[jthep]

blame bush and the repugs?? why not blame Obama who said he was against the patriot act and signed it into Permanent Law. Or the National Defense Authorization act. But that's all I'll comment on that. I didn't really want this to turn into a political debate. There are many politic forums for that

@jthep - Don't use FourSquare and I don't use Facebook Locations. And most of the time I'm connected through a VPN.

Well good, I don't use those features either, but luv using Facebook. But these features that neither of use are also on our Blackberries, so its not something that is unique to Google or iOS users.

Also a more disturbing feature is Geotagging. You can put pictures online and if that feature is not turned off it is pretty easy figure out exactly where the locations are such as pictures around your home, parks you take your children to, schools, places of employment, etc.

You are right, many are careless in certain phone features that can easily be used against them by criminals or vengeful people, but I hardly think its only the consumers of devices by the Blackberry competitors that use these features.

I will say though, a lot of people are not well informed when they make statements like "Wow, my phone can do this, my old Blackberry couldn't" which often isn't true, they just never tried to figure out how it works on their older Blackberries...

[pantlesspenguin]

[ayekon]

How to Make a Tinfoil Hat | eHow.com

[Moonbase0ne]

If you are really all that concerned about Google, or who ever tracking you, why not simply disable the GPS? If you really need maps/navigation, why not get a device from someone you trust like maybe Tom Tom or Garmin?

Bottom line is, you do have the option to turn this feature off.

[darkmanx2g]

So the OP is ranting Android has a new feature blackberry doesn't have he rolls his eyes. Then turns around if RIM does it its okay I trust RIM. Lol gtfo here. What a hypocrite.

[kevinnugent]

You can disable the GPS on your phone if you are worried about being tracked. You can use Google Maps offline.

You can still be tracked with the GPS and Location Services turned off - by the authorities. It's just you don't know it.

[howarmat]

I know the new feature he is talking about. its called google now and you can just shut it off. I am starting to like the feature actually. When i leave work it will put a notification up alerting me it will take XX minutes to return home and will update periodocally on my way. Its certainly beta but i can see this becoming very nice for somethings.

[TgeekB]

I know the new feature he is talking about. its called google now and you can just shut it off. I am starting to like the feature actually. When i leave work it will put a notification up alerting me it will take XX minutes to return home and will update periodocally on my way. Its certainly beta but i can see this becoming very nice for somethings.

Well you had better watch behind you when you leave work because there is a dark sedan following you with government agents who have been after you for quite a while because they have nothing better to do. LOL.

[Davec1234]

It's nothing that can't be turned off.
You guys need to quit focusing on bogey men in other platforms and focus on your own shortcomings.
Grasping at straws while slipping off a cliff ain't gonna work, but good luck.

[howarmat]

Well you had better watch behind you when you leave work because there is a dark sedan following you with government agents who have been after you for quite a while because they have nothing better to do. LOL.

you never know, i could be the one in the black sedan following you

[sam_b77]

you never know, i could be the one in the black sedan following you

Not so quick, I'm the Afghani spy on a pink bicycle following your black sedan .

[DannyAves]

I have starred locations too, where I can just tap on a saved location and it navigates me there depending on where I am too. Are you saying that Google read his mind and knew that he was heading to his friend's house without him selecting that option?

ETA: You can always turn off location services as well. Some people might like having those options available, but if you don't, you don't have to use them.

I was reading the review of the Nexus 7 on The Verge today and apparently Jellybean does have the functionality to guess

"It actually learns what you do through searching and starts to identify patterns. Additionally, it will give you information before you even ask for it. For instance, in the short period of time I�ve been using Now, it became convinced that I lived at my hotel in San Francisco (sad, I know). When I went out earlier today, it prompted me for directions back to my "house." "

[pantlesspenguin]

I was reading the review of the Nexus 7 on The Verge today and apparently Jellybean does have the functionality to guess

"It actually learns what you do through searching and starts to identify patterns. Additionally, it will give you information before you even ask for it. For instance, in the short period of time I�ve been using Now, it became convinced that I lived at my hotel in San Francisco (sad, I know). When I went out earlier today, it prompted me for directions back to my "house." "

Thank you. I really wasn't aware of this until howarmat pointed out that it's a new feature called Google Now.

