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I don't like the whole 'Google tracks us' thing either, but it seems so hypocritical when the background seems to be the Oracle-Google dispute, as we all know that Oracle isn't really known for being the good company either. But at least the whole privacy topic gets some media coverage that way.
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I'm pretty sure they are confusing things. When you turn on airplane mode and turn off GPS, Google will log all the wifi access points you come across (which only requires listening on the radio, not sending), and when you turn Airplane mode back off, it will upload that data to Google who can then go back and retroactively track your location based on their access point location database.
You're presenting a hypothetical as fact. The article doesn't mention anything about logging wifi access points, that's just you throwing another theory into the mix. When Google location services is switched off, and your account is set to not track you or record history, there is absolutely not a "gig" of "secret spying" going on in the background. Nobody forces you to leave wi-fi and mobile data on by default and…
Sorry, no. Turning on WiFi is not the same as consenting to be tracked everywhere. Your whole comment is all mixed up. First, you cannot disable Google Location Services. Period. You can turn off location, but you cannot, e.g. use GPS directly without going through Google Play Services. Second, you say the parent's comment was hypothetical, and yet, then you assume it is true and then suggest that using WiFi is consent to some hypothetical practice.
> Like I said, grain of salt for News Limited articles. They hate Google, as do Oracle.
And then you attack the source! Geesh.
Here's a the same story via the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/14/australia... A quote contained within both stories: > The software company Oracle revealed Google could be harvesting a gigabyte of data from Android devices each month Given that my data plan is 1.5 GB/month, I would notice if a gigabyte magically disappeared every month (it doesn't). Hopefully the ACCC has enough skepticism…
I read "they" in the phrase "... but they are also reportedly paying their telco providers to send the data." to mean Google were paying, so it wouldn't appear in the metered usage for which the end user is billed. This makes sense, as it seems the data apparently can be transferred when "... they do not have a Sim card or apps installed." What would bother me, though, is if they were purposefully not exposing that d…
That's way beyond unrealistic.
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That's the component that Apple replaced the headphone jack with, apparently.
iPhones have had barometers since the 6: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone#Barometer
Google is fundamentally dishonest. Example: my phone has both a Wifi and GPS chip. I open Maps and it tells me it can't give me navigation unless I turn on Location Services or whatever, which allows them to use the Wifi to scan for APs or whatever else they do. It's 100% a lie, because any other GPS based navigation system (such as TomTom, Magellan GPS devices) can in fact do this; and they have far less CPU power t…
Here's a the same story via the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/14/australia... A quote contained within both stories: > The software company Oracle revealed Google could be harvesting a gigabyte of data from Android devices each month Given that my data plan is 1.5 GB/month, I would notice if a gigabyte magically disappeared every month (it doesn't). Hopefully the ACCC has enough skepticism…
I used to be paranoid about companies using my microphone and camera to spy on me until I realized the data costs associated with the spying would be so great, that I'd notice. That single argument has ended my paranoia on the matter. I hope others can be at ease. That said, I still put tape on my laptop and refuse all tracking and ad requests.
I've just checked my monthly Discord traffic and it's mere 251MiB in/73MiB out. For roughly an 1-2 hours of gaming every other evening, and some longer weekend sessions.
Power usage, on the other hand, is a different story. When I've experimented with an app that'd continuously record everything around me, battery ran out in just a few hours.
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I think your realistic options are to move the EU or to stop using Google. Maybe one day they'll offer a subscription based fee for it's services, but for now you pay with your data.
In EU they're still tracking you, for now. Every time I get near a McDonalds it asks me to take a photo of it.
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Quite often while talking about a restaurant, opening google maps will have it highlighted. I think this shows that not only does google not require a magic word to start recording, it actively processes the input it gets. I'm highly considering switching to lineage os.
Try making a controlled experiment. Humans are notoriously good at seeing patterns that aren't there.
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Yes, and they're needed because GPS is much less accurate in the vertical direction. Even the fitbit in my pocket has a barometric sensor, to be able to count stairs.
GPS _is_ less accurate vertically in certain circumstances (namely when you only have a lock on 3 satellites, as there are two possible altitudes you could be at), but usually this doesn't matter unless you're flying - otherwise just figure you're on the Earth's surface, and cross-reference map data for the altitude. Inside multi-storey buildings it's a different story, but you won't be getting a GPS signal indoors a…
GPS _is_ less accurate vertically in certain circumstances
When you move x distance horizontally, unless you have a very poor view of the sky some satellites will get closer and others further away. When you move the same distance vertically, all satellites will get closer but by differing amounts [2]. As vertical moves produce a smaller change in the measured data, noise in the measured data has greater impact on the vertical measurement.
just figure you're on the Earth's surface, and cross-reference
map data for the altitude
But the GPS reception module itself doesn't contain a detailed elevation map of the earth; there isn't enough memory to store a detailed map, or any way to push out map updates.
usually this doesn't matter unless you're flying
Things like drone altitude control also like having height data, obviously.
[1] http://www2.unb.ca/gge/Resources/gpsworld.may99.pdf [2] Because you can only see satellites above you, never below. Unless you're high enough that the planet stops getting in the way. [3] https://www.strava.com/challenges
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In EU they're still tracking you, for now. Every time I get near a McDonalds it asks me to take a photo of it.
That's because you've got location services turned on. There is an opt-out, but it does break Google Assistant.
From personal experience, it breaks a ton of stuff, including my patience with the endless "turn on location services" prompts.