Loopt strikes deal with AT&T for background monitoring on iPhone
By Donald Melanson 
posted September 4th 2009 4:42PM
posted September 4th 2009 4:42PM
Well, it's not quite the sort of background application that most folks have been hoping for on the iPhone, but Loopt has nonetheless scored something of a first for its location-based iPhone app. As Silicon Alley Insider reports, the company has struck a deal directly with AT&T that'll let it monitor your location whenever you have a network connection, regardless of whether you have the Loopt app open or not. That, as you might have surmised, is done entirely on a server-to-server basis, and it'll initially be made available as a part of free 14-trial program limited to 5,000 users, after which it'll run them and everyone else $3.99 a month (added to your AT&T bill). Feeling lucky (or quick)? You can put your name and number into the hat by hitting up the appropriate read link below.
Read - Loopt Always-On Location Trial Sign-up
Read - Silicon Alley Insider, "Loopt Location To Update In The Background On iPhone"
[Via MacRumors]
Read - Loopt Always-On Location Trial Sign-up
Read - Silicon Alley Insider, "Loopt Location To Update In The Background On iPhone"
[Via MacRumors]
Only $3.99 a month for opt-in stalking? Where do I sign up?
You don't have to sign, just tap your life away.
Yeah.... other than in the event my phone gets stolen, why would I want this?
naturally, to drain your battery even faster than normal.
Nokia is giving away similar kind of service free to many Nokia users, not just one handset, but many different handset models.
Their service is called LifeCasting, which they just released two days ago at Nokia World
Cool story, bro.
MobileMe is $8.25 a month ($99/year) to track your stolen iPhone (pretty much only benefit). This costs $3.99.
Win!
Loopt, do you know what happens when you make a deal with da Devil!
@guy943-
MobileMe is way more than the find my iPhone tracker. Push email, 20GB online storage, syncing contacts, notes, calendars, etc. No comparison
palm pre gets this free
Android too
S60 too
And people would still rather have the iPhone... you can give SHIT out for free but that doesn't mean people want it.
@murmermer
I guess it takes a real special kind of person to pay for something that's free and works better than the paid version.
You couldn't pay most people to take shit, that's just downright disgusting. Flush that shit.
Windows Mobile too.
(Dont hurt me!)
My old 80's motorola carphone does this for free even
yeah so I sooooo want to pay to get my privacy violated LOL give me a break
Opt-out app on Cydia is ftw.
Yeah, PrivaCy really closed the argument as far as jail breaking is concerned, IMHO. It's awesome.
I look at this deal here and all I can think is "yeah, AT&T had NOTHING to do with Google Voice..." Give me a freaking break. Doesn't this break some part of Apple's holy hierarchy in that they don't want background stuff? I could see if they used some form of push for this, but a straight up monitoring service in the background? If I wanted that, I'd go get a blackberry and live in India. Will never be using this app, that's for sure.... Oh, wait, I can try it free!?
Pay to let big brother follow me around. Oh hell yeah!
Onlly thing George Orwell had wrong was that we were all going to pay to be watched!
Big Brother already can follow you around. This is for consumers like your girlfriend, wife and mother.
Calvinski,
Yeah, I would definitely not want my wife AND girlfriend to know where I am at any given moment.
Why not DT? Might make it easier to get rid of the wife.
or round them up for...a long Labor Day weekend!
This isn't true background... AT&T tells Loopt where you are. The handset doesn't do anything but talk to AT&T, as it normally does. This could work for any phone.
I really fear for privacy rights nowadays. Besides government usurping our rights, it seems people are all too eager to post inappropriate details of their life on facebook and twitter, and now to broadcast their exact location. Doesn't anyone want to be unplugged anymore? Frankly, I don't care what your status is, I don't care about your inane tweets, and I don't care where you are. If I did, I would ask you.
I was on the toilet, you were saying?
I kid. I totally agree.
Now to brush my teeth.
I'm sitting... on... the...patio. ;)
So, you're gonna be paying for something that Loopt should really be paying for?
Right?
@EM1 - LMAO! Win.
@DT - We're in the age of abundance. Its all about choice. If you don't want to post your personal info then don't, if you don't want to read someone else's info then don't.
But don't knock on the potential these applications hold.
I think Loopt is great if I'm meeting a friend at a party or making the 5-hour drive to my parents. No need to send text messages or make calls like "I'm 10 minutes away", "OMW" "Just passed 3rd Street". I just activate the app when needed and be done with it.
Thanks for asking, didn't know you cared (or even knew who I am).
WhatIsHalo? can't wait for the long Labor Day weekend. Hope I can get some fresh corn on the cob for dinner.
But this app used to be free ?
dam, At&T is always looking for ways to milk money away from costumers. that is all they care about. Can google release something like this for free to stop the greed.
how can you say that? Didn't you watch the video about how much ATT cares?
I'm noticing a pattern here. Things you can do on other smartphones for free, will slowly be offered on iPhone, but you'll have to pay for the privilege. Tethering and now this. Sign me up!
Curious, who offers free tethering? Is it unlimited? What are the speeds?
Most of the Nokia smartphones have built-in tethering feature available, which you can use as far as you don't overuse it, else AT&T will get upset.
It's violates TOS, but WM phones have internet sharing, works for free as long as you don't use the hell out of it and tip the carrier off. I used to use betwen 500mb and 1gig with my tilt, then I got the iPhone and had to stop, oh well, there's usually an open access point nearby so I'm fine.
Palm pre has free tethering. All sprint palm pre plans offer unlimited data.
I use wireless tethering on my G1.
I use tethering on my BlackBerry (AT&T) quite regularly. The BB plan already has unlimited data, so I just plug in and go.
The tethering update will be free (albeit extremely late), but you will have to pay the extra $30 a month to tether without risk of getting charged per kilobyte. Just like with Sprint, how you are supposed to add a Phone-As-Modem plan if you want to tether without risk of getting charged per kilobyte.
If you tether lightly, you can probably get away with not having a plan.
BOOO
only available for US citizens. Canadian need some love!
yes, we really need stalker love in this great unpopulated land, ever check the coverage maps for the Judas Phone?
you're paying Loopt for something that they should be paying for instead.
doesn't google latitude do this for people in Canuckistan?
Won't someone think of the network!?!
Seriously, they can't handle MMS or Tethering, but this, no problem?
Unless I'm missing something I don't understand why anyone would sign up for ths even if this was free.
Wait so why is this different than Googles Latitude? Their app was denied. Doesn't make sense
Presumably b/c Google didn't come to the table and ask AT&T if they would like a new way to rip off their customers.
Jada doesn't really look much like a Garcia to me.