Hi everyone!
You know everyone's worrying about privacy these days and I was just thinking about the "my location" service on our mobiles.
Does anyone know for sure how it works? As far as I know it seems to take the Cell ID and get the name and weather through an Internet connection. Is that right?
Which database is it connecting to? I know for sure that the place I live at isn't on accuweather, where the weather on Sense is usually taken from and the weather displayed under "my location" is different from the weather for the nearest place that's on accuweather.
Moreover is it possible to find out which data exactly is sent to that database (which seems to be something "Google" because you have to accept some terms initially)?
The phone masts send out a cellID which is passed to google and it triangulates you based on your nearest towers.
Rmour has it google has a huge database of tower names and locations, so once it has a location it can pull up a post code and pass that to accuweather to get back the weather for that area.
It seems that google dont have a complete list of cell id's, and some towers dont transmit their cellid, hence some areas giving my location problems.
google also uses the info for traffic updates and traffic congestion calculations
Is there a way to disable the my location?, i sort of found it in the tweaks thread but i dont understand how to do it.
gamecore said:
Is there a way to disable the my location?, i sort of found it in the tweaks thread but i dont understand how to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just go to settings/location and you can disable it there.
you can do it in regstry.... current user/software/htc/manila.... enablecurrentlocation set to 0 (zero)
The database is by Google. It is supposed to be anonymous, as long as you don't turn Latitude on in Google maps. You can even store history of your location, but that is turned of by default, and can be controlled via web interface of your Google account.
Also note that your service provider can detect your location independently. In some countries this location can, or even must, be archived for some time.
Furthermore if you have Wifi enabled My Location will sniff for wireless packets and depending on the APs MAC addresses will be able to detemine a more accurate location as the Street View vans sniffed packets and uploaded MAC adresses along with GPS co-ordinates to aid their service.
since we're onto wifi sniffing etc for location finding, heres an off topic but interesting proof of concept page that can pin your home pc down to a pretty narrow area just from your home ip address, and which works using googles location service.
Its not nearly as acurate as the real location service, but still got my house to within 500 yards, using my virginmedia ip address.
http://samy.pl/mapxss/
Note test page is for firefox, but the exploit if done for real would work on all browsers.
Related
Hello
The other day i surfed to google from my XDA exec.
mobile internet rocks!!
i was wondering how does google know that i surfed in from a pda, cause i think it sent me to
www.google.co.uk/pda
the web page probably detected your screen size and redirected you to a page that was more friendly to you PDA browser. i wish more sites would do this.
www.google.com/pda for us US residents.
LOL
Not the screen size but the type of your internet browser, in this case Pocket IE.
Correct--it's not the screen size.
Although a LOT of your information is sent over the wire, much more than most of us realize, your resolution information is unknown to most websites, unless you explicitly allow it to be given via some kind of an executable that transmits such information. An example would be an embedded ActiveX object in IE for Windows.
Back on topic, yes, your browser information is known, not only to Google, but to every other website you visit. Not only that, the website also knows where you came from (i.e. the http addy) and where you went when you left it. There's a whole bunch of information deemed to be private that we would rather keep to ourselves (such as our surfing habits) that's known to any website that installs a cookie (a common thing nowadays) on your computer.
This is also how Google knows where you are. For example, when I log on, Google send me to the local Saudi page at http://www.google.com.sa/ It knows this information by doing a reverse lookup on your IP address, and comparing it against known databases of geographically assigned IPs. Since IP addresses are assigned and tied to geographical locations, it's easy enough to do, although it's still very disconcerting to see.
Be careful folks, even your searching habits are being tracked by Google. I have nothing to hide, so I don't care, but many folks do. Witness the recent Federal inquiry into the searching habits of the users of major search engines. Yahoo and MSN gave up that information quickly enough but Google is resisting. I don't think it will be able to hold out for very long though.
Imagine...now the fact that you searched for p0rn on the 'net is well known to anyone in the know. Scary, isn't it?
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thanks monakh
so google can detect both my mobile ip address (is there such a thing?) and my browser, correct?
monakh said:
the website also knows where you came from (i.e. the http addy)
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Click to collapse
Correct, through the referrer...
monakh said:
and where you went when you left it.
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Click to collapse
Only if you click a link on the site itself, -and- it is handled via a special handler.
No information is sent to a website when you leave it through e.g. a bookmark in your browser, or by typing in a new URL.
Please correct me if I'm wrong
You are correct.
hey i mailed myself (google account) using my adsl modem and using the gprs/3g connection to check the header to see if i could spot an originating ip address
i found one common ip address
Received: by 10.xy.za.b with HTTP; Sat, 18 Feb 2006 05:34:45 -0800 (PST)
i guess this is the google server, correct?
is there any way to prise the originating ip address from an email
That's why there is a registry hack to set Pocket Internet Explorer works like Internet Explorer 6.0.
