March 02, 2007
Toasters
Posted by bopuc at March 2, 2007 12:25 AM
A general statement:
"When people buy a toaster, they know it's probably not going to blow up when they plug it in. But when they buy a consumer device like the Nike+iPod kit, they have no idea whether the device might enable someone to violate their privacy. We need to change that."
from a very specific article about the fact that the Nike+iPod device broadcasts an unencrypted signal readable in a 60 foot radius. Brilliant. :)
Anyways, I am looking for any signs of "cracks on the smooth edges" of the end-to-end controlled "solution" that is the Nike+iPod offering, that would potentially allow the coupling of GPS data somewhere along the process, preferably during the activity being captured, i.e. running or general out-and-aboot-ness.
Comments
GPS is a good system. As it is perfectly anonymous, this is exactly the example of a good system.
A GPS receiver is a… receiver. It doesn't broadcast things, it just receives information on the device. The device has the right program to compute the position receiving the signal. It is like… having a compass. A GPS receiver is your perfect tool for anonymous self-localization.
It is not the case with mobile phones. mobile use identification to send back information to the phones.
Devices which are broadcasting the GPS with another system, bluetooth for example, are indeed very bad.
Posted by: カール at March 2, 2007 02:06 AM