heh.  Yet another fine example of the laws of unintended consequences, or should I correct that to be unexpected consequences.  I'm sure someone at Nike and/or Apple thought that the features they are now having to cut back on were good and useful features to begin with, but once they found out (or their customers found out) what could happen through use of these features they've had to go back to the drawing board to fix things.

Unintended, maybe, but not unforseen.

But look at the effort that someone has to go through to use their nike+ ipod to find you.

Chances are, if they want to go through that kind of effort, they're also going to find other ways to find you. Still, no need to make it easy for someone either.

But this is the one thing that I wonder about-- wouldn't you have some kind of inkling that someone wanted to find you that badly? Makes me wonder if more of us are being stalked than I think. I wonder if we still have an intuition about when we are being stalked or if we have lost it from living in civilization so long.

This is a good article though. It makes me reconsider a train pass card being issued in the Kanto area (greater Tokyo). It's called Pasmo. You have to fill out an application card and it hooks up into air miles and a credit card. Now that's REALLY hooking on to someone if you think about it. Since all the gates are digital, you could probably just type in a customers name, find out what stops they've been getting off at, when they last got on the train and what they bought. And customers are doing this because it hooks into air miles and credit cards. The real benefit is that you can use these cards on all the train systems and busses. You used to have to have a different card or fare each time you changed onto a different train company or bus. Now all you do is swipe a card.

Ew. I gotta be wrong about this. I'm going to have to check it out. But I can get a JR Suica (a pass card) at a machine and don't have to attach my name to it.

This is exactly the kind of thing my privacy class would be interested in! We've read all kinds of articles about RFID chips transmitting too much information, and this is yet another example of "Oops. Didn't think that could happen."

Thanks for the info!

Color me unimpressed.  But I guess I don't value my privacy enough.

Good article to pick up on though FS.

but once they found out (or their customers found out) what could happen through use of these features they've had to go back to the drawing board to fix things.

Unintended, maybe, but not unforseen.

Yes, who knew uh? They didn't of course. I guess they forgot that their are curious people out there who would debunk their technology!

But look at the effort that someone has to go through to use their nike+ ipod to find you.Chances are, if they want to go through that kind of effort, they're also going to find other ways to find you. Still, no need to make it easy for someone either.But this is the one thing that I wonder about-- wouldn't you have some kind of inkling that someone wanted to find you that badly? Makes me wonder if more of us are being stalked than I think. I wonder if we still have an intuition about when we are being stalked or if we have lost it from living in civilization so long.

Yes, quite a lot of trouble to go through. But considering some of the cases I've heard about, not surprising! There are some weird people out there and heavens forbids if one takes an inkling to you and you dont' like it!

This is a good article though. It makes me reconsider a train pass card being issued in the Kanto area (greater Tokyo). It's called Pasmo. You have to fill out an application card and it hooks up into air miles and a credit card. Now that's REALLY hooking on to someone if you think about it. Since all the gates are digital, you could probably just type in a customers name, find out what stops they've been getting off at, when they last got on the train and what they bought. And customers are doing this because it hooks into air miles and credit cards. The real benefit is that you can use these cards on all the train systems and busses. You used to have to have a different card or fare each time you changed onto a different train company or bus. Now all you do is swipe a card. Ew. I gotta be wrong about this. I'm going to have to check it out. But I can get a JR Suica (a pass card) at a machine and don't have to attach my name to it.

Interesting and you could be right! Although there has to be a failsafe somehow? Definitely check it out and let me know cause now you've piqued my curiousity!

This is exactly the kind of thing my privacy class would be interested in! We've read all kinds of articles about RFID chips transmitting too much information, and this is yet another example of "Oops. Didn't think that could happen." Thanks for the info!

Cool, you're welcome! I actually have some other interesting info to post too, glad you and everyone else enjoyed it!

Color me unimpressed. But I guess I don't value my privacy enough.Good article to pick up on though FS.

Thx Peter! It was an interesting read. I definately recommend that magazine!

I had read about this a few months ago. What amazed me was how cheap and tiny these WiFi-enabled Gumstix based surveillance computers were. You could envision a huge hidden network of these things keeping track of our whereabouts and the RFIDed products we purchase. Like our presence on the internet, though, we can take solace from our fundamental lack of importance in the grand scheme of things. That's our best privacy protection.  

Like our presence on the internet, though, we can take solace from our fundamental lack of importance in the grand scheme of things. That's our best privacy protection.

You're right, our lack of importance is our best protection. Then again, as long as you don't send any transmittal with key phrases or words that might spike interest!!