It is official. Google has closed the acquisition of Waze, the maker of Social GPS, Maps and Traffic App.
Waze is available for Android and iOS devices.
In a way I’d rather have Google bought Waze than Facebook.
Locations, Locations, Locations!
Apple and Google are sued on separate occasions for the alleged location tracking.
Meanwhile, Tom Tom’s GPS data is being used to target speeders in Netherlands.
At least Windows Phone 7 does not store location data on the phone. They are collecting it on the fly.
Why are these companies tracking me? Before I finish my thought, I should check-in on Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Places, Google Latitude, … and geotagging this post.
Apple Answers Questions Regarding iPhone Location Data.
Apple answers questions regarding iPhone Location Data through its Press Release page. To summarize Apple’s answers:
- Apple is not tracking anyone.
- The iPhone is not logging user’s location.
- It is the database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around user’s current location. Some are located far away from user’s actual locations.
- This database is used to triangulate the iPhone location when Locations Services is running.
- The current database is not encrypted, but protected in a different way. Next software update will encrypt the file.
- Geo-tagged Wi-Fi hotspot and cell-tower data are sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form.
“Apple cannot identify the source of this data.” - The Location Data cache is stored longer than expected due to software bug.
Apple also mentions:
Software Update
Sometime in the next few weeks Apple will release a free iOS software update that:
- reduces the size of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database cached on the iPhone,
- ceases backing up this cache, and
- deletes this cache entirely when Location Services is turned off.
In the next major iOS software release the cache will also be encrypted on the iPhone.
“Next Major iOS Software Release” could mean iOS 5.
Upcoming Review: Sony DSC-HX5V Digital Camera.
Sony has been airing the ad with Taylor Swift using DSC-HX5V for the past few weeks (months?). I finally got my hands on one. On loan, of course. I can’t spend my money on it, not in this economy. P.S. Simon, where’s my paycheck?
Anyway, this camera is the next generation of point and shoot digital camera. It records AVCHD video, and it has GPS built-in. The “iSweep Panorama” is the killer feature of this camera. No more the awkward picture stitching to make that panoramic one. It is really easy to do on this camera.
Anyway, I’ll be taking this camera on Saturday to a wedding; Carlos Alazraqui’s.
Expect a full review really soon!
In the meantime here’s a picture taken using Sony DSC-HX5V iSweep Panorama feature, re-compressed using Adobe Photoshop.
iPhone App: TomTom is Now Available on iTunes App Store.
TomTom iPhone App is now available on the iTunes App Store (U.S. Store and Prices):
- TomTom U.S. & Canada – $99.99
- TomTom Australia – $79.99
- TomTom New Zealand – $94.99
- TomTom Western Europe – $139.99
For more (outdated) info on TomTom for iPhone, go here.
The dashboard mounting kit also functions as charger; sold separately.
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TomTom iPhone App icon courtesy of TomTom International B.V.
iPhone is a product of Apple Inc.
Sony HDR-XR520V Camcorder Raw AVCHD Sample
Sony HDR-XR520V – Retail Price $1,499.99
Sony HDR-XR520V is priced as low as $1,240.99 at Amazon.com (July 14th, 2009).
Sony HDR-XR520V is priced as low as $1,248.00 at Buy.com (July 14th, 2009).
Check out the sample video from Sony HDR-XR520V below.
ISO of the raw AVCHD files is also available here.
Sony HDR-XR520V features:
- 1920×1080 HD video recording
- 12.1 MP still image capture
- 240GB hard disk drive
- 1/2.88″ Exmor R CMOS sensor
- Geotagging support with built-in GPS receiver
One of the first consumer grade High-Definition AVCHD camcorders with GPS receiver that I have ever played with. Another feature I really like about Sony camcorders is the NightShot capability which is practically absent from other brands. Sony HDR-XR520V is also capable to record up to 240 fps.
Smooth Slow Record:
The Smooth Slow Record mode increases the record rate from 60 frames per second (fps) to 240 fps, allowing you to capture 3 seconds of fast motion and play the video back in 12 seconds. This is a great tool for analyzing a golf swing or a viewing a bird in flight. In addition, you record an audio track to narrate the video footage.
I only have a short time to play with this camcorder, I found the on-screen menu is a little bit less intuitive. Overall I like this camcorder, the sticker price is a little bit high.
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Disclaimer:
If you bought anything through Amazon link above, and I get some kickbacks.
“If you buy Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season, I can buy this Canon Vixia HV40 HDV Camcorder” to paraphrase the great Robert Schimmel.
Anything Goes: June 23rd, 2009 Edition.
What a day so far and I don’t remember most of it.
- Ed McMahon dies at 86 (Reuters) | A friend broke the news to me early in the morning. Ed McMahon is an American Pop Culture icon. Just in case you want to know more about Ed McMahon, Wikipedia has a great article about him.
- Doctors Baffled, Intrigued by Girl Who Doesn’t Age (ABC News) | A medical mystery. Sometimes parents wished their baby would never grew up. This is not really what they meant.
- AT&T Navigator brings true turn-by-turn navigation to Apple iPhone for $9.99/mo. (MacDailyNews) | Apparently AT&T believes that their customers are not paying them enough. Word of advice, wait until other companies offer navigation apps for the iPhone. To be fair, AT&T will provide automatic updates and real traffic alert. Once again, compare it to other similar service/apps.
- Iran bans prayers for ‘Angel of Freedom’ Neda Agha Soltan (Telegraph.co.uk) | In keeping with the theme, Iran should also ban thinking and speaking. Wait a minute, in a way they’ve already done so.