[kilted thrower]

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.

If I'm worried about the authorities tracking and bugging me...

I either need to move to another country, I'm doing something that warrants it, or I need to take my medication.

I think we should all reread the Crucible.

[Superfly_FR]

that seems to be the mentality of most right there... Well I'm not doing anything I'm not supposed to so who cares if it's recording all my private data and tracking my every location.

The point is not only YOU.
By doing so, people do not realize how much of others they offer.
You have nothing to hide ? Perfect.
You like that your fiends are spotable on any G map and made your FB profile public for better exposure ? Ok.

Now, given that, the current power of computing and data-mining makes the scenario a bit different.
Say 50% of your friends (and the same amount of theirs, etc.) have the same view. Then, just by identifying any of your FB Friends (example), Google or others can compute exposed data as earnings (went to an expensive restaurant ?), political/sexual orientation (what page/content did you liked / visited ?) and so on.
Hope you get the trick.
Statistically, if I'm in your friend list, EVEN IF MY PRIVACY SETTINGS ARE STRONG, Google has 85% chance to know exactly what type and color of underwear I wear ... right now (my location and current weather conditions can influence that).

"So whaaat ? It's cool, they can offer me targeted advertising ! "[said my buddy, two days ago]. Oh yeah, cool ...
But they can also serve you oriented materials, even customized contents for that you'll statistically agree to every little content, including - not least - politics or ideological contents.

Are you ready to chew easy ?

[rigwrecker]

yeah, well, I'm that skeptical guy. I'm probably overly cautious online. No banking, deleting all forms & passwords at the end of each internet session... like clockwork. This is part of the reason I will never go android. I understand it is a user option to toggle i/o, but with the google privacy infringement thing... I don't know... They are always in the news with someone saying something or other to some extent (lol)... Someone is always crying about google privacy infringement. Search google privacy infringement, I'd put $ on it there is a half dozen today alone - weather they are actually founded or not, well that is something else entirely. lol. This is my opinion of google/android, not a policy statement, ploy nor conspiracy theory.

bottom line - user beware!

[pantlesspenguin]

Statistically, if I'm in your friend list, EVEN IF MY PRIVACY SETTINGS ARE STRONG, Google has 85% chance to know exactly what type and color of underwear I wear ... right now (my location and current weather conditions can influence that).

This is why I don't wear pants! Your move, Google!

[raino]

This is why I don't wear pants! Your move, Google!

He set you up for that one pretty well

[Ben1232]

Copy that ^^^

[kbz1960]

What I want to know is why I need directions from work on how to get to my friends home where I know is at?

[Bla1ze]

It's called Google Now and FYI, if you're a Google user you agreed to it when they updated their Privacy Policy a while back now. Even on a BlackBerry, if you use GMail -- YOU AGREED TO THE DATA USAGE only difference is that on Android you can see that data at work whereas on BlackBerry, you cannot.

Meaning if you were that concerned about it.. you would STOPPED using Google back when it was announced that the privacy policy was changing, this whole thread and point of discussion is invalid when placed in a RIM vs. Google vs. Apple device outlook because the data itself is all being used the same way, no matter phone you decide to use.

[ADGrant]

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 you don't trust Google or the government but you have warm fuzzy feelings towards RIM and the health insurance companies (who have far more sensitive information about you than Google does).

The logic escapes me.

[jwn66]

Thx for the lulz

[avt123]

I'm loving Google Now. Works flawlessly on my Galaxy Nexus and is extremely helpful. I wish every platform had a native feature like this. It truly is a great product.

[katiepea]

basically it took into account he was at his work. And how he often stops by his friends house on his way home and recommended a route to his friends house from work. 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.

I'm a bit baffled by this. RIM has a more sordid past when it comes to sharing personal information than google does. RIM bowed to the will of multiple nations for access to their servers. Google has refused to do such in similar circumstances, and actually fought the countries trying to force their hand.

[kbz1960]

I'm a bit baffled by this. RIM has a more sordid past when it comes to sharing personal information than google does. RIM bowed to the will of multiple nations for access to their servers. Google has refused to do such in similar circumstances, and actually fought the countries trying to force their hand.

Really? I didn't think there was any problem getting that info just by snooping.

[howarmat]

Really? I didn't think there was any problem getting that info just by snooping.

i think she means when other entities ask google for info on their servers. Not when google ask to get info from you.

[xandermac]

I trust RIM when it comes to my personal information.

Don't move to India.

[kbz1960]

i think she means when other entities ask google for info on their servers. Not when google ask to get info from you.

No what I meant was. I have never seen anything about countries wanting info from devices they can get without having to go thru company to get it. The things they use to get info works on the others but not blackberrys.

I don't know just asking.

[Luckyman6886]

In other words, people don't give 2 craps about their privacy and freedom.

Yes, you right

[xandermac]

http://rww.to/N7JCUm

[MasterOfBinary]

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

I didn't read the whole thread but... phones have been doing this for a while.

[jivegirl14]

Must be a full Moon...

[ItsMeBB]

[calicocat2010]

Yep Google Now. Even the Google Keynote Speakers were talking about how the cards will get smarter and will eventually figure out your next move.

[JTATL]

You can always turn cell data off wifi off and location services off. Every app u install asks you if you want to let it use your location. So your degree of privacy is up to you.

[belfastdispatcher]

I'm a bit baffled by this. RIM has a more sordid past when it comes to sharing personal information than google does. RIM bowed to the will of multiple nations for access to their servers. Google has refused to do such in similar circumstances, and actually fought the countries trying to force their hand.

You are seriously taking the now, you're seriously comparing RIM to Google, a company proven to bypass all browser privacy settings, on all browsers even iphones, to keep tracking your usage? A company that has sucked all the private information out of private wifi networks AROUND THE WORLD? And that's just scratching the surface.

It's not even a matter of opinion, it's a matter of proof.

I think you should be banned from this site, you are of no benefit to it, you're just here to promote Google or anything else but BlackBerry.

[belfastdispatcher]

I didn't read the whole thread but... phones have been doing this for a while.

No they haven't, I haven't heard of this before, just because I visit a friend often my phones never created a route to my friend on its own and presented it to me.