Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Why do smart phones need to know where you are?

Whether we're aware of it or not, nearly all of these pocketable gadgets from iPhones to Droids are fitted with a collection of sensors designed to tell the phone and a host of apps where we are and what we're doing.
The main sensor, GPS, uses satellite data to triangulate our positions on global maps and can help with driving directions in unfamiliar cities or neighborhoods. The accelerometer feeds the phone information about how we're tilting the device. Digital compasses orient us to the global magnetic poles.

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