NORAD helps children track Santa via iPhone, iPod touch
With the help of NORAD, children can once again track Santa's current location via the Maps application on an Apple iPhone or iPod touch all day Thursday for Christmas Eve.
The coverage began at 2 a.m. Thursday and is integrated with Google Maps both on the Web and on mobile devices. iPhone and iPod touch users can launch the Maps application and simply search for "Santa" to see where he's located.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been holding the holiday event for more than 50 years. The tradition began in 1955, when an advertisement for children to call Santa accidentally printed the phone number for the commander in chief of NORAD's predecessor, CONAD.
In response, the director, Col. Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for where Santa was located. The children who called were given updates on his location, thus spawning the annual event. Shoup, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, passed away this year at the age of 91.
Google and NORAD first partnered in 2007, bringing the holiday-themed service to Google Maps and the Google Earth program. Users can download the Google Earth plug-in at noradsanta.org. Google Earth is available for PC, Mac and Linux. In addition to a desktop application, Google Earth can also be accessed as a Safari plugin and a mobile iPhone application.
Additional tracking can be done through YouTube, where footage from NORAD's "Santa cams" is available, and real-time search on Google, which scans Twitter, Friendfeed, news, blogs and more. Twitter users can also get tweets from @noradsanta.
The coverage began at 2 a.m. Thursday and is integrated with Google Maps both on the Web and on mobile devices. iPhone and iPod touch users can launch the Maps application and simply search for "Santa" to see where he's located.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been holding the holiday event for more than 50 years. The tradition began in 1955, when an advertisement for children to call Santa accidentally printed the phone number for the commander in chief of NORAD's predecessor, CONAD.
In response, the director, Col. Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for where Santa was located. The children who called were given updates on his location, thus spawning the annual event. Shoup, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, passed away this year at the age of 91.
Google and NORAD first partnered in 2007, bringing the holiday-themed service to Google Maps and the Google Earth program. Users can download the Google Earth plug-in at noradsanta.org. Google Earth is available for PC, Mac and Linux. In addition to a desktop application, Google Earth can also be accessed as a Safari plugin and a mobile iPhone application.
Additional tracking can be done through YouTube, where footage from NORAD's "Santa cams" is available, and real-time search on Google, which scans Twitter, Friendfeed, news, blogs and more. Twitter users can also get tweets from @noradsanta.
Comments
"Hey, we are using sat tech to make it seems like his location really wasn't pulled out of our ass!"
Never got the point of tracking somebody that doesn't exist.
"Hey, we are using sat tech to make it seems like his location really wasn't pulled out of our ass!"
Kids pay no attention to this lying Scrooge.
With the help of NORAD, children can once again track Santa's current location via the Maps application on an Apple iPhone or iPod touch all day Thursday for Christmas Eve.
Light the Fires and Kick the Tires... We're at DEFCON 1!!!!
SAM locked on... FIRE!!!! KABOOM - DIRECT HIT, SMOKE THAT SUCKER...
Where's that red and white fluff coming from???
News Flash... 2010 NORAD will NOT be tracking Santa...
Snort, Yawn, Snort... "Wha?.. It's only a dream. Only a Dream!"
Merry Christmas to all!
Kids pay no attention to this lying Scrooge.
Should read Folks pay no attention to this lying Scrooge!
Never got the point of tracking somebody that doesn't exist.
"Hey, we are using sat tech to make it seems like his location really wasn't pulled out of our ass!"
You obviously haven't got kids - why spoil our fun ?
too bad they couldn't track 2 747's flying into the world trade center.
Bush wouldn't let them, inside job..
You obviously haven't got kids - why spoil our fun ?
Even if I had kids, I wouldn't push that bull shit on them. And no, I'm not Jewish.
Even if I had kids, I wouldn't push that bull shit on them. And no, I'm not Jewish.
LOL, somehow it's better to feed them make-believe stories about a guy named Jesus?
Even if I had kids, I wouldn't push that bull shit on them. And no, I'm not Jewish.
Were you always on the naughty list ?
Shame on you for helping to betray the trust of children! Playing with the minds of the gullible little ones, huh? Honesty is the best policy and instill trust between parent and child. This encouraging of lies by Apple makes me sick. It is no different than telling them the the bogeyman will get them if they don't eat their veggies or that they will get to play harps in heaven with Jesus after they die if they accept Christ. How about an app for that?
Oh lighten up, its just a bit of innocent fun. What on earth is the problem with encouraging a bit of make-believe? It enhances the imagination, which can only be a good thing for when they grow up.
I thought this was really cool, and I'm sure a lot of kids got a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Shame on you for helping to betray the trust of children! Playing with the minds of the gullible little ones, huh? Honesty is the best policy and instill trust between parent and child. This encouraging of lies by Apple makes me sick. It is no different than telling them the the bogeyman will get them if they don't eat their veggies or that they will get to play harps in heaven with Jesus after they die if they accept Christ. How about an app for that?
Encouraging of lies by Apple?
Hey, congrats on your first post!!!!! DA
I hope you don't tell your kids they can grow up to be president. And you sure as heck better not let them play in the sand box with a pail - they might build a castle.
Imagination and fantasy and hope are all part of life and it doesn't matter if it is Ra or some silly demon in a war game, it has been going on for thousands of years.
Take away imagination, fantasy and hope and I promise, you will die quickly - and live a pitiful existence until you go. And without all three you wouldn't have Apple.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Umm, in the screen shot, is that an iPhone running under T-Mobile service???
hehe, I noticed the same thing.
Not that I don't like it, I am running under similar conditions...
Ripley: "Yes, there are, aren't there?"
Newt: "Why do they tell little kids that?"
Ripley: "Most of the time it's true."
Remember kids, Santa is coming tonight and he does have claws...
Muhahahalalalala :evil:
They couldn't track the the planes that flew into World Trade Center, but they can locate something that does not exist.
It all makes sense. Government existsnot to solve problem, but rather to create illusion of solution and imaginations. That is why it is called; "The American Dream".
Screw NORAD!!!
LOL, somehow it's better to feed them make-believe stories about a guy named Jesus?
Which is exactly what Christmas is.
FYI, Christmas is short for Christ's Mass, but Mass is about his death in April. So why do we even call it Christmas anyway? Huh???