Smartphones and Location Sharing - Nubblies.net Forums

SinisterKid · 04-27-2011, 09:52 AM

I'm sure everyone is well aware of the recent acknowledgements by Apple and Google that iPhones and Android based phones collect and transmit users' location data back to their respective manufacturers. Despite my initial feeling of "yea of course I assumed this was going on and I don't really care" the practice does raise some interesting and unnerving questions regarding the privacy of users and the intent of manufacturers. And while the federal government has requested Apple/Google explain their intentions, it is not beyond the fed to find this practice useful for its own purposes. Does this bother anyone else?

The article below is from the WSJ, is pretty fascinating, and highlights the research being conducted based on the available data collected from mobile phones.

The Really Smart Phone - WSJ.com

f3lix · 04-27-2011, 11:01 AM

It bothers me that the feds act like it is immoral for a company to do it, but not when they do it.

Part of me thinks that having that information available could help prove innocence in a crime.

We all have the option of not using Apple and Google, so it's a "right" we give up when using their product, but I do wish it were put out in front of us.

For the record, I sold all my stock in apple right after hearing that news.

Ugly Bastard · 04-27-2011, 11:50 AM

You should sell all of your stock in Apple anyway. Too much of their revenue comes from selling high-end status-symbol electronics to people who do not need them. It's a recipe for a collapse IMO.

Re: OP thanks for link.

Saint DH · 04-27-2011, 12:05 PM

Haven't car companies, clothing companies, jewelry companies, etc, done the exact same thing for the last fifty years?

As for the article, I don't really care.

Ugly Bastard · 04-27-2011, 01:33 PM

Apple is nearly the largest company in the world. Their products are not universally that much better than competitors. Their value comes from their brand. Brands have a way of losing their luster over time. I wouldn't buy AAPL. I don't see how it can sustain this level.

Saint DH · 04-27-2011, 01:47 PM

The key point is that its products are not better than competitors. Its products are over priced based on brand, design, and a bandwagon effect.

I guess it's this fact that make Apple different from say, Mercedes Benz, Gucci, and the like.

Also, Steve Jobs is probably going to die soon. I wouldn't buy Apple either.

Orgazmo · 04-27-2011, 02:01 PM

I agree that Apple's products aren't better than their rivals, but their breakthroughs are always the trend setters.

I wouldn't invest in Apple based on what they have now, but I wouldn't not invest in them simply because they have a proven track record of hitting home runs with new products.

The iPod was the best portable music player when it hit the market. Since then, it's been at the top (though there are rivals that are just as good). It's clearly the most popular.

The iPhone was a revolutionary phone and immediately had a following. Sure, lots of them were black-framed glasses wearing nancies who like to sit at starbucks, but others were just regular joes who wanted badass technology. And now? Now we have tons of phones that are on pace (or outpace) the iPhone, but no touch screen that out-sells it ([url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_mobile_phones]source-/url]).

And then they announced the iPad, which was a giant joke at first. Now? Now there are a shitload of tablet flavors out there, only two of which most people can name off the top of their head (iPad & iPad 2). Sure, the competitors are just as good (Xoom, as mentioned in the "shit you bought" thread and maybe others that are vying for the Android market), but iPad was first, so it will probably remain at or near the top.

So yes, I agree that their current offerings will diminish with time. They always do. But I'm very curious to see what they come out with next. Not because I'll want it, per se, but because I'll be happy to see other companies run with the idea and produce their take on a similar technology. I'm guessing that, whatever that technology is, Apple will be the company that sees the greatest gains, though.

thekremlin · 04-27-2011, 04:02 PM

Yeah. I can't convince myself to buy the stock, due to it trading at the highest P/E ratio I've ever seen. But when I went to the apple store a few weeks to buy my ipad, I'll be damned if I wasn't made into an AAPL believer. People were LINING UP just to get in line. They were in the store as if the store itself were an attraction. And then spending money. It's incredible.

But I think one of UB's points is this could end quickly.

Ugly Bastard · 04-27-2011, 05:34 PM

Once parody videos like this one are getting 12 million views, I think it's a sign that the company's stock price is probably too high.

