Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

Windows Phone Gets That Much Better With GPS Apps

May 20th, 2013

It’s rare for Microsoft to be the new kid on the block. In 2001, Microsoft began an extremely expensive foray into the console gaming market with the Xbox. To some, the idea was laughable; the corporation had for decades been known for its productivity software and PC operating systems. Microsoft leader Bill Gates, however, indefatigably marketed the machine, aggressively pursued top-tier game developers in an already competitive marketplace, and turned the Microsoft brand into one of gaming’s “Big Three.” Once again, Microsoft was king of electronic software.

Then Apple game-changed everything again. The iPhone, possibly the most fundamentally market-shifting consumer electronics device since the personal computer, changed the way we interact with computers. It was a handheld computer, no larger than a pack of cigarettes, enabling users to do most of the things people do on their desktop computers. Smart phones changed communication; they changed gaming; they changed the way the Internet is used; they changed the way we interact with the world.

Once again, however, Microsoft’s competitive spirit came out to play. Never content to be in second place, the software juggernaut set its sights on mobile. Released last year, the Windows Phone was designed to compete with Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Maybe, like Xbox, it wouldn’t be the most original Microsoft product ever invented. It would, however, have a ton of money behind it.

Windows Phone came out to largely “meh” reactions last year. The biggest problem was a lack of software. The phones themselves were fine–but the market was already comfortable with Android and iOS; third party software developers have been slow in getting on the Microsoft train.

That’s about to change, in some small measure, thanks to high-powered GPS tracking apps. We’re not just talking GPS gimmick navigating software like Waze, etc. We’re talking high-powered software designed to replace the full-powered GPS devices installed in automobiles. Software that uses hyper-accurate maps worldwide. Powerful software that automatically reroutes based on up-to-date traffic pattern data. Software that is fully integrated with the most popular search engines, including Google, Yelp!, etc. Software that is, in short, designed to be the ultimate road navigating solution for Windows phones.

Will Microsoft claw its way into the “Big Three” phone operating system providers? While the software giant has had a slow start, Microsoft’s tenacity will no doubt serve it well as it plows forward into the world of mobile. Its efforts will no doubt be helped by many exciting GPS apps.

Wisconsin Tightens Restraining Order Violation Laws with GPS Tracking

May 20th, 2013

Should it be lawful to electronically monitor specific offenders deemed potentially “high risk” who have not yet ever violated a restraining order? Governor Scott Walker of Brookfield, Wisconsin, stirred up a controversy this year when he answered yes. He has recommended setting aside grants totalling $3 million to fund the project that would track via GPS technology individuals who are considered too unsafe not to supervise but have as yet done nothing after receiving the restraining order to warrant the tracking.

The portion allotted from the grant comes from an even larger $14 million set aside for law enforcement departments involved in monitoring internet activities for criminal use to sexually manipulate children and bolstering the safety of victims of sex crimes (protection in transport to court, emergency response to a call, etc). The restraining order part of Governor Walker’s plan comes with certain criteria necessary to be met to prevent “just anybody” from being slapped with a GPS tracking device. Wisconsin already has in place “Cindy’s Law” which makes lawful the GPS tracking of criminals who have previously broken the conditions of their restraining order. Violators are GPS tracked for both date/time and location. whether after release from prison back into public domain or even if they’ve never been in jail, to ensure they do not enter an exclusion zone, an area predefined in the restraining order. The criminal will be dealt with the authorities upon crossing the exclusion zone if it was previously deemed unlawful as well as unsafe for the petitioner of the restraining order.

To GPS track specific hazardous individuals who have never violated their restraining order, certain prior behavior will have had to occur. The Governor’s proposal stipulates the criminal must have before caused physical abuse to the petitioner or household pet(s), an incident of strangling or sexual abuse, vandalism to the petitioner’s personal property, including forced access to him or her. The violator can also be eligible for GPS tracking if he or she has ever made any verbal threats of injury to anyone (not just the victim), including using or declaring intention to use a gun or other dangerous weapon.

The GPS Innovation Alliance: Keep Us Moving Forward

May 19th, 2013

GPS technology: this ever-evolving, expanding, enterprising utility has come to nearly define the lifestyle of the modern American. Where would we be without our mobile apps, our geo-caching devices, our biometric sensors for the fitness enthusiast? Does anyone even know how to read a map anymore?

Joking aside, the various means and methods of GPS technology usage today is vast and growing even still. From aviation assistance to agricultural field planning, construction management to marine anti-collision measurement tools, military application to the best, quickest, most gasoline-effective route to Grandma’s house, GPS is able and willing to lead the way.

