So Gowalla *has* been acquired by Facebook? That's pretty big – perhaps Zuckerberg can see something we can't.

"The wireless access point information we use in our location database, the Google Location Server, doesn’t identify people. But as first mentioned in September, we can do more to address privacy concerns.

"We’re introducing a method that lets you opt out of having your wireless access point included in the Google Location Server. To opt out, visit your access point’s settings and change the wireless network name (or SSID) so that it ends with “_nomap.” For example, if your SSID is “Network,” you‘d need to change it to 'Network_nomap.'”

Now it's *your* fault if Google maps your Wi-Fi. Or something.

Sends data even before you agree, from the camera system.

Nice animation.

"Apple smartphones and those running on Google’s Android system look set to come under tighter regulation in Europe, after an EU data protection advisory panel ruled on Wednesday that location information collected by the devices should be classed as personal data.<br />
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"This is likely to mean strict limits on how location data can be collected and stored by smartphone companies, telecoms operators and any businesses hoping to run location-related services on phones."

"The idea is simple. Deliver a location based service to information savvy iPhone users that wish to receive temporary retail and service-based applications. Imagine standing at the entrance of a restaurant and viewing their menu on your iPhone or entering a public library and being able to access their database. The minute you leave the library or the front of that restaurant, the app disappears so that you don't clog up your iPhone with hundreds of local business apps. I don't know if Apple will tackle this at their upcoming developer conference, but this is a phenomenal opportunity for hungry developers and/or Business Form companies looking for a new avenue for revenue. There are millions of non-geek business owners who are going to want in on this service so as to attract new tech savvy iPhone using clients. Snooze on this opportunity and you'll Lose."<br />
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Intriguing.

Read this and you will, finally, understand this whole saga.

"Apple asks for diagnostic and usage information about your iPhone, which is fair enough to do. However, I don’t believe tracking tower and hotspot locations counts. That information is external to the device, not part of it. If Apple wanted to collect data on my iPhone’s location, I would consider that a fair part of that agreement. But instead they’re using my iPhone to collect tower and hotspot locations, and that’s not right. I only signed up to give info about my device, not those belonging to other people.<br />
"The lack of transparency on that point is a serious problem, far more legitimate than the paranoia circulating. To be clear, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with reporting tower and hotspot locations back to Apple. I just think this falls outside the range of “diagnostic and usage information about your iPhone”. It’s about property that belongs to others. Therefore, it requires separate, specific permission, as well as a detailed explanation of the risk involved.

Rupert Goodwins: "Steve Jobs normally talks to the press about as often as the Earth gets visited by Halley's Comet. And, like the comet, it's usually a portent of doom. <br />
"There have been three sightings in living memory: the iPhone 4's Antennagate, the as-yet-unexplained rant against Android and tablets in last October's earnings call, and yesterday's response to the discovery of iOS 4's unexpectedly good memory for location. Let's call it Trackergate.<br />
"Leaving aside the Android rant — perhaps Eric Schmidt ran over the family cat — the two other responses show strong similarities, and make a fascinating insight into how a company reacts when it's backed into a corner and can't ignore the flack."<br />
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Suffice it to say, Goodwins ain't buying it.

Basically, he goes around the press release. But since he pretty much dictated it, no surprise. Interesting that Apple takes this so seriously now, though. All we got was lots of 'no comment' last week.

A map drawn from an Android phone's location cache data.

Yes, it is, but Rawlins points to some odd data points which don't map to locations he's been to. Likely these are cell towers that your phone connects to somehow; or efforts at triangulation from distant towers to nearer ones.