That's what this. Actually is. But in order to do this, they need to get permission from the city, and to work with them. They can't just claim the right to the street property, and put up their equipment. So the city does deals for that right. Essentially, they are leasing the company space on the streets for their equipment.
Titan, one of the LinkNYC partners, was already leasing thousands of these from the city. They were also sneakily installing tracking beacons unknown to the public but with nodding approval from the city to follow pedestrians as they strolled along or stopped at retailers/restaurants. They got caught last month.
As long as it's not Taxpayers paying for yet another FREE service, great, go ahead with it!!! Throw them up everywhere for all I care. I don't have a problem with this being supported by Ads. There's Ads all over the place. As long as there's no secret deal that the taxpayers have to cover any loss if the Ads just aren't paying for it, or end up having to pay for it 5 years down the road. Free for all is great, but lets see the fine print.
Second, ‘free’ also implies insecure like the ‘free’ WiFi at Starbucks and McDonalds. Would you login to your bank or credit card account using ‘free’ public WiFi? Well, the general public surely will. Score one for the hackers and WiFi sniffers.
I'm not an expert in Wi-Fi configuration, but it seems to me you could set up universal password that everyone knew, even print it on the equipment, something like NYCFREEWIFI which would at least provide the encryption and with an ad hoc type of network you could wander around NYC and connect to all the hotspots without ever having to log in again.
An Android app, iBeacon Detector, was used to find those hidden beacons.
I'd imagine that iPhone users can install an app that will let them detect when they're being tracked by Bluetooth LE devices and iBeacon's too and then ID those devices, right?
First of all, whatever it is, it’s not ‘free.’ Somebody will pay for it, probably the taxpayers of NYC, even those taxpayers who don’t use it. Second, ‘free’ also implies insecure like the ‘free’ WiFi at Starbucks and McDonalds. Would you login to your bank or credit card account using ‘free’ public WiFi? Well, the general public surely will. Score one for the hackers and WiFi sniffers.
Quote:
LinkNYC plans to pay for the rollout through advertisements that will run on digital screens astride each pylon, making it free to taxpayers.
Free for taxpayers. But how will these pylons know who pays NY taxes and who does not?
I'd imagine that iPhone users can install an app that will let them detect when they're being tracked by Bluetooth LE devices and iBeacon's too and then ID those devices, right?
I'd imagine that the Android developer community invented packet sniffing. How far back do you want to go with this pointless techno-elitist nonsense?
This is a great idea, however, NYC is already full of "free" WiFi spots that just don't work... I've only ever been able to log in to Starbucks successfully but you can barely do anything on their wifi because of how busy their stores always are, i.e.: downloading the New York Times on your iPad takes ages...
Oh, sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic about the fact that iOS apps may not be able to do low-level Bluetooth packet sniffing due to sandboxing restrictions (thus promoting Android). There's so much FUD being spread around these days by young technical elitists whose ignorance about the history of the technology their beloved Android is built on is staggering.
I'm not an expert in Wi-Fi configuration, but it seems to me you could set up universal password that everyone knew, even print it on the equipment, something like NYCFREEWIFI which would at least provide the encryption and with an ad hoc type of network you could wander around NYC and connect to all the hotspots without ever having to log in again.
If everyone knows password, you might as well not have one
I agree with President Obama, the Internet should be a utility. And, as such, should be made available by local governments in public areas, free, paid for by local taxes.
This is just the sort of thing that makes a governing body look good, and protects the citizenry.
You mean if shown ads when connected to their WiFi, not that the pylon is displaying ads, right? I think the intent is only for the pylon to display ads.
But there are several problems:
- many NYC parks claim free WiFi access. But it either never works (my iPhone doesn't find the WiFi), asks for a password that you obviously don't have, or you can connect, but it's so unbearably slow that it's faster just to use the phone connection.
- according to the article, this is going to replace antiquated phone booths. But there are very few phone booths left on the streets of NYC, so I have no idea what they're talking about.
- is it really necessary? The fact is that for most street uses, the 4G or LTE service in the street is fast enough. And by the time this is installed, I suspect that newer phone models will have longer battery life.
My bet is that a few of these get installed around Times Square for the tourists and then it never gets beyond that. This reminds me of the program to install advertising-driven public toilets in NYC. It took years to install the first one, which I think still exists near City Hall Park and I don't think a second was ever installed anywhere.
On the other hand, the CitiBike program has done great. It has lost money, but not for the city or taxpayers and a new private company has just taken over the operation. There are now 330 locations to pick up/drop off bikes and that seems to me was a harder deal than installing these new phone pylons. But it's not free.
