iPods and Stalkers…New Partners in Crime
by Cathy Cudmore
The iPod, one of the most popular gadgets of the last several years, can now be used as a tracking device. The miraculously tiny device can hold millions of songs and days of music, and with every updated model, the iPod boasts more and more functions and becomes increasingly smaller. The newest addition to the musical library involves Nike’s sports company. Take a look around your local gym or park; practically everyone has an iPod strapped to his/her arm. The bulky portable CD player has rapidly been replaced by the sleek, minuscule iPod, and is now a staple for every exercise aficionado who enjoys a little beat to keep the adrenaline flowing.
Now with the technology of Nike and iPod combined, both steps and miles run can be counted and tracked. The Nike/iPod transmitter is placed inside the runner’s shoe (any of 12 styles of Nike sneakers) while the iPod receiver is plugged into any iPod nano. It isn’t even necessary for the nano to be carried during the walk, jog, or run to record steps and mileage.
Can this new gadget be too good to be true? Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered that not only does this sport kit keep your steps and miles stored in your iPod, but it also tracks your every step, from your starting location to your destination. The transmitters’ unique electronic signals even allow you to identify specific individuals by building an inexpensive monitoring system or using any compatible iPod, which can track any individual whose transmitter is turned on up to 60 feet away. Not to mention, the transmitter could easily be slipped inside a target’s backpack or shoes. The system can even be connected to GoogleMaps, which can track the person in real time, making the job of stalkers, theives, and other predators infinitely easier.
Of course if the transmitters are turned off by the user, they cannot be used as a tracking device. Hitting the off button seems easy enough to remember, but it’s become apparent that, for some, remembering this small step is difficult. As many reports of this possible stalking device hit the internet, Nike and iPod have yet to make a statement; we can only hope that they are working to find a solution to this problem before your daily jog in the park becomes your daily stalk.
