Posts tagged ‘tracking’
An overview of GSM-based vehicle tracking system and how it works
GPS tracking unit is a device usually built into devices and vehicles. By the uses of Global Positioning System we can determine the exact location of the certain device. With the use of internet- connected computer, cellular, radio or satellite modem, usually embedded in the unit we can transfer the data and show it on the map view.
Using GPS tracking software we can monitor the path, speed and other information got from this unit. GPS tracker contains GPS module to receive and calculate the coordinates of the GPS signal. For logging data it contains large memory and data pushers to transmit information to the central computer through SMS or GPRS IP packets.
There are number of acts and regulation in the USA, UK and other countries that regulate and monitor the use of GPS so it doesn’t be misused by it’s users and hackers, which can grant them access to people personal data and information.
Great feature in the modern automobile technology is the use of GPS for navigation thought different countries and region. The GPS navigation device accurately calculates the exact geographical location by receiving and sending data from the GPS satellites.
First this technology was used by the USA military but now it is used worldwide in automobiles and smart phones.
The GPS navigation feature in vehicles have some useful features. It offers view of the map, including street maps, displayed in readable text or graphical format. Turn by turn navigation direction for the person who is in control of vehicle via text or speech.
Traffic congestion map is offered to it’s users that depicts historical or real time data of congestion and offers alternative paths and directions.
Information about nearby restaurants, fueling stations, and tourist attraction is offered on the display of GPS navigation device.
GPS devices indicate lots of interesting and useful data and information to the driver. Like the available roads and paths, alternative routes, traffic congestion, roads and paths to be taken in order to get safely to the chosen destination, location of food, banks, hotel, fuel, airports and other places of interest.
It can navigate you to the shortest route between two destinations for saving time and fuel.
There different kind of GPS navigation devices and receivers that could be installed in your car. May that be dedicated GPS navigation devices, GPS modules that need to be connected to a computer, GPS loggers that record trip information for download and other.
Most number of latest smart phones and automobiles have this new feature built in from the factory so if you are buying new car you don’t have to worry about GPS tracking and navigation units they already had it built in, in the factory.
Is phone number tracking real or dream?
IS PHONE NUMBER TRACKING REAL OR DREAM
Well phone number tracking is indeed real and it is not a dream. When mobile phone devices were introduced it was a bit difficult for one to track the phone numbers, but with the revolution of this gadget everything has changed and it is very easy to do so. People have indeed embraced this new purpose as they are very sentimental with their phones. Phone number tracking is real and not a dream anymore with the new software that are being developed and with new phone models being introduced into the market there is a need for one to feel secure with a phone.
Tracking phone numbers is very easy from where one is in the world as long as one has a mobile phone. This allows one to look up someone with their phone numbers instead of their names, very simple to get address, location and even the mobile phone carrier. Phone number tracking is no longer a dream it is real and people are doing it from the comfort of their homes. It is very easy to reverse look up a phone number that is unknown from your phone all you have to do is press ‘search ‘from your phone as long as you have downloaded the application and you will know who called you and from what location.
The tracking devices have really helped in so many ways as you are able to know who is ‘bugging’ you when that ‘unknown call’ comes through. To prove that it is indeed not a dream police have been using this phone tracking of numbers when on duty whenever the need arises that they have to search for individuals and the only information that they have is a phone number. In some countries it’s illegal to track phone numbers and indeed the only ones allowed to do this are the federal agencies, government agencies and authority police.
Unfortunately one cannot just solely search for a number one needs to download the devices for tracking which is to be used discreetly as people would not appreciate being ‘tracked’ wherever they are.
How legal is phone tracking?
Phone tracking is used to find the location of a person or track his/her movements. It is used by the Police in rare cases to track down suspects and the government can use it anytime. Government organizations, such as the CIA, can perform tracking discreetly. Tracking can never be illegal for the government, as you can never find out if they are tracking you.
For common citizens, phone tracking is illegal if it is being performed secretly. Before we take a look at what is legal and what is not, let us discuss how a person can track a phone.
How phone tracking is performed
The government will never disclose their methods of tracking phones, but we can guess what they do. They might use sophisticated equipment to trap phone network signals. This equipment can be used to trace calls. Police use this method, and you may have seen this method being used in Hollywood films.
Of course, most people will not have access to such equipment, but softwares that can replicate this are available. Most of the tracking done these days is through phone number tracking softwares. Don’t expect to just start tracking after installing these softwares. Even they have limits and require input from the user.
How do tracking softwares work?
This mainly depends on the brand and developers. A particular software may ask for user input, while another may ask for synchronization with a PC. The way they track might be different as well, but that depends on the algorithm of the software. In the end, you should just get the location of the person you are trying to track.
So what is legal and what is not? If your phone is stolen, you can use your IMEI number to trace it. Just give it to your manufacturer and it will find it for you. This is 100% legal. You can even place a tracker on your child’s phone or use it on your relatives to keep a check on them. It only becomes illegal when they don’t know that they are being tracked.
So you will commit a serious crime if you place a tracker on someone’s phone secretly. The person who is being tracked must be fully aware of it.
Does NSA Track Everyone’s Location?
While Edward Snowden is trying to get used to Russian climate, we are trying to adjust to the new world with no secrets. The conspiracy theorists could not possibly be more satisfied, and the rest of us could not be more worried about the influence that various government and secret agencies had and still have on our privacy.
According to one of the recent Appeal Court’s decisions the police does not need to have a proper warrant or even a probable cause for tracking your phone or iPhone. If this is to be applied to the police, then we should not even ask what are the powers and authorizations of secret government agencies such as NSA in this matter. We can only guess and whatever we think or fear about having a very high possibility of being true. To make things even worse some of the urban legends about this secret agency has gained a completely new meaning and relevancy under the new circumstances of public disclosure of once perfectly guarded top secrets.
For some time it has been speculated that NSA is conducting a series of experiments with revolutionary devices and softwares for phone location tracking. On the other side, some people claim that we are completely unaware about the power and capacities of NSA for phone tracking. The NSA ability to track and locate phone numbers on almost every point in the world is beyond our power of comprehension according to these claims. Therefore, without any exaggeration we can say that NSA can track everyone and everywhere when and how it wants.
As we can see phone tracking has become so much more than just a pure technical issue. In fact, it goes deeply into the ethical and moral sphere. Perhaps, we should leave NSA to do its job. We should examine our own actions and resist temptation of using these phone tracking softwares and solutions for our private reasons. Only in this way, we will have the right to question others such as NSA itself.