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Qatar’s contact tracing app put over one million people’s info at risk
A security flaw in Qatar’s contact tracing app put the personal information of more than one million people at risk.
Garmin’s Forerunner 35 GPS watch is an even better bargain at only $90
Once $200, Garmin's Forerunner 35 GPS smartwatch is currently $90 at Best Buy, making it a great fit for newbie runners.
Garmin’s Forerunner 35 GPS smartwatch drops to $100 at Best Buy
Garmin’s Forerunner 35 GPS smartwatch is a Best Buy deal of the day today. The Forerunner lineup is designed specifically for runners, and this feature-packed smartwatch includes GPS tracking to record distance and speed, as well as wrist-based heart rate monitoring. Garmin says the Forerunner 35 will last up to nine days in smartwatch/activity tracking mode, but battery life will vary widely based on how you use the device.
Google Maps is making 'Live View' AR navigation more prominent
Last year, Google Maps introduced "Live View" AR navigation that visually guides you to a location using your phone's camera. The feature is still a bit difficult to find, though, so Google is testing a feature that makes it more visible. In the latest beta version, Maps puts a floating action button (FAB) for Live View front and center as soon as you search for or select a location, according to 9to5Google.
The latest Timex smartwatch has 25-day battery life
The newest Timex Ironman smartwatch, the R300 GPS, bundles the workout essentials -- on-wrist heart rate monitoring, guided coaching, a range of performance metrics and water resistance up to 30 meters -- and avoids adding unnecessary extras that sometimes drive smartwatch prices up. The result is that the R300 GPS costs just $120, and the company claims the battery will last up to 25 days, as long as you only use 20 hours of GPS.
Artist creates traffic jams in Google Maps with a wagon full of phones
We tend to think of Google Maps as an indispensable tool that is rarely wrong, but an artist from Germany named Simon Weckert found a humourous way to game the app. Using a wagon loaded with 99 second-hand smartphones, he was able to "hack" Maps to create virtual traffic jams throughout Berlin.
MIT's new GPS system uses satellite images to put you in the right lane
If you've ever used GPS navigation while driving in an unfamiliar place, chances are you've had more than one incident with last minute merging -- likely because the GPS hasn't picked up on the number of lanes on the road, or where they lead to. But this particular annoyance's days could be numbered, thanks to research from MIT.
Bipartisan bill would scale back key section of the Patriot Act
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has introduced new legislation that would attempt to reform Section 215 of the Patriot Act definitively. Democratic and Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have co-sponsored Wyden's Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act.
GoPro's fix for grounded Karma drones is coming 'within a week'
GoPro has found the problem that grounded its Karma drones with some kind of 2K20 GPS bug since the beginning of the year, it said in a blog post. Better still, the company is now testing a fix and expects to release a firmware update "within a week" that will resolve the problem.
GoPro Karma drones are unable to fly due to a possible GPS flaw
The new year hasn't started well if you're a GoPro Karma owner. Numerous operators have found themselves unable to fly since the start of 2020, with the robotic aircraft reporting that it has no GPS signal and can't calibrate the compass, even when the controller is working properly. One user claimed to have discovered a workaround by resetting the controller and disabling GPS, but that clearly isn't ideal.
China's alternative to GPS should be complete by mid-2020
China's competitor to GPS is nearly finished after years of work. Project lead Ren Chengqi has revealed that the Beidou Navigation Satellite System's core was completed earlier in December, and that the last two satellites should reach orbit "before 2020." This will technically be the third phase of Baidou, which first rolled out in 2000, but it represents the culmination of the satellite system. in its present form. You won't see a major upgrade until 2035, Ran said.
Domino's GPS-powered pizza tracking is available in many more places
Earlier this year, Domino's Pizza said it would let you track your pizza deliveries using GPS. And, well, the company is now delivering on that promise. Domino's announced today that approximately a quarter of its locations across the US will have the technology in place by the end of this year. In 2020, a "significant portion" of Domino's remaining locations will allow you to track your order through the company's mobile app.
