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Your cell phone is being tracked...:tinfoilhat:


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Starting on Black Friday and running through New Year's Day, two U.S. malls -- Promenade Temecula in southern California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Va. -- will track guests' movements by monitoring the signals from their cell phones.
The goal is for stores to answer questions like: How many Nordstrom shoppers also stop at Starbucks? How long do most customers linger in Victoria's Secret? Are there unpopular spots in the mall that aren't being visited?

http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/214360/40/Malls-track-shoppers-cell-phones-on-Black-Friday?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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First, they cant just track everyone's cell's without some very very expensive equipment. Not to mention that actually tracking someones location could be constituted as stalking, amongst other things etc.

Im guessing this is a program that people will opt into by installing some app on their phone or connecting to some wireless AP when they get into the mall.

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If I'm not expecting messages or calls I put my phone on airplane mode. I flip it to normal mode for a few minutes of every hour. This method reduces my exposure to cellphone radiation, increases battery life, and reduces my tracking data.

What exactly does airplane mode do? I've seen that on mine as option

when turning it off but don't really know what it does.

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First, they cant just track everyone's cell's without some very very expensive equipment. Not to mention that actually tracking someones location could be constituted as stalking, amongst other things etc.

Im guessing this is a program that people will opt into by installing some app on their phone or connecting to some wireless AP when they get into the mall.

Wrong. Read the story at the link.

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What exactly does airplane mode do? I've seen that on mine as option

when turning it off but don't really know what it does.

Shuts off incoming/outgoing transmissions. No text, calls or data but you can still use the phones for stuff like games ir reading a book.

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Shuts off incoming/outgoing transmissions. No text, calls or data but you can still use the phones for stuff like games ir reading a book.

Ahhh. Wondered about it but never tried it. Thanks.

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What exactly does airplane mode do? I've seen that on mine as option

when turning it off but don't really know what it does.

Airplane mode prevents a phone from messing with aircraft navigation and communication signals. Basically not suddenly telling the aircraft "RIGHT TURN NOW!".

For me it's a quick sleep mode when in meetings or when leaving the phone behind in the truck or car.

(Or under the seat of the motorcycle. I don't want the motorcycle beeping and ringing.)

Edited by ReconRat
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Airplane mode prevents a phone from messing with aircraft navigation and communication signals. Basically not suddenly telling the aircraft "RIGHT TURN NOW!".

While in theory this is possible, it's not probable by any stretch.

Modern jets have shielded grounds that would prevent interference -- this is a gov't "better safe than sorry" approach. Modern electronics are also better at managing their EMF because of regulations.

But, because engineers rarely use the words "always" or "never" since you can't account for every single failure mode a system may have (Loose connection, section left unshielded, electronic device not built to spec, etc) -- no one would stake their life on saying a laptop of cellphone would NEVER interfere with aircraft communications. It's also pretty costly and time consuming to re-validate all instrumentation and communications equipment to RFI/EMI (at least from my experience in the automotive sector, the cost-benefit might be better in the aero industry?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_on_aircraft

You'll have to dig through to read the cited material.

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While in theory this is possible, it's not probable by any stretch.

Modern jets have shielded grounds that would prevent interference -- this is a gov't "better safe than sorry" approach. Modern electronics are also better at managing their EMF because of regulations.

But, because engineers rarely use the words "always" or "never" since you can't account for every single failure mode a system may have (Loose connection, section left unshielded, electronic device not built to spec, etc) -- no one would stake their life on saying a laptop of cellphone would NEVER interfere with aircraft communications. It's also pretty costly and time consuming to re-validate all instrumentation and communications equipment to RFI/EMI (at least from my experience in the automotive sector, the cost-benefit might be better in the aero industry?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_on_aircraft

You'll have to dig through to read the cited material.

This. Planes undergo rigorous EMI testing during The ATP and DT&E prior.

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While in theory this is possible, it's not probable by any stretch.

But wait. You're quoting the guy that designed that stuff.

And true, we're not going to allow some phone to mess around.

But if the touchy grounding/shielding fails or goofs, it's better safe than sorry.

And the actual reason behind "no phone or electronics while in flight",

is that they actually do occasionally goof navigation and communication.

Modern designs, not so much. Older aircraft and equipment, take your chances.

edit: oh, and that turn right now was a joke. You should watch more worthless tv commercials.

Edited by ReconRat
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Here ya go, lead bag for film when traveling. Take it to the mall, and pop your phone in and out of the bag...

Hey, that guy just vanished! Hey, he's back somewhere else! How did he do that?

http://www.amazon.com/Tundra-Security-T24-Lead-Bag/dp/B00023JL2I

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