But we all know that there are some risks which come along with the use of these satellites. Location services on Smartphones aren’t always as exclusive as one might think. Information shared on the internet can open one up to hackers, or possibly even more serious criminal acts. There’s the difficulty in keeping up with one’s privacy settings on social networking sites to keep one’s information private; not to mention the broader concerns, such as aviation navigation tools or even military threats.

GPS device users may wonder, does anybody monitor this? Is anyone interested in maintaining and protecting GPS technology, not only for the nations, but also for the private user? Perhaps it’s time to cue the GPS Innovation Alliance.

The GPS Innovation Alliance, launched earlier this year, has reason to boast in its roots with the United States GPS Industry Council (USGIC). Formed in 1991, the USGIC aimed to promote entrepreneurial and creative commercial applications for GPS technology, thereby expanding global markets, while also helping to defend military advantages. The GPS Innovative Alliance will continue in this striving, seeking to be a trusted source of information to manufacturers on the multitude applications of GPS technology.

Not only is the GPS Innovative Alliance committed to maintaining privacy for users and safeguards for international security, but they are also leading advocates for GPS technology expansion and development. Both nationally, here in the United States, and internationally, the GPS Innovation Alliance has been invaluable as an objective, authoritative source of information.

The GPS Innovation Alliance has and will continue to help to propel GPS tracking technology forward and onward, honing this resource to reach its maximum potential.

The Need for GPS Receiver Standards

May 19th, 2013

GPS receiver standards have been an unspoken need for some time, but the recent conflict between the GPS industry and the LightSquared company has brought them into the public eye.

The Background

LightSquared is a company that hopes to develop a wireless broadband Internet network. To carry its signal, it purchased the L-band spectrum of bandwidth from the FCC. The company would send Internet data to its satellite, which would then send it back down to a receiver system. The signal would then be transmitted to users by means of ground stations. When the process was tested, it worked well, except for one small difficulty. The signals caused interference with all kinds of GPS receivers. As a result, the FCC did not approve LightSquared’s setup, and the company eventually declared bankruptcy. Despite the poor outcome for the company, the entire situation brought to light a bigger concern.

The Problem

GPS devices have been developed and manufactured for years without having any definite GPS receiver standards. As a result, most GPS receivers do not operate strictly within their own bandwidth. This means that when a signal is sent using a neighboring bandwidth, it interferes with the operation of the GPS receiver instead of being rejected as it should. It appears that LightSquared’s system caused interference not because it was operating outside its prescribed bandwidth, but rather because GPS receivers were not adequately constructed to reject signals from outside the GPS bandwidth.

The Fallout

Since this problem was brought to public attention, there has been some political discussion as to how it should be solved. In fact, a process to establish standards for GPS receivers has already been started. How they will be established and enforced and whether they will be applied to already-existing devices has yet to be determined.

These standards will likely be too late to help the rejected LightSquared system, but there are rumors that the company will emerge from bankruptcy and try again to implement its idea. This time, though, it will likely use a setup that has no connection to the GPS spectrum. Regardless of their impact on LightSquared, GPS receiver standards are most likely here to stay and will be very helpful as the industry continues to develop and expand.

The Cool Part is the Cane

May 18th, 2013

GPS device developers are raising cain in an effort to protect and serve the world’s elderly. One developer in particular is showing off an experimental cane with a stellar set of applications which might change the way managed care facilities work.

The idea itself is genius: The device is a standard cane with some pretty lights on top. The lights communicate to the cane’s user using icons. They help the user know which way to walk, etc. Let’s say, for instance, that a person, perhaps elderly and losing mental faculties, needs to navigate a managed care facility in order to go to the restroom. The cane itself would provide direction to the person, lighting up with arrows telling the user how to navigate the hallways–and even talking in order to provide direction.

But there’s more to this thing: This super-cane includes Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS tracking technology. The cane would help facilities track every cane user throughout–or even without–a facility. The cane may have a built-in accelerometer to detect falls or other sudden physical actions.

GPS for a Better Tomorrow

What does tomorrow’s world look like thanks to GPS? There’s obviously so much more to the industry now than tracking cargo, telling drivers how and where to navigate. Navigation has become fleet management; cargo tracking has become M2M inventory tracking and management. With GPS devices now almost ubiquitously integrated into smartphones, the devices themselves are hive-mapping areas, updating them; the GPS devices are creating the data, curating it, managing it, and making it more convenient for the end user. GPS gadgets provide hyper-accurate and meticulous measurements of sporting events.

How “Super Canes” Might Affect Consumer GPS

But few devices are designed to give the elderly better quality of life. Could the “super cane” be simply installed on an older person’s smart phone as an app? Yes. But that’s not the point. The idea of the device is creating something new, a user experience that individuals not familiar with computers and smart phone gadgets can understand. It is a well thought, challenging and visionary device, causing software and hardware developers to give pause and really think about how humans communicate with machines.

