#a-gps

#a-gps

On February 28, ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz started appearing on tracking screens in places they couldn't possibly be. They appeared to be sitting on airport runways, parked on Iranian land, and clustered at nuclear power plants. More than 1,100 commercial vessels had their navigation systems scrambled in a single day following US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, bringing a waterway that handles a fifth of the world's oil exports to a halt.

In North Oaks, Minnesota, property lines extend to the middle of the street, which means the entire city is considered private property.

Users can now choose to share their device location so ChatGPT can provide more relevant information, such as local recommendations, news, and weather. Sharing your device location is completely optional and off until you choose to enable it.

The new Immersive Navigation mode introduces a detailed 3D map that includes buildings, overpasses, crosswalks, traffic lanes, traffic lights, and stop signs. Google bills this new mode as being the most significant update in over a decade to the app's driving experience. According to the American IT giant, the changes should help drivers stay focused and informed on the road, with Maps giving fresh, real-world information and natural directions.

Komoot has launched a ChatGPT integration that enables cyclists (and hikers, etc.) to discover routes through natural language queries. You can request specific routes by typing normal, conversational prompts and get curated recommendations from komoot's database of over 7 million routes and 4 million community highlights.

Covert recording is a lot about power. So, I was worried from the very beginning when Meta announced they were going to revive the Google Glass idea. That might be influenced by my study subject very well, but it might as well be influenced by every report and story I read on digital abuse and hate speech in the last twenty to thirty years.

Google is rolling out an Android update that includes the ability to share the location of your missing luggage with an airline. It's similar to the luggage-tracking feature Apple brought to the iPhone, allowing you to view the location of your Find Hub tag or accessory on a map, and provide your airline with a link to the information they need to track it down.

After writing about Google Maps for nearly 15 years, I've learned firsthand that it's packed with hidden settings, menus, and toggles. Many help you fine-tune the app to your liking, while others unlock new features you probably didn't know existed.

If you track your children's location using tech, you're not alone. A 2024 survey by Pew Research Center found that one in four parents monitor their kids' whereabouts using GPS. But is that private data safe? Consumer Reports evaluated 15 popular kid-tracking devices, and here's what they found. Overall, Apple's AirTags and Apple Watches, eufy's SmartTrack Link, and Garmin's Bounce performed well when it came to privacy and data security.

AI, like Google Maps, provides the "prediction" of the best route, but the "judgement" of the destination remains with the driver (Author x Gemini) Yet when it comes to using AI for decisions, I see people paralysed by exactly these fears. This ranges from choosing what to study to planning a career move to even planning an article. "Is this cheating?" "Will I lose my critical thinking skills?" or "Am I even thinking for myself anymore?"

Slopes is an app that tracks skiers' and snowboarders' numbers and stats while on the mountain right from your smartphone. I used Slopes for the first time this season and saw how the app can be a real asset on the mountain. It provides reliable data and statistics and motivates users to ski more consistently and with purpose, which is how most skiers and snowboarders improve.

The other day we were scrolling through r/meshtastic and someone asks: "Why does my device show 10+ satellites in view while my buddy's barely sees 8?" Good question. Really good question, actually. And it's about to take us down a rabbit hole that involves atomic clocks, Cold War competition, European independence, and why your Meshtastic node cares about all of this.

Apple's satellite features were originally designed for emergencies, allowing iPhone users to contact emergency services when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is unavailable. With recent versions of iOS, Apple has expanded those capabilities to include sending and receiving messages via satellite. This makes it possible to stay in touch with friends and family from remote locations where traditional networks do not reach, such as hiking trails, rural areas or offshore locations.

We will be trekking the eastern part of the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal in March/April. Details on the route and our plans can be found at https://greathimalayatrail.de. Our intent is to keep friends and family updated on our progress. Given that we'll be hiking in quite remote areas, a satellite phone/pager will be our sole means of communication. After the Garmin inReach Mini 3 was released recently, the Inreach Mini 2 was on heavy sale.

Externally, the FoundIT looks like any other 12V in-car charger. It features two USB ports: a 20W max USB-C port and a 12W max USB-A port, both of which can be used together so you can charge two devices at once. Yes, there are out there better suited for charging bigger devices such as laptops -- but I'll bet most of us are more concerned about smartphones, tablets, or smartwatches. For these gadgets, it's more than enough power.