Comments
Titan, one of the LinkNYC partners, was already leasing thousands of these from the city. They were also sneakily installing tracking beacons unknown to the public but with nodding approval from the city to follow pedestrians as they strolled along or stopped at retailers/restaurants. They got caught last month.
It feels like the 21st century has finally arrived.
"The future is already here - it's just not evenly distributed."
- William Gibson
Vaguely reminiscent of the first monolith scene from "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Except everyone is ignoring this one.
As long as it's not Taxpayers paying for yet another FREE service, great, go ahead with it!!! Throw them up everywhere for all I care. I don't have a problem with this being supported by Ads. There's Ads all over the place. As long as there's no secret deal that the taxpayers have to cover any loss if the Ads just aren't paying for it, or end up having to pay for it 5 years down the road. Free for all is great, but lets see the fine print.
The Homeless have a place now to charge up their phones and have free Wifi!!! So there's that.
Second, ‘free’ also implies insecure like the ‘free’ WiFi at Starbucks and McDonalds. Would you login to your bank or credit card account using ‘free’ public WiFi? Well, the general public surely will. Score one for the hackers and WiFi sniffers.
I'm not an expert in Wi-Fi configuration, but it seems to me you could set up universal password that everyone knew, even print it on the equipment, something like NYCFREEWIFI which would at least provide the encryption and with an ad hoc type of network you could wander around NYC and connect to all the hotspots without ever having to log in again.
An Android app, iBeacon Detector, was used to find those hidden beacons.
I'd imagine that iPhone users can install an app that will let them detect when they're being tracked by Bluetooth LE devices and iBeacon's too and then ID those devices, right?
First of all, whatever it is, it’s not ‘free.’ Somebody will pay for it, probably the taxpayers of NYC, even those taxpayers who don’t use it. Second, ‘free’ also implies insecure like the ‘free’ WiFi at Starbucks and McDonalds. Would you login to your bank or credit card account using ‘free’ public WiFi? Well, the general public surely will. Score one for the hackers and WiFi sniffers.
Free for taxpayers. But how will these pylons know who pays NY taxes and who does not?
They won't just like taxpayer paved roads don't know who's driving on them.
I'd imagine that iPhone users can install an app that will let them detect when they're being tracked by Bluetooth LE devices and iBeacon's too and then ID those devices, right?
I'd imagine that the Android developer community invented packet sniffing. How far back do you want to go with this pointless techno-elitist nonsense?
It's SOOOO easy to put up a rogue access point and have people to connect through it so you can sniff their data.
But it's hard to resist when some people's data smells so nice.
I'd imagine that the Android developer community invented packet sniffing. How far back do you want to go with this pointless techno-elitist nonsense?
Umm, what? You feeling okay, auxio?
EDIT: Found one! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/locate-beacon/id738709014?mt=8
Umm, what? You feeling okay, auxio?
EDIT: Found one! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/locate-beacon/id738709014?mt=8
Oh, sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic about the fact that iOS apps may not be able to do low-level Bluetooth packet sniffing due to sandboxing restrictions (thus promoting Android). There's so much FUD being spread around these days by young technical elitists whose ignorance about the history of the technology their beloved Android is built on is staggering.
If everyone knows password, you might as well not have one
The password allows you to use WPA2 encryption
If shown ads, you're being tracked.
I agree with President Obama, the Internet should be a utility. And, as such, should be made available by local governments in public areas, free, paid for by local taxes.
This is just the sort of thing that makes a governing body look good, and protects the citizenry.
You mean if shown ads when connected to their WiFi, not that the pylon is displaying ads, right? I think the intent is only for the pylon to display ads.
But there are several problems:
- many NYC parks claim free WiFi access. But it either never works (my iPhone doesn't find the WiFi), asks for a password that you obviously don't have, or you can connect, but it's so unbearably slow that it's faster just to use the phone connection.
- according to the article, this is going to replace antiquated phone booths. But there are very few phone booths left on the streets of NYC, so I have no idea what they're talking about.
- is it really necessary? The fact is that for most street uses, the 4G or LTE service in the street is fast enough. And by the time this is installed, I suspect that newer phone models will have longer battery life.
My bet is that a few of these get installed around Times Square for the tourists and then it never gets beyond that. This reminds me of the program to install advertising-driven public toilets in NYC. It took years to install the first one, which I think still exists near City Hall Park and I don't think a second was ever installed anywhere.
On the other hand, the CitiBike program has done great. It has lost money, but not for the city or taxpayers and a new private company has just taken over the operation. There are now 330 locations to pick up/drop off bikes and that seems to me was a harder deal than installing these new phone pylons. But it's not free.