Sounds useful if you have a wandering teen, or an oldster who wanders and forgets where they are and who doesn't answer the cell phone when it rings (I know a person who had a loved one in this latter situation).
Several phone companies offer such a service (Disney used to, and I think it's Verizon who offers it under the name "Concierge"). It can be useful. And it currently costs a bunch more than MobileMe.
Don't underestimate the stupidity of a thief. People have recovered lost laptops because thieves were too dumb (ignorant) to turn off certain features.
Thieves have been dumb enough to use stolen phones and laptops completely unchanged. There are plenty of stories about it. One person recovered their SideKick because the thief started taking pictures of herself with it. SideKicks send their info up to the "cloud" so that it's all available from a web browser. Someone else got tracked by using the built-in iSight of a laptop. Besides, the thief wold have to turn it off immediately upon stealing it. Even if they just ran away with it and got back to their place before messing with it it would already be too late for them.
This would be way useful if I could go to me.com and it would say something like, "it's under the middle couch cushion" or, "you left it in your car, idiot." Otherwise, this doesn't do a whole lot for me.
I'm sure this technology is possible without the magic of "MobileMe". Can anybody think of a reason why this isn't a system setting? Just like sharing your location with installed applications?
I can. Lump this in with MobileMe and it's another reason to buy the overpriced service. I'm sure Apple will shoot down any App that provides this feature on its own.
Cell phone companies have always been able to track the location of you cell phone. It is necessary to do this to receive calls, and pay roaming charges. The US Government claiming that this info isn't secret and should be obtainable without a warrant might be "scary as hell", but you having access to the location of your own phone seems kind of obvious.
Sounds useful if you have a wandering teen, or an oldster who wanders and forgets where they are and who doesn't answer the cell phone when it rings (I know a person who had a loved one in this latter situation).
So do I. It was a long time ago. His dad had Alzheimers but was a keen hiker. When he started to wander they extended the time they could let him go. They bought a (very expensive!) cellphone with a GPS built in, and subscribed to a map service of sorts. At the time the map service was used by trucking companies to track their trucks. This was in 1995! They just placed the phone in a small back pack. Every day at about lunch time my friend went online to track his dad. He lived in a different country than his parents but could see where his dad walked, street by street. If he saw his dad take a different route, or get on a bus (he often did) he would call his mother who would go and pick up his dad. In 95 that was truly impressive. I remember watching him call his mum saying - OK, he is on the left side of the road, probably taking a rest cause he is not moving and his Mum calling back a few minutes later saying Yup, I got him.
So, before yesterday, I had the feeling that Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 would exactly include everything they've mentioned.
But, I'm sure they still have tons of tricks awaiting for the rest of the world.
Especially if they used this multi-core processor.
Consider, that according to new OS 3.0, you could do video audio streaming, which coincidentally, next Mac OS Snow Leopard, might include Quick Time Pro in it, therefore, new hardware (not yet announced) might include iChat AV Mobile, letting people use iChat AV on the go. Which I believe would kick ass, only bottle neck would be AT&T's 3G bandwidth.
With new iPhone Server push notification, I'm positive that Apple would have iWork.com ready by summer.
Why is this important, because they could include iWork for iPhone with additional iWork.com functionality. You'll be able to do work on the phone, now that has Landscape.
And why iWork.com is important because it'll allow people who are still using Windows able to access, cooperate, and share documents.
Apple mentioned Voice Recorder, probably would enhance it, and include a Video Recorder, of course, new hardware would be required, and would probably do a MPEG4 DVD quality encoding, and would able to upload back to your mac via Push Notification (protocol or MobileMe) and once you're back to your Mac, it'll be ready for iMovie '09.
I'm seeing that a year or two from now, Apple's iPhone eco-system would be fantastic.
iLife, iWork, for iPhone. Of course, these softwares might have a premium, not much but consider Apple has sold 13.7M phones, and charging like 49.99 for both iLife & iWork for iPhone, that's USD 685M income.
And consider if people like the MobileMe that's additional recurring income every year.
Ok, so where is this feature for their MacBooks? Hell, Apple won't even track stolen serial numbers to see if they get serviced. I had my MacBook stolen last year and it would be nice to be able to at least grab the IP address of the dickhead who is using it.