Tuningszocske said:
That's why there is a registry hack to set Pocket Internet Explorer works like Internet Explorer 6.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not entirely... I mean, you could - of course. But it also means that many sites will fail to send you PDA-specific content - which, with most plans/top-ups, means heavy costs.
Identifying PIE as IE6 is more used for stupid websites who check whether the browser is IE6 or above, regardless of whether that is actually required by the site.
There's three parts, the compatibility bit ('(Default) = Mozilla/4.0'), the browser string ('Version = MSIE 6.0') and the platform ('Platform = Windows NT 5.0'). If you leave the last bit intact ('Platform = Windows CE'), then you should still be able to get into stupid sites, while having PDA-friendly sites send you the PDA content.
oh i had not thought about the popups
i guess we wont get(suffer) popups with mobile ie5?
i just posted to this bulletin board to check my ip address
from the pc it looks like this 82.1a.bcd.efg
and fro my cda it looks like 193.abc.def.ghi
That's fine because presumably your mobile device and your home PC are on different networks so they sport different IPs.
IPs are a dead giveaway. In many cases, your position can be 'somewhat' and primitively triangulated to within 5 square miles of where you are. This may not be necessarily true for mobile networks, but those networks know where you are at all times anyway. In fact, there is now regulation in the US that mandates all handset makers to manufacture hardware with GPS functionality built-in. Between the two and a half dozen GPS satellites and your cellular network, you can run but you can't hide
This is, of course, so emergency services can reach you in time of need (in case you are unable to make the call to 911/999).
Of course...
monakh said:
This is, of course, so emergency services can reach you in time of need (in case you are unable to make the call to 911/999).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
off-topic...
Technically it's so they can find you if you do call 911/999/112/whathaveyou but are unable (due to injuries, or duress, etc.) to state your location.
Being able to find you at any time is an added perk but it needs court orders even if you have been reported and officially designated a "missing person". Getting such a court order can take many hours, being declared a missing person can take 24 hours up to 48 hours (depends on the country and exactly what reasons you have to believe the person in question is truely missing).
ZeBoxx said:
monakh said:
This is, of course, so emergency services can reach you in time of need (in case you are unable to make the call to 911/999).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
off-topic...
Technically it's so they can find you if you do call 911/999/112/whathaveyou but are unable (due to injuries, or duress, etc.) to state your location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh yes, I stand corrected.
It's so we CAN make the call and are unable to state the location. That WOULD make sense. However, like you said, there are legal hurdles, although at least in the U.S., they are fewer and far between.
is there any ip address list out there which tells me which ip addresses are allocated to which country?
are ip addresses bunched like telephone numbers
e.g. +1 is north america
+3 and +4 is europe
+96 & +97 middle east
nope, that's not how they work
organisations can get an IP from their service provider, who get blocks from their service providers, who get bigger blocks from places like RIPE, who in turn get huge blocks from ARIN.
But if it's a specific IP you're interested in, try VisualRoute
hello,
since google maps "my location" does not work on some machines (blueangel for example):
is there an alternative ? another software ?
what about yahoo 2 go, windows live - do they have a gsm/cell-tower-location-feature ?
thank you...
I like the yahoo2go program, especially how it incorporates all of my yahoo mail and such. But I didn't use the maps much on it for some reason.
The street map program I am using is Navizon. I use it with a gps, but it can be used with cell tower triangulation and WiFi triangulation also. It updates my location a lot more frequently and accurately than googlemaps does.
You can get it here.
http://my.navizon.com/Webapps/UserAdmin/register.aspx?referral_code=5B5A595B575A
Good luck
hello,
yahoo2Go does not seem to have something like "myLocation".
i tried navizon also: it couldn't find my location - maybe the have good data for USA, but i doubt for europe.
keep looking for alternatives....
hello,
what mean this 2 icons on my ozone ?
cheers
4sale:
Moto Q9H (US)
Samsung BJ II (SGH-I617 US)
Samsung Valencia C6626
It mean Location Setting is enabled, below is the description from the manual:
Location Based Services (LBS)
Your wireless device can determine its (and your) physical, geographical location (“Location Information”). Certain software applications are capable of accessing, collecting and using Location Information and disclosing the information to the application provider and other people. You should use caution and discretion when determining whether or not Location Information should be made available to them. To limit potential unauthorized access to your Location Information, Verizon Wireless devices are preset to “E911 ONLY” which will only allow authorized emergency response personnel to locate you if you dial 9-1-1 from your wireless device.
By changing the setting on the device to “LOCATION ON” you are enabling third party access to Location Information through software, widgets or peripheral components you choose to download, add or attach to your wireless device. Verizon Wireless encourages you to check your wireless device periodically and only use software, widgets and peripheral components that are obtained from reliable sources. When you use your mobile browser or other services and applications, you authorize Verizon Wireless to collect, use and disclose your Location Information as appropriate to provide you with any location services that you enabled.
Verizon Wireless does not retain Location Information longer than necessary to provide the services to you. We will not knowingly disclose your Location Information to third parties without your consent. You should carefully review the privacy policies of application providers and third parties who you allow access to your Location Information, and you should know that significant risks can be associated with disclosing your Location Information to others.