[Tre Lawrence]

Seriously?

There was a time we could have civilized discussions and call people who disagreed with us trolls without devolving into political-based histrionics.

*sigh* the good old days. Now, every time I try to navigate somewhere, I'll be buffeted my images of DC-based lobbyist and the Supreme Court. Thanks, OP.

[raino]

I don't trust google at all. I trust RIM when it comes to my personal information.

Ironic, given the title of this thread.

[jthep]

The govt/cops can track you wherever you have service based off of cell towers. If your phone uses the cell tower for any reason bouncing off any signals for calls/texts/emails/data etc. guess what, if they were looking for you or want to put you in the vicinity of a crime scene, they can prove you were there and collect evidence after starting at that point.

So I guess a word of advice, if you plan on brutally murdering anyone, its best to leave your phone at home...

[reeneebob]

As someone who has the government pay for my evil socialized medical care and the world didn't end, this kind of rampant paranoia is bizarre to me.

Oh no! Maps can track me! Quelle horreur! I can go to the ER and not take out a mortgage! It's the end of the wooooooooorld!

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

[southlander]

Yeah the minute you start using a smartphone you make a choice. It can be managed to maximize your privacy if you care to figure it out. Most folks won't.

Sent from my flip-phone.

[aniym]

yes I've used GPS like Garmin and TomTom. But all your personal information isn't tied to a handheld GPS. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't transmit information BACK to Garmin and TomTom either. Basically he loaded up JellyBean and opened his navigation and it automatically plotted a course to his friends. Like it knew he was headed there already.

[vtpmt81]

You can still be tracked with the GPS and Location Services turned off - by the authorities. It's just you don't know it.

Agreed but the authorities can bug your house and use a directional microphone to listen in on your conversations as well. Don't get me wrong, security is a big deal. If I didn't want the authorities to know what I was doing I wouldn't use a smartphone at all.

[AbuYazeedUK]

Killuminati

[sinsin07]

So my brother is trying to find a good jellybean rom for his galaxy nexus. And he tells me about how awesome google is now because it gives him traffic alerts and stuff. Yeah we've had that for a while but whatever... what gets me is what happens next. I receive an email from him and he tells me how awesome it is now because it knows that he goes to his friends house and when he opens up his navigation it shows the route to his house and how far away it is. How does this not bother people?? Seriously? Google and Apple are tracking and recording your every move and everything you do. I guess that's why the US is in the state it's in and I feel there is no hope for American's anymore. We are losing all our freedoms and soon our healthcare. GJ people. Open your eyes. /Rant

With thread's like this I'm in agreement.

If it were RIM I wouldn't worry. I don't trust google at all. I trust RIM when it comes to my personal information.

Rim is not your big brother. Do not blindly trust any company.

[Mr.Willie]

So the OP is ranting Android has a new feature blackberry doesn't have he rolls his eyes. Then turns around if RIM does it its okay I trust RIM. Lol gtfo here. What a hypocrite.

I believe his paranoia comes from the fact that Google takes your information and uses it to push 'relevant' ads to you, and that they also sell certain information to their partners. That your contact list becomes part of your Google account that you are required to sign up for when you activate your Android device... That people blindly buy into to these features, and then call iOS users Sheeple or RIM users dumb. RIMs business plan isn't data mining, but you do have to be careful as to what apps you use.

[raino]

Actually, RIM's also guilty of overreaching too: http://forums.crackberry.com/general...device-701335/

[kilted thrower]

I think you all are missing the point. The point is that everyone sees this as revolutionary and innovative and are willing to give up their privacy and freedoms. They don't care that they are losing their freedoms. Look at Obamacare... I don't think anyone cares that it's going to put insurance companies out of business and that they will then pay the government for their healthcare.

So if RIM implemented this into their maps that plotted courses based on where you went the most often, you'd trust them but don't trust Google? Do you actually think RIM is your friend?