Tracking people by their iPods?

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () bsf-llc com>]

http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/wireless/wifi-tracking-008264.php 
 
WiFi tracking

Forget RFID. Well, don't, but National Scientific Corporation has a
prototype of a WiFi tagging system that, like RFID, lets you track things in
real-time and space. The advantage that the WiFi Tracker system has over
passive RFID tracking is that you can keep tabs on objects with WiFi Tracker
tags (which can hold up to 256K of data) from as far as a few hundred meters
away (the range of passive RFID taggers is just a few meters). While you can
do something similar with active RFID tags, with WiFi Tracker companies can
use their pre-existing WiFi network to track things rather than having to
build a whole new RFID system.


http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/08/portalplayer_wireless_ipod_chip/

iPod chip maker plans Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support

 
By Tony
<http://forms.theregister.co.uk/mail_author/?story_url=/2006/02/08/portalpla
yer_wireless_ipod_chip/> Smith  
8th February 2006 11:55 GMT     

The availability of wireless iPods came a step closer today after
PortalPlayer, the chip maker behind the Apple music player's audio logic,
will add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support to its products, Reg Hardware has
learned. The move comes courtesy of a tie-in with UK-based Bluetooth chip
design pioneer CSR, aka Cambridge Silicon Radio.

PortalPlayer said it will integrate its PP5022 audio chip family with CSR's
UniFi Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller. It will demonstrate a reference
platform based on the combined technology next week at the 3GSM show in
Barcelona.

 
<http://red.as-eu.falkag.net/dat/bgf/trpix.gif?&rdm=18463232&dlv=704,33943,4
62634,225902,818995&kid=225902&chw=9225902-&tcs=&bls3=100000B&bls4=010001462
255&uid=1&dmn=.bos.east.verizon.net&scx=1280&scy=1024&scc=32&jav=1&sta=,,,1,
,,,,,,0,6,0,18866,18813,14659,17238,506&iid=462634&bid=818995> 
 
<http://sel.as-eu.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&dat=462634&opt=0&wrd=&prf=&rdm=2005
1105> 

The company's pitch is that the integration will allow PortalPlayer-based
gadgets to use Bluetooth stereo headsets and reach out to computers' music
archives via the wireless networking technology, and to connect directly to
music download services through Wi-Fi hotspots.

Interestingly, Apple is believed to be hosting a music-related event later
this month in the week after 3GSM takes place. The image on the invite is an
Airport Express Wi-Fi adaptor's power light, suggesting the announcement
will centre on wireless music distribution. It might be premature to
anticipate Apple will unveil a wireless iPod at the gig - PortalPlayer and
CSR said their combined product wouldn't be available until the second half
of the year - but it would at very least appear to be putting in place the
infrastructure for one.

While Motorola's ROKR iTunes-equipped phone may not have set the cellular
world alight, is has provided Apple with the ideal opportunity to
field-trial the ITMS-access software a mobile iPod might contain. R

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