To change LBS settings
Click Start > Settings > Phone > Location Setting.
Use the NAVIGATION
Interesting...my T-Mo Dash 3G has no such setting that I can find!
Ghost of Jaco said:
Interesting...my T-Mo Dash 3G has no such setting that I can find!
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Click to collapse
I'm sure I saw this on mine but can't find it now. Maybe it was just on the origional HTC ROM
I'm just wondering if the clock is always correct.
Does it sync with an NNTP server or Google time over the internet?
Thanks.
I think you mean ntp? nntp is for news?
my N1 always seems to be accurate, could be getting it from the cell, ntp, or even gps is possible?
Yeah, I did mean NTP sorry.
Thanks, but I wonder if anyone knows for sure?
finisterre said:
Yeah, I did mean NTP sorry.
Thanks, but I wonder if anyone knows for sure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Settings -> Date & Time
If you have automatic it will get the time from your network (cell / mobile) provider NOT the internet.
SC
Thanks. I didn't have AUTOMATIC selected. So does that mean it WAS syncing it over the internet?
If you look under "Date & Time Settings" it gives you the setting to use "Network Provided Values", I'm going to assume like most cellphones and /or computers it syncs to a server provided by the network provider (carrier), or Google's server. Perhaps computer people like Microsoft, Apple, or whoever have a central server in which provides date, and time information to computers. I have no idea what I'm talking about though, but it just seems like a good observation ._.
Edit; looks like I was kinda right. Heh..
If you have selected "automatic", it will synchronize with your local mobile network provider (which in my case was lagging 5min behind...). It does not synchronize with any type of internet clock server.
Seems a little bit remiss.
If carrier's times can't be relied on, there ought to be an alternate mechanism you can use.
Even WinMo phones will sync thier time with the host PC when connected via USB.
Surely there should be an NTP mechanism.
Does anyone know if it is possible to use the GPS receiver without any network data usage?
I have disabled the "use data network" option in settings>location but whenever I start an application requiring GPS, the data network icon automatically appears and indicates that data is being sent/received.
I know that Google Maps does require network for downloading maps etc. but the data network is also being activated by CoPilot and GPS Test, hence my assumption that it is the GPS radio that activates it.
Any advice on how to effectively disable network usage by GPS is highly appreciated.
Use APNdroid to disable mobile data completely.
Sent from my HTC Legend using XDA App
On a similar note:
I would like a program that caches all the maps for the UK to my SD card, so I can use my phone as a SatNav without needing a data connection of any kind. So the phone worked out the route instead of Google servers as well. If you know what I mean.
Does anyone know of such an application?
I think there are a number of "offline" map applications available.
Personally, I have used MapDroyd which by the way is free, but unfortunately doesn't have a directions feature.
brut.all made some modifications on the stock Google Maps to enable offline maps and international navigation. His mod is somewhere in xda-developers (search for his name).
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
TheGrammarFreak said:
On a similar note:
I would like a program that caches all the maps for the UK to my SD card, so I can use my phone as a SatNav without needing a data connection of any kind. So the phone worked out the route instead of Google servers as well. If you know what I mean.
Does anyone know of such an application?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think all the mapdata from the UK might take up a lot of space on your SD-card
there are offline navigation packages like Navigon for Android or sygic
the have the mapdata compressed into special packages
what I'm looking for is a map manager that can handle my own maps like military maps scanned into JPG images
i once had a program for WM5 http://www.sunnysoft.com/software.php?idarticle=241 that did the trick but cannot find it in android
petertakov said:
Does anyone know if it is possible to use the GPS receiver without any network data usage?
I have disabled the "use data network" option in settings>location but whenever I start an application requiring GPS, the data network icon automatically appears and indicates that data is being sent/received.
I know that Google Maps does require network for downloading maps etc. but the data network is also being activated by CoPilot and GPS Test, hence my assumption that it is the GPS radio that activates it.
Any advice on how to effectively disable network usage by GPS is highly appreciated.
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Click to collapse
Google iGo my way, this app turns your legend into gps-navigator. Map of teh whole russia takes about 80 megabytes, so it's not the problem
Your guys don't get it, I too have the same problem, it's not a question of maps but enabling the GPS also enables your data connection for some reason, could be the "assisted" GPS kicking in.
Google Sky Map or just a simple application like GPS Status seems to enable the data connection, even when "Mobile internet" is turned off in the Settings and both applications doesn't require data, at least the first one doesn't.
In Sky Map, having cell tower positioning works fine but as soon as you enable GPS, it turns on the data connection!
My point exactly
No I got the question, and I don't know exactly how to switch off agps. I (and I guess others who have listed offline map application) was actually answering the question in post #3.
I think (haven't tried) once you have rooted you phone, you can change /system/etc/gps.conf and remove all three urls - it might stop the gps from working altogether though.
Sent from my Legend using XDA App