I'm sure this technology is possible without the magic of "MobileMe". Can anybody think of a reason why this isn't a system setting? Just like sharing your location with installed applications?
I can. Lump this in with MobileMe and it's another reason to buy the overpriced service. I'm sure Apple will shoot down any App that provides this feature on its own.
To be fair EVERY technology is possible without the "magic" of the marketing vehicle. Considering Computrace and other comparable "lojack" tools are $50 annually for relatively one trick ponies I think Apple is smart to tie in recovery services into MobileMe.
Eventually with enough features the "MobileMe is overpriced" boobirds will have to stick a sock in it. Apple should shoot down any app that attempts to duplicate this feature for security reasons. I don't want some Yahoo dealing with my info. Apple's a big easy target should they do something unlawful.
It fits with Apple's "Exchange for the rest of us" theme during the initial MobileMe roll out.
I agree. The march of technology demands that unaffordable high-level features that used to only be available to the techno-elite and multi-billion dollar corporations eventually be made affordable for all... with Apple's help of course.
I agree. The march of technology demands that unaffordable high-level features that used to only be available to the techno-elite and multi-billion dollar corporations eventually be made affordable for all... with Apple's help of course.
I was already sold on MobileMe but this is just another nugget of goodness. I can see this placating the fears that happen with mobile devices
"OMG did I leave my iPhone at that hotel ...nope it's here in the home somewhere"
Why can't Apple/ATT come up with a 'remote-wipe' feature for stolen phones? I am more concerned about all the personal data -- contacts, calendar, notes, websites where I bypass sign-ins, sms, photos, emails -- that someone can access.
A new feature in the iPhone 3.0 firmware appears to let users remotely pinpoint a lost or stolen phone by securely requesting the device's location via Apple's MobileMe service.
What about the reverse? You learn that your Back-to-my-Mac enabled Mac computer is stolen and, using the iPhone in your pocket, you activate a special app (or service?) to locate the Mac when it shows up on the Internet. This can be done now, in a way, or you could use UnderCover, but building this into the MobileMe system would be a fantastic selling point!
The only problem with this is that if someone steals your iPhone, they just have to turn this feature off... right? Even if it's password protected, couldn't they just restore the iPhone and then turn it off?
If this is the case, it seems to me that this would only be helpful for a lost iPhone... unless whoever steals it doesn't know about this feature.
Good point. Hopefully, once the feature is activated, MobileMe has the ability to keep track of the iPhone's last-known location every hour (or shorter interval).
Comments
Several phone companies offer such a service (Disney used to, and I think it's Verizon who offers it under the name "Concierge"). It can be useful. And it currently costs a bunch more than MobileMe.
Awesome, again, Apple. Keep going. How about Bonjour printing for mobile sales execs and the like?
Don't underestimate the stupidity of a thief. People have recovered lost laptops because thieves were too dumb (ignorant) to turn off certain features.
Thieves have been dumb enough to use stolen phones and laptops completely unchanged. There are plenty of stories about it. One person recovered their SideKick because the thief started taking pictures of herself with it. SideKicks send their info up to the "cloud" so that it's all available from a web browser. Someone else got tracked by using the built-in iSight of a laptop. Besides, the thief wold have to turn it off immediately upon stealing it. Even if they just ran away with it and got back to their place before messing with it it would already be too late for them.
I can. Lump this in with MobileMe and it's another reason to buy the overpriced service. I'm sure Apple will shoot down any App that provides this feature on its own.
Sounds useful if you have a wandering teen, or an oldster who wanders and forgets where they are and who doesn't answer the cell phone when it rings (I know a person who had a loved one in this latter situation).
So do I. It was a long time ago. His dad had Alzheimers but was a keen hiker. When he started to wander they extended the time they could let him go. They bought a (very expensive!) cellphone with a GPS built in, and subscribed to a map service of sorts. At the time the map service was used by trucking companies to track their trucks. This was in 1995! They just placed the phone in a small back pack. Every day at about lunch time my friend went online to track his dad. He lived in a different country than his parents but could see where his dad walked, street by street. If he saw his dad take a different route, or get on a bus (he often did) he would call his mother who would go and pick up his dad. In 95 that was truly impressive. I remember watching him call his mum saying - OK, he is on the left side of the road, probably taking a rest cause he is not moving and his Mum calling back a few minutes later saying Yup, I got him.
or Hill for Bill.
