Talk about Scary! MIT's iFind
So you're on your computer and decided to go down to your hangout in a secluded area of the library when all of a sudden your buddy taps you on the shoulder. You look at him in disbelief as to how he knew of your whereabouts and it turns out your computer left him the perfect trail of jelly beans to follow.
Recently at MIT, the creation of the iFind has swept through campus. What the iFind actually does for MIT students is via a AIM-like instant messaging tool displays the current location of all your buddies if they are on campus.
Today we have the big two social networks, Facebook and mySpace...could iFind be the next big addition to staying connected and will it be at Bentley in the near future? Who is to know for sure but with about 5 iFind downloads every 5 minutes at MIT, it looks as if its popularity is going in the right direction.
http://news.com.com/2300-1008_3-6143833.html?tag=nefd.gallery
Labels: iFind...too creepy?
posted by BunamiBoy @ 6:27 PM
4 Comments:
It is scary, indeed! Seems like nowhere to hide these days. Does it have a feature where you have to "allow" your buddies to know where your whereabouts, like the "add contact" function on MSN? Or a function that allows you to "hide"? Otherwise it is more of intrusion of one's privacy. Facebook had an incident last year where your buddies automatically know when you download something or change your profile and it stirred big controvercies.
On the other hand, it may be really nice to have iFind as a communication tool among friends.
What do you think? Do you think it is something attractive to college students? Do you think it will spread to other campuses? Do you think there are other uses of this software outside of college campuses? Facebook starts from a college campus too. Do you think there could be a business model built around the application?
I like your blog, the topic as well as the writing style. Just boost it a bit with your own thoughts. That is actually what draws the audience since news are everywhere but unique thoughts are not.
Same with your next blog entry on Pontiac. Do you think Internet will give it a boost? I would like to know :)
I guess the new thing is tracking devices. I was searching CNN today and came across this article
(http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/02/13/gps.sneaker.ap/index.html) about sneakers that have tracking devices in them. Fortunately, these sneakers have an on/off button for the GPS in them, which gives the wearer more control over when someone is tracking them.
For the most part, I believe this technology can be useful especially when it comes to being lost or even kidnappings. Just hope it doesn't get to the point where we are always being followed.
There are also the new t-mobil phones that allow you to track your favorite phone users on an interactive map.
personally i don't mind most of the tracking technology as long as i am aware of it before i am being tracked. I think all item that have tracking devices should have an opt-in policy so that users know that they are being monitored before they use the product.
The one thing with tracking that still amazes me is that cell phone companies won't tell you where your phone is when you loose it. I am sure i am not the only person to go out for a night in the city and get back to my place only to discover i have lost my phone and most ly in the cab on the way back. Now these cell phone companies clearly know where the phone is since on your bill they tell you where you were when you made all of your calls. I understand that they believe that since you lost your phone if they don't tell you where it is then you will be forced to buy a new one from them. In an increasingly customer service world especially for cellphones where the service is the product this seems a little backwards. I personally did not buy a new phone from them i instead elected to find an old phone and simply activate it and if i didn't happen to have an old one i would have simply gone to e-bay or craigslist and bought a used one for $20. I feel like it is time for cell phone companies to wise up and start telling us where are phones went
Are you kidding me with the iFind?! That is way too creepy and a slight invasion of privacy in a way. I can’t believe people would want other people to know where they are at all times. I think it is a bit much, although I am a person who likes their privacy I do know others who like other people to know where they are and what they are doing all the time. However, it is a bit much. If it blows up like mySpace and Facebook I can only imagine what will come next. I can’t imagine being any more connected then I already am and the fact that it is only going to get bigger and more intense is a little scary. I rather stay a little distant than be connected all the time, iFind seems a bit over the top.
Post a Comment
<< Home