of course its not so a police state government can control you. no its for the saftey of the children.
Note: This technology could be applied to keep track on everyone. All that would be required is a government which required everyone to carry such technology. Robert Henderson
Daily Telegraph London 24/1/2000
'Smart' phone can place any number
By Mark Ward
MOBILE telephones that can identify their precise location are being developed by the Swedish firm Ericsson.
One of the services is called iPulse and tells users the location of all the mobile phone users listed in their address book, showing the country, city or district.
The development also promises to turn mobile tale-phones into tiny tourist guides.
When a telephone knows where it is it can find from its stored memory, good bars, restaurants and hotels for holidaymakers who are keen to explore their unfamiliar surroundings.
Eventually the service will be able to pinpoint where people are down to 100 yards. "It will know where you were and where you are," said Fredrik Fornstad, an Ericsson spokesman.
However, the company says that it will offer customers the option of blocking their own telephones when it introduces the technology.
Ericsson hopes to develop a range of new services. It is working with the credit card company Visa on a method of sending money via the telephone to pay household bills.
Share dealing and lottery ticket buying services are due to follow soon.
The telephone company is also working with the Ginger Media Group on ways to broadcast radio across the mobile telephone network.
-- Robert Henderson philip@anywhere.demon.co.uk