But, I'm sure they still have tons of tricks awaiting for the rest of the world.
Especially if they used this multi-core processor.
Consider, that according to new OS 3.0, you could do video audio streaming, which coincidentally, next Mac OS Snow Leopard, might include Quick Time Pro in it, therefore, new hardware (not yet announced) might include iChat AV Mobile, letting people use iChat AV on the go. Which I believe would kick ass, only bottle neck would be AT&T's 3G bandwidth.
With new iPhone Server push notification, I'm positive that Apple would have iWork.com ready by summer.
Why is this important, because they could include iWork for iPhone with additional iWork.com functionality. You'll be able to do work on the phone, now that has Landscape.
And why iWork.com is important because it'll allow people who are still using Windows able to access, cooperate, and share documents.
Apple mentioned Voice Recorder, probably would enhance it, and include a Video Recorder, of course, new hardware would be required, and would probably do a MPEG4 DVD quality encoding, and would able to upload back to your mac via Push Notification (protocol or MobileMe) and once you're back to your Mac, it'll be ready for iMovie '09.
I'm seeing that a year or two from now, Apple's iPhone eco-system would be fantastic.
iLife, iWork, for iPhone. Of course, these softwares might have a premium, not much but consider Apple has sold 13.7M phones, and charging like 49.99 for both iLife & iWork for iPhone, that's USD 685M income.
And consider if people like the MobileMe that's additional recurring income every year.
relationship?
How about a function that pushes a noise-making command to your phone,
which it will obey, even if its sound switch or sound settings are off?
How about a function that allows you to push a reset/wipe command to the
phone? Or a kill-all-functions-until-I-reactivate function, making it useless
and un-sellable to the thief.
Or how about a self-destruct command that will blow the thing up?
Lots of possibilities here . . .
Watch a thief try to sue Apple for privacy saying the iPhone did not give him the option to Allow the Location Services to be turned on!
I'm sure this technology is possible without the magic of "MobileMe". Can anybody think of a reason why this isn't a system setting? Just like sharing your location with installed applications?
I can. Lump this in with MobileMe and it's another reason to buy the overpriced service. I'm sure Apple will shoot down any App that provides this feature on its own.
To be fair EVERY technology is possible without the "magic" of the marketing vehicle. Considering Computrace and other comparable "lojack" tools are $50 annually for relatively one trick ponies I think Apple is smart to tie in recovery services into MobileMe.
Eventually with enough features the "MobileMe is overpriced" boobirds will have to stick a sock in it. Apple should shoot down any app that attempts to duplicate this feature for security reasons. I don't want some Yahoo dealing with my info. Apple's a big easy target should they do something unlawful.
No I'm totally serious.
It fits with Apple's "Exchange for the rest of us" theme during the initial MobileMe roll out.
I agree. The march of technology demands that unaffordable high-level features that used to only be available to the techno-elite and multi-billion dollar corporations eventually be made affordable for all... with Apple's help of course.
I agree. The march of technology demands that unaffordable high-level features that used to only be available to the techno-elite and multi-billion dollar corporations eventually be made affordable for all... with Apple's help of course.
I was already sold on MobileMe but this is just another nugget of goodness. I can see this placating the fears that happen with mobile devices
"OMG did I leave my iPhone at that hotel ...nope it's here in the home somewhere"
A new feature in the iPhone 3.0 firmware appears to let users remotely pinpoint a lost or stolen phone by securely requesting the device's location via Apple's MobileMe service.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
What about the reverse? You learn that your Back-to-my-Mac enabled Mac computer is stolen and, using the iPhone in your pocket, you activate a special app (or service?) to locate the Mac when it shows up on the Internet. This can be done now, in a way, or you could use UnderCover, but building this into the MobileMe system would be a fantastic selling point!
The only problem with this is that if someone steals your iPhone, they just have to turn this feature off... right? Even if it's password protected, couldn't they just restore the iPhone and then turn it off?
If this is the case, it seems to me that this would only be helpful for a lost iPhone... unless whoever steals it doesn't know about this feature.
Good point. Hopefully, once the feature is activated, MobileMe has the ability to keep track of the iPhone's last-known location every hour (or shorter interval).