The NSA says it stopped tracking cellphone locations without a warrant
Last year the Supreme Court ruled, in a 5-4 decision, that a search warrant is required for law enforcement to perform cellphone tower searches to track someone's location. The Daily Beast reported on a letter sent by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to Senator Ron Wyden affirming that ever since that Carpenter decision, the "Intelligence community" has not sought cell-site location data or GPS records without a warrant. It had been doing that, claiming authority under the Title V of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) / Section 215 of the Patriot Act. However Section 215 of the Patriot Act is set to expire next month, and in the letter (PDF), the assistant director writing it never confirms that the Supreme Court decision means they couldn't, or wouldn't, do it in the future.
The PowerWatch 2 delivers GPS powered by your body heat
When I first heard the pitch for the PowerWatch 2, a GPS running watch that didn't have a 'battery' and generated power from your wrist, I was incredulous. GPS is notoriously power-hungry, as is optical heart-rate tracking. But after a week with the latest PowerWatch, I found the makers have made good on their claims, even if there are more than a couple of caveats. Curious?
Xiaomi’s first real smartwatch looks just like an Apple Watch
As Xiaomi gears up to launch its 108-megapixel phone at its November 5th event, the company has also unveiled details of its upcoming smartwatch -- and it looks awfully familiar. The device -- which will probably be called the Mi Watch -- bears a striking resemblance to the Apple Watch.
Apple warns iPhone 5 owners to update if they want to stay online
If you're still clinging to your iPhone 5 for dear life, you'll want to be sure it's running the latest available software -- the consequences could be serious if you don't. Apple has started warning iPhone 5 owners with full-screen alerts that they'll lose key online features (including email, web browsing, the App Store and iCloud) if they don't update to iOS 10.3.4 before 12AM UTC on November 3rd. The GPS time rollover issue that started in April will throw off features that require the correct date and time, Apple said.
The Apple Watch Series 4 just keeps getting cheaper
Apple is no longer selling its Apple Watch Series 4, but you can snag one for a steep discount on Amazon. Last week, we saw the price drop on the base silver aluminum and white sport band versions of the 44mm models. Today, the watches are on sale for even more. You can save up to $160.
Whistle Go Explore review: GPS-powered puppy protection
I'm happy to say that I've never come close to losing Ellie, my beloved nine-year-old chocolate Labrador. But that doesn't mean I haven't occasionally had a moment of panic thinking about how truly terrible that would be. For years, the default protection against such a scenario has been "microchipping" — implanting a tiny ID chip under a pet's skin that can be scanned to reveal contact information for the animal's owner. While this is still a smart thing to do, it's only useful after your pet has gotten away and has been rescued by someone who tries to reunite the animal with its person. There's a lot that can go wrong before that happens, if it ever does. Whistle has been working to offer a better solution for several years now. What originally started out as a "Fitbit for dogs" evolved into a GPS-enabled pet tracker that alerts you when your pet left a designated "safe" zone and lets you see where it is on a map. Last week, the company released its latest trackers, the Whistle Go and Go Explore, which features real-time location tracking, improved battery life and a few other tweaks to the Whistle formula. Ellie and I have been testing the $129.95 Go Explore for almost a month, and while it's not without quirks, it's still a potentially important safety net for any dog. On a day-to-day basis, its activity-tracking features aren't particularly necessary, which made it easy for me to think of it as an unnecessary gadget. On the other hand, if Ellie ran off, I'd be very glad she was wearing it.
How to give your hike a high-tech upgrade
Here's all of the gear you need to take your hiking game to the next level.
Domino’s will let you track your pizza delivery with GPS
By the end of the year, you'll be able to track your Domino's Pizza delivery via GPS. The company is known for embracing technology, and it's done things like deliver pizza via robots and self-driving vehicles and allowed orders through cars and Alexa devices. It's experimented with cashless stores and even turning on smart home porch lights when the delivery person is near. But telling you where your pizza is as it's en route to your door might be Domino's most practical tech experiment yet.
