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Snapchat disables 'heatmap' feature in Ukraine to protect public safety
The Snap Map shows where people have been uploading their Snaps.
Strava simplified how to opt out of its heat map data collection
In January, Strava came under fire for its activity heat map, which showed the locations of military bases in places like Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia. You could even see details like user routes named "Base Perimeter" and "Sniper Alley" near US bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. While Strava did offer the option for its users to opt out of its heat map data collection, many pointed out that doing so required some navigation through the app and was a process that wasn't very straightforward. But Strava recently updated its app and has quietly changed the opt-out process.
Strava’s fitness heatmaps are a 'potential catastrophe'
The 2018 cybersecurity race to the bottom is off to an exciting start. First out of the gate is Strava — now widely known as the "social network for athletes" -- and its reckless data-visualization "heat map" gimmick that revealed details of secret military bases around the world. It was the kind of incident deserving of a plot line in a ridiculous Hollywood drama. And yet, here we are, with Twitter and the whole world discussing and dissecting fitness routes of soldiers and agents in sensitive locations, such as American bases in Afghanistan and Syria, a possible secret CIA base in Somalia, military facilities in war zones and much more.
Solar eclipse gives NASA a rare opportunity to study Mercury
While you're stuck on Earth during today's solar eclipse, NASA jets will be performing a tricky science experiment on the Sun and its closest companion, Mercury. A pair of them will take off this morning from Houston's Johnson Space Center and follow the path of of the eclipse, allowing them to see "totality" for three and half minutes, nearly a minute longer than Earth observers. Equipped with a pair of infrared telescopes each, they'll examine the sun's corona and Mercury's chemical signatures to find out what lies below its surface.
ICYMI: Tricksy smartphones, fake kidney implants and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170{width:100%;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170").style.display="none";}catch(e){} #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-25170").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: Brand new Mobile World Congress smartphones can both take heat map selfies and charge your phone with a power pack using salt and water (aka break-up tears). Vanderbilt University researchers developed an artificial kidney that uses the patient's own kidney cells to filter blood and avoid rejection. And it turns out cancer cells get healthy cells to to join their tumor party by engaging in some old-fashioned arm-twisting. Researchers recorded cancer cells extending fibers to reel other cells in and it is not a pretty sight.
The Big Picture: a heat map of the 'entire' internet
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, though, let's say it's worth millions and millions of internet connections. Thanks to John Matherly, founder of Shodan, a search engine which focuses on helping companies locate internet-connected devices, we are getting a pretty detailed look at how the web looks on a map. While Matherly's tweet says the picture shows where "all devices on the internet" were located after he pinged them, that might be a bit of a stretch. Still, the image manages to give us a really good idea of the internet traffic across different parts of the world. And we reckon it's beautiful.
Amazon's political reading map shows which way your neighbors are leaning
Religion, bathroom routines and politics are three things you should never, ever discuss at the dinner table. However, if you're curious about your neighbors' political reading habits, then you should check out Amazon's Election Heat Map. The bookseller rated the top 250 books with a "clear political bias," with each state's graphic turning red or blue depending on which tomes are selling the most. The company is clear to say that the results are more for the curious than a reflection on the result of the election, so if you fancy checking it out, head down to the source link.
Agile Route's Shopper Tracker brings Kinect hacks, Google Analytics to the grocery aisle (video)
The Shopper Tracker is one of those devices that does exactly what its name suggests -- and so much more. Developed by Argentina's Agile Route, this Kinect hack uses an array of heat sensors and 3D spatial recognition software to track a consumer's movements and behavior within any brick and mortar retail outlet. These data can then be used by a store owner to find out which shelves and items are appealing to customers, effectively adding a Google Analytics-like dimension to their product displays. The system is also capable of tracking multiple people at once, and can even provide feedback on which products consumers actually pull from the shelves. According to the company, this type of analysis can result in obvious strategic benefits for merchants, while reminding the rest of us that we're totally predictable. Check it out in action, after the break.
Heatmap shows Fifth Avenue Apple Store is hot place for photos
The image above is a heatmap of photo locations on popular pic sharing site Flickr, put together by developer Eric Fischer. Each dot on the map indicates where a photo was taken in New York's Manhattan borough, with each circled area representing a hot spot of location photography. As ifoAppleStore points out, the locations marked 2, 3 and 4 on the map are pretty obvious photo spots, as they represent tourist standbys Rockefeller Center, Columbus Circle and Times Square, respectively. But the number one circle is interesting -- it's the location of Apple's Fifth Avenue Store in New York City, which is apparently competing for tourist eyeballs and photo snaps. We knew it was a popular location, but this heatmap shows just how popular. ifoAppleStore also has a heatmap of Chicago photos, and while they lament that the new Lincoln Park Apple Store isn't very well photographed, the much more iconic Michigan Avenue store does have its own red blots (though, of course, the proximity to the famous Chicago Water Tower probably mixes that one up a bit). It's clear, nevertheless, that these famous Apple retail buildings are gaining a big following among photographers and travelers.
