Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tracking a lost mobile phone - google map mobile?



I love the google maps mobile app and its 'My Location' feature - hats off to the innovators at google!

I have an interesting idea . Here are the factors:

1. I known MANY people who have lost their expensive Blackberrys etc

2. On a Blackberry and many new handhelds, where google map is installed; it can run in the background.

3. My Location feature can track my phone down to the nearest 1000m radius, even if the phone does not have GPS capability!!! ('... takes information broadcast from mobile towers near you to approximate your current location on the map to find your location' - whoa!)

4. Most people already have a google account - so they could sign-in to 'their' google maps.

Put all these ingredients together and viola! you have a lost phone tracker!

In case someone who uses google maps on the phone (signed in using google sign-on) and accepts their 'My Location' to be archived; he could be log in to google maps from any computer and that would tell him (and law enforcement, if required) a good approximation to catch the culprit (or simply find the phone - that you might have forgotten at a restaurant).

I really wish Google can get this running (I had made this post on their forum quite some time back) and I can ensure they'll have thousands of happy customers.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Success

(Happiness- Bill Anderson)

"...
A wise old man told me one time
That happiness is nothing but a frame of mind
I hope when you go to measuring my success
Don't count my money, count happiness.

Happiness, happiness
The greatest gift that I posses
I thank the Lord, I've been blessed
With more than my share of happiness...."


I'd agree that someone's level of happiness is a good measure of his/her success. Although I'll have to add that it is as difficult to find someone who has NO money and IS happy as it is to find someone who HAS money and is NOT happy.

Yes, I remember the childhood stories of the rich man who couldn't sleep because he was always worried about his money. I also remember the man I saw on the street who was crying simply because he had no money to feed his kith. Given a choice, I'd rather be the rich man ;-p.

Is the middle path the right path? Is there anything called a 'right path'?
Isn't it time we openly taught (this statement may not be valid for you ;-)) that it is no crime to work really hard trying to make money? And that money can buy happiness? And happiness is an indicator of one's success!

I'd love to hear your views.