YouTube - iPhone4 vs HTC Evo

Parodies are a bubble weathervane.

SittinOnDubsWGW · 04-27-2011, 05:52 PM

I still think you overrate the average person's technological know-how or even care that something may have better specs versus "OMG I GOT THE NEW i_____!!!!"

I'm not an Apple fanboy by any means, as I much prefer PC for computing. I do however enjoy my ipod and iphone very much. I think Apple comes out with pretty cool new products and will continue to do so. I also hate how everything they have is so goddamn proprietary. But for those reasons, they will always be profitable. I still won't invest in them.

f3lix · 04-27-2011, 08:51 PM

You should invest in apple as long as they keep beating their estimates, but you won't gain nearly the bang for the buck as small companies, which can multiply 10x.

What has hurt Apple lately...
1. Steve Jobs taking his medical leave
2. Apple acting like they didn't know about their products' problems
3. This negative press over the spying data

But I was happy with my 40% gain with one of the biggest companies in the world in just an 8 month period. :-)

Ugly Bastard · 04-28-2011, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugly Bastard

Parodies are a bubble weathervane.

Right on queue, tonight's South Park season premier was dedicated to making fun of Apple.

Mr. Blonde · 04-28-2011, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugly Bastard

Right on queue, tonight's South Park season premier was dedicated to making fun of Apple.

cue*

Orgazmo · 04-28-2011, 12:45 AM

Plus I think it should be called a "bubble barometer" rather than a "bubble weathervane."

Ugly Bastard · 04-28-2011, 12:50 AM

I agree good suggestions. Adminz are free to edit my post to reflect proper changes.

Ugly Bastard · 04-28-2011, 06:57 PM

Here's an article by someone much smarter than me, the same guy SinisterKid brought to our attention in the Twitter thread today, on why he thinks AAPL will be worth about ~4 times what it is today in a matter of just a couple years: News Headlines

#dontfollowubsfinancialadvice

THEINCREDIBLEdork · 04-28-2011, 08:43 PM

Apple's bubble weathervane readings are off the chart right now.

Ironic Mustache · 04-29-2011, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugly Bastard

Right on queue, tonight's South Park season premier was dedicated to making fun of Apple.

I was happy someone finally drew attention to those ridiculous 30 page terms agreements.

04-27-2011, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
SinisterKid Hide your nieces. Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 293 Internets: 7656	Smartphones and Location Sharing I'm sure everyone is well aware of the recent acknowledgements by Apple and Google that iPhones and Android based phones collect and transmit users' location data back to their respective manufacturers. Despite my initial feeling of "yea of course I assumed this was going on and I don't really care" the practice does raise some interesting and unnerving questions regarding the privacy of users and the intent of manufacturers. And while the federal government has requested Apple/Google explain their intentions, it is not beyond the fed to find this practice useful for its own purposes. Does this bother anyone else? The article below is from the WSJ, is pretty fascinating, and highlights the research being conducted based on the available data collected from mobile phones. The Really Smart Phone - WSJ.com

04-27-2011, 01:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
Saint DH Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 6,150 Internets: 284753	The key point is that its products are not better than competitors. Its products are over priced based on brand, design, and a bandwagon effect. I guess it's this fact that make Apple different from say, Mercedes Benz, Gucci, and the like. Also, Steve Jobs is probably going to die soon. I wouldn't buy Apple either.
	Last edited by Saint DH; 04-27-2011 at 01:53 PM.

04-28-2011, 08:43 PM	#17 (permalink)
THEINCREDIBLEdork Emperor Meow Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,353 Internets: 290966	Apple's bubble weathervane readings are off the chart right now.
	#YOLO

04-27-2011, 11:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
f3lix Gangnam Style Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DH's Massage Parlor Posts: 6,383 Internets: 213510	It bothers me that the feds act like it is immoral for a company to do it, but not when they do it. Part of me thinks that having that information available could help prove innocence in a crime. We all have the option of not using Apple and Google, so it's a "right" we give up when using their product, but I do wish it were put out in front of us. For the record, I sold all my stock in apple right after hearing that news.

