would be nice, but it wouldn't eliminate my need for a stand alone GPSr. I use GPS Photo Linker to geotag my photos. http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/ Having a GPSr built into Apple hardware would be nice, but it wouldn’t eliminate my need for a stand alone GPSr. I use GPS Photo Linker to geotag my photos.

http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/

]]> By: Henri Bergius http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92380 Henri Bergius Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:28:09 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92380 Oops, forgot the link to the GeoClue page in GNOME wiki: <a href="http://live.gnome.org/GeoClue" rel="nofollow">http://live.gnome.org/GeoClue</a> Oops, forgot the link to the GeoClue page in GNOME wiki:

http://live.gnome.org/GeoClue

]]> By: Henri Bergius http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92379 Henri Bergius Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:27:15 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92379 GPS is not the only way applications could gain information on user's physical position, which is why the GNOME folks are trying to come up with a nice abstraction layer that supports multiple sources like GeoIP, Plazes and GPS. GPS is not the only way applications could gain information on user’s physical position, which is why the GNOME folks are trying to come up with a nice abstraction layer that supports multiple sources like GeoIP, Plazes and GPS.

]]> By: Noah http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92304 Noah Thu, 04 Jan 2007 01:38:33 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92304 this would also allow location based web services and plenty of opportunities for a potential .mac update. Imagine local searches without ever entering your location - just "within x miles of where you are". Or driving directions using your gps location as starting point. Or even using your mac as a nav systems. Open up a whole lot of possibilities. Location based chatting. Show all my friends online within 5 miles. etc., etc., etc. Would be REALLY cool to integrate GPS into an iPod device, especially when it goes wireless - and iPhone as well. Apple could mainstream GPS in the way it has with so many other technologies. It is the perfect use of their hardware/software integration advantage. They can build the features into the hardware and utilize them in software the way no one else can. this would also allow location based web services and plenty of opportunities for a potential .mac update. Imagine local searches without ever entering your location - just “within x miles of where you are”. Or driving directions using your gps location as starting point. Or even using your mac as a nav systems. Open up a whole lot of possibilities. Location based chatting. Show all my friends online within 5 miles. etc., etc., etc. Would be REALLY cool to integrate GPS into an iPod device, especially when it goes wireless - and iPhone as well. Apple could mainstream GPS in the way it has with so many other technologies. It is the perfect use of their hardware/software integration advantage. They can build the features into the hardware and utilize them in software the way no one else can.

]]> By: David Shepard http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92273 David Shepard Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:21:15 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92273 Metadata rules! You can't have too much metadata imho. That aside, I've got a half a dozen reasons I'd love to have GPS built into my Mac. The biggest reason is simple: mapping software. I know plenty of people who attach external GPS receivers to their PCs and take them on the road. They provide a nice, large screen by which to follow a map or make route changes. Also, features like voice activation are more natural on a laptop than on some small unit with limited hardware resources. Apple has a way of getting things right. There are currently no GPS units on the market I am truly happy with. They are all too limiting and assume too much about your intended use. Metadata rules! You can’t have too much metadata imho. That aside, I’ve got a half a dozen reasons I’d love to have GPS built into my Mac. The biggest reason is simple: mapping software. I know plenty of people who attach external GPS receivers to their PCs and take them on the road. They provide a nice, large screen by which to follow a map or make route changes. Also, features like voice activation are more natural on a laptop than on some small unit with limited hardware resources. Apple has a way of getting things right. There are currently no GPS units on the market I am truly happy with. They are all too limiting and assume too much about your intended use.

]]> By: Taliesin2 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92263 Taliesin2 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:44:30 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92263 But would GPS functions/services for MacBook's or MacBook Pro's be availble only domestically or internationally? If one person has a blog who is a travel writer, would the GPS functions/services in say Mexico or Brazil? Chile? South Africa? Uganda? If the functions/services are not available internationally, why include the GPS hardware/software in the first place? But would GPS functions/services for MacBook’s or MacBook Pro’s be availble only domestically or internationally? If one person has a blog who is a travel writer, would the GPS functions/services in say Mexico or Brazil? Chile? South Africa? Uganda? If the functions/services are not available internationally, why include the GPS hardware/software in the first place?

]]> By: raj http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92232 raj Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:52:05 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92232 It sure would be nice to have the setting of "Location" (for networking) done automatically based on where your laptop is currently located. :) It sure would be nice to have the setting of “Location” (for networking) done automatically based on where your laptop is currently located. :)

]]> By: Nick Santilli http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92225 Nick Santilli Wed, 03 Jan 2007 19:51:38 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92225 Sorry Mark, was thinking it in my head but it never made it to the keyboard - but yes, it would be dependent upon downloading them to your computer at the location. But for someone such as myself who is never without their MacBook, this would rock. Sorry Mark, was thinking it in my head but it never made it to the keyboard - but yes, it would be dependent upon downloading them to your computer at the location. But for someone such as myself who is never without their MacBook, this would rock.

]]> By: Mark Johnson http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92219 Mark Johnson Wed, 03 Jan 2007 19:39:42 +0000 http://theappleblog.com/2007/01/03/why-gps-matters/#comment-92219 The example of geotagging doesn't necessarily make sense... given it would tag your photos with the location of your computer, not the photos. Given that you may travel tens or hundreds of miles between the time you took the shot and you downloaded them to the computer... wouldn't this be something you didn't want? The example of geotagging doesn’t necessarily make sense… given it would tag your photos with the location of your computer, not the photos. Given that you may travel tens or hundreds of miles between the time you took the shot and you downloaded them to the computer… wouldn’t this be something you didn’t want?

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