And that’s what concept products are all about. They may or may not end up on the market; that’s not the point–it’s about thinking and creating machines to build a better world.

Britain: GPS Tracking Of Stolen Vehicles Put To The Test

May 18th, 2013

GPS tracking devices have been relied upon by many private investigators for a long time. They are effective in locating just about anything all over the world, especially expensive items like iPhones and cars.

Over in the UK, the Telegraph reported recently on a CCTV video released by the West Midlands Police showing two men stealing a BMW 118D from a hotel parking lot in Ladywood, Birmingham in under 15 seconds. This certainly shows the merits of a GPS tracking device when it comes to recovering your stolen car. The two men, brothers, stole a total of 13 cars over the period of 20 days, a combined value of about £250,000. The GPS tracking device, very well hidden on the BMW, directed police right to the garage attached to the brothers’ house in Brierley Hill’s Old Bush Industrial estate in Birmingham.

The brothers were sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles at Birmingham Crown Court.

GPS: Recovering Cars Quickly and Easily

Investigating officer DC Matt Dyer of the West Midlands Police said, “This was an organized, sophisticated operation with high performance cars being stolen in less than 60 seconds. Their method of entry was somewhat rudimentary, but once inside they clearly demonstrated technical skill to start the engine very quickly.

“Our investigation led us to recover all but one of the cars they stole. Car theft is a very risky business given that so many are now fitted with (GPS) tracker devices and that our road network is covered extensively by Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras which allow us to monitor vehicle movement.”

Private Investigator Agrees

Private Investigator, an independent detective agency out of Birmingham, also relies on GPS tracking devices. They also turn to the devices in cases where one spouse is said to be cheating on the other to see where it is they are going. As soon as the device is affixed to the vehicle, tracking can begin. The use of tracking devices on the vehicles stolen by the brothers allowed the owners to be reunited with their property.

Says Kristy George, spokeswoman for Private Investigator: “In my professional opinion these brothers were lucky to have stolen as many cars as they did with all the crime prevention modern technology available. An expensive vehicle like a BMW should be fitted with a GPS tracker for the owner’s peace of mind.”

An Update On OR-7

May 17th, 2013

OR-7, also known as “The Lone Wolf,” is still wandering the wilderness, being tracked via GPS tracking collar. We’ve provided updates along his journey, and will continue to do so until he can be tracked no more. It seems the famous gray wolf has crossed Interstate 5 a total of two times in the past few months.

For the past six weeks, the 4-year-old wolf has been meandering his way in and out of Jackson County, occasionally heading into the eastern portion of Douglas County, and then heading back for a short while to California, where he had his first I-5 crossing experience.

The GPS tracking collar shows the wolf crossing the Interstate near Yreka, CA which is in the northern portion of the state. This is the farthest west the wolf has ever traveled in the entire 19 months he’s been wearing the GPS tracking device, according to US Fish and Wildlife Service reps.

After crossing I-5, he turned around and headed the way he came, again crossing the Interstate. John Stephenson, a USFWS biologist who’s responsible for watching OR-7 move about the area from the comforts of his Bend, OR office said, “Hopefully, he’ll stop doing that. That’s not a good strategy for longevity.”

He trekked north again according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, heading into the southeastern part of Jackson County and the hills to the south of Emigrant Lake just east of Ashland.

OR-7 is the only known gray wolf ambling about California since 1924. And when he is in Oregon, he is the first known gray wolf residing west of the Cascades ever since the last one was killed in order to protect livestock in the area back in 1937.

Mark Vargas is with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Rogue District, working as a wildlife biologist. He said, “Man, that wolf can travel. The distances he’s covering is amazing. He could be back in Siskiyou County (California) as we speak.”

OR-7 has been traveling from Oregon to California and back again last spring as well, in his quest to find a place to call home and a mate. He ended up almost in Nevada, at which point he turned around and walked all the way back. Vargas says, “Who knows where he’s going.”

You can be sure we will keep you up to date as to the movements of this great creature. The entire world seems to be watching, too: his story has been covered in a total of five continents.

Lawmakers Trying to Limit The Use of GPS Tracking By Law Enforcement

May 17th, 2013

Legislation was introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both the House and the Senate that requires police to obtain a warrant prior to collecting data from a suspect’s tablet, cellphone, car, or any other electronic device.

The Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance (GPS) Act addresses both location records held by cellphone service providers and real-time tracking of people as they move about town.

A total of 9 representatives in the House along with two senators brought the bills forward respectively. Among them: representatives Jason Chaffetz, John Conyers, and Jim Sensenbrenner, and Senators Ron Wyden an Mark Kirk.