04-27-2011, 11:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	You should sell all of your stock in Apple anyway. Too much of their revenue comes from selling high-end status-symbol electronics to people who do not need them. It's a recipe for a collapse IMO. Re: OP thanks for link.

04-27-2011, 12:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
Saint DH Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 6,150 Internets: 284753	Haven't car companies, clothing companies, jewelry companies, etc, done the exact same thing for the last fifty years? As for the article, I don't really care.

04-27-2011, 01:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	Apple is nearly the largest company in the world. Their products are not universally that much better than competitors. Their value comes from their brand. Brands have a way of losing their luster over time. I wouldn't buy AAPL. I don't see how it can sustain this level.

04-27-2011, 02:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,733 Internets: 311447	I agree that Apple's products aren't better than their rivals, but their breakthroughs are always the trend setters. I wouldn't invest in Apple based on what they have now, but I wouldn't not invest in them simply because they have a proven track record of hitting home runs with new products. The iPod was the best portable music player when it hit the market. Since then, it's been at the top (though there are rivals that are just as good). It's clearly the most popular. The iPhone was a revolutionary phone and immediately had a following. Sure, lots of them were black-framed glasses wearing nancies who like to sit at starbucks, but others were just regular joes who wanted badass technology. And now? Now we have tons of phones that are on pace (or outpace) the iPhone, but no touch screen that out-sells it ([url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_mobile_phones]source-/url]). And then they announced the iPad, which was a giant joke at first. Now? Now there are a shitload of tablet flavors out there, only two of which most people can name off the top of their head (iPad & iPad 2). Sure, the competitors are just as good (Xoom, as mentioned in the "shit you bought" thread and maybe others that are vying for the Android market), but iPad was first, so it will probably remain at or near the top. So yes, I agree that their current offerings will diminish with time. They always do. But I'm very curious to see what they come out with next. Not because I'll want it, per se, but because I'll be happy to see other companies run with the idea and produce their take on a similar technology. I'm guessing that, whatever that technology is, Apple will be the company that sees the greatest gains, though.

04-27-2011, 04:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
thekremlin Don't call me Shirley Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: London Posts: 3,271 Internets: 220249	Yeah. I can't convince myself to buy the stock, due to it trading at the highest P/E ratio I've ever seen. But when I went to the apple store a few weeks to buy my ipad, I'll be damned if I wasn't made into an AAPL believer. People were LINING UP just to get in line. They were in the store as if the store itself were an attraction. And then spending money. It's incredible. But I think one of UB's points is this could end quickly.

04-27-2011, 05:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
SittinOnDubsWGW I make bad decisions. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Desert Posts: 3,018 Internets: 108015	I still think you overrate the average person's technological know-how or even care that something may have better specs versus "OMG I GOT THE NEW i_____!!!!" I'm not an Apple fanboy by any means, as I much prefer PC for computing. I do however enjoy my ipod and iphone very much. I think Apple comes out with pretty cool new products and will continue to do so. I also hate how everything they have is so goddamn proprietary. But for those reasons, they will always be profitable. I still won't invest in them.

04-27-2011, 08:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
f3lix Gangnam Style Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DH's Massage Parlor Posts: 6,383 Internets: 213510	You should invest in apple as long as they keep beating their estimates, but you won't gain nearly the bang for the buck as small companies, which can multiply 10x. What has hurt Apple lately... 1. Steve Jobs taking his medical leave 2. Apple acting like they didn't know about their products' problems 3. This negative press over the spying data But I was happy with my 40% gain with one of the biggest companies in the world in just an 8 month period. :-)

04-28-2011, 12:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,733 Internets: 311447	Plus I think it should be called a "bubble barometer" rather than a "bubble weathervane."

04-28-2011, 12:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	I agree good suggestions. Adminz are free to edit my post to reflect proper changes.

04-28-2011, 06:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	Here's an article by someone much smarter than me, the same guy SinisterKid brought to our attention in the Twitter thread today, on why he thinks AAPL will be worth about ~4 times what it is today in a matter of just a couple years: News Headlines #dontfollowubsfinancialadvice