This legislation will not only require a warrant: it will also deem illegal the use of any electronic device to track a person’s location covertly. This part of the bill addresses the problem of the jealous boyfriend who tracks his girlfriend with an app he secretly installs on her iPhone. It also relates to companies as well, requiring their employees to grant permission to gather GPS location data.

“New technologies are making it increasingly easy to track and log the location of individuals. We need to make sure laws are keeping up with technology to protect our privacy,” said Chaffetz. “Put simply, the government and law enforcement should not be able to track somebody indefinitely without their knowledge or consent or without obtaining a probable cause warrant from a judge.”

Wyden agrees: “The GPS Act provides law enforcement with a clear mandate for when to obtain a warrant for the geolocation information of an American…It also provides much-needed legal clarity for commercial service providers who often struggle to balance the privacy of their customers with requests for information from law enforcement. Finally, it protects the privacy and civil liberty of any American using a GPS-enabled device.”

There is an exception: the bill allows GPS tracking in emergency situations or issues of national security.

GPS Device Helped Land D.C. Shooting Suspect In Jail

May 17th, 2013

A 19-year-old man was connected to the horrific mass shooting on North Capitol Street in Washington D.C. in early March thanks to the court appointed GPS tracking ankle bracelet, according to court documents.

That’s right: the suspect, Craig Steven Wilson of Southeast Washington, was wearing a GPS monitoring bracelet. In D.C. Superior Court, the judge asked that he be detained until the date of his next hearing, even though he was already under court supervision.

Wilson, upon his arrest, was charged with assault with intent to kill after the March 11 shooting, which wounded 13 people, one of whom is listed in critical condition, outside of an apartment high-rise off New York Avenue.

Although court documents state how the suspect was caught, no motive is given as to why Wilson opened fire that morning at approximately 2:10 in the morning. The surveillance video shows the barrage of gunfire and victims hitting the ground, leaving residents in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NW quite uneasy. It is also near to NoMa, which is an up-and-coming area for upscale shopping and residents.

One of the two cars used in the shooting belonged to Wilson, which they determined through viewing security cameras and obtaining the license plate number.

Upon learning his identity, they checked out the location data on his GPS tracking bracelet: it placed him two blocks from the shooting scene at approximately one hour prior to the shooting. When they looked at further GPS location data, they “watched” him circle the block for over an hour, culminating in him speeding past the building and opening fire.

In 2012, D.C. Superior Court mandated GPS monitoring for 1,351 defendants; 110 of those were arrested thanks to the device and charged with new crimes. 11 of them involved violence.

It is clear that GPS monitoring of criminals is an important step to holding them accountable for any future actions they might commit, as well as providing rock solid evidence placing them at the scene of a crime.

Sports Watch Meets GPS Tracking Device

May 15th, 2013

If you’re a gadget person, or even if you’re not, you’ll have to admit this latest addition to the GPS tracking device market is pretty cool. The Switch series watches for athletes, the newest crossover navigational tool is being premiered in Europe. This handy piece of technology not only tells you where you are and how to get to where you want to go, but also helps you meet your fitness performance goals.

Fitness Watch/Training Tool

This combination watch and GPS tracking device is tailored especially for those who participate in outdoor sports such as running, swimming, biking and other related activities. It’s available through select retailers and, of course, the European distribution network. The Switch and Switch Up watches record performance data for multisport athletes, who may also upload and track their data online using metrics, maps and intuitive charts– all from one spot on the globe.

Stay on Target

Runners will find this crossover watch/GPS especially useful. It includes such innovative features as an “Activity Pacer” which monitors whether the runner is on track with the goal and offers specific targets to get the desired result. As a navigational tool, it allows you to mark and save locations and navigate back to an original spot. You can also configure calories spent based on time, heart rate, speed and distance. Nine customizable sport profiles add to the watch’s appeal.

Bonus Features

If you choose the Switch Up watch, you get a fully loaded product that, in addition to all the features on the Switch watch, also tells you temperature and barometric pressure. Other available accessories include a quick release mount for wrist and bike to allow for easy transition between activities. If you need more than eight hours of battery life, you can buy the optional battery extender pack.

Athlete Friendly

You can tell that this fitness tool is designed for active people: it has an easy-to-read, high resolution display to increase its visibility on the run. The battery’s endurance is eight hours, making its power last as long as the activity. The GPS receiver is highly sensitive so you can depend on its accuracy. Going for a swim, or participating in a triathlon? That should be no problem for the Switch: it is water resistant to 50 meters. It is also compatible with ANT+ sensors, so you can coordinate it with your other technology. This clever sports watch, with its wide range of appeal should be a good fit for many.