Tag Archives: Google

They are in your pants! (Google and Walmart) Part 2

by funklord

Not to be outdone, Walmart has their own invasive program, aimed squarely at those who can’t be bothered with a cashier.  They are introducing a program that scans the items as they enter your cart, and then you quickly pay as you leave, through self-checkout kiosks.  Depending on the success of this program, it will be paired with a mobile paying program (See Part one), thus making the circle complete.

*WARNING Rant to commence in 3, 2, 1…*
As I am sure you have seen wit hAmazon’s one-click program, the easier you make something like this, the easier it is to make impulse purchases, go into debt, etc.  These are very superficial things, but important nonetheless.  The real danger is letting companies (yes COMPANIES plural) have this sort of tracking information on you.  Not only to they know what you shop for, how much you are willing to pay, when you shop, where you shop, where you are (don’t forget all smartphones are equipped with GPS) they can ascertain who is in your family, how many, your psychological profile, and a myriad of other bits of personal data that I don’t think you WANT these megalith companies having.  The US government requests this information, sometimes under the patriot act or the other Bill of Rights shredding laws, but they don’t have to.  Google has a dossier on you whether you use them or not.  Ever receive an e-mail from a gmail account?  Tracked and read.  Just think about this, and see if you want Uncle Sam looking into all the private things you do.  They don’t need it, it doesn’t make the world safer, but they will sell it to you as making your life easier.  Don’t take the bait!

*Rant Complete*

They are in your pants! (Google and Walmart) Part 1

by funklord

This is one of those things that makes me so upset with our society as a whole.  We will do anything, and even pay more money in the spirit of convenience.  Here is a classic example.  Two companies are currently vying for you wallet, your digital wallet.  Google and Apple have concocted a scheme to digitally store (on their servers of course, and we all know how safe they can be) your credit cards, store discount cards, and Drivers license.  Oh, and this story just broke about how Apple got hacked, disclosing 12 million Unique user ID.  Is it really that hard to carry around a wallet?  What else are back pockets for, and this is coming from a guy with a 5 inch thick bi-fold in his trousers.  Is almost certain identify theft worth keeping your wallet at home?  I just don’t get it.

The Apple Empire

by funklord

I know that there are millions of Funk Freedom Press fans that love their Apple products.  Since recently becoming the most valuable company in the history, I think it is wise to keep an eye on them, before they become Google.

Nonetheless, you aren’t here to listen to me rant about corporations becoming way too powerful (“Too Big To Fail”), you came here to get the best news on the net.  Well Apple has denied an App that tracks US drone strikes.  Yes an App that tells you how many people the US has killed with their drone program.  This information is available all over the net, and this designer just created a program that searches all this out and reports.  Apple denied it, not one, not twice, but three times!  Why?  Qualifies as Objectionable Content”.  I think that citizens of the US have a right to that information.  Why do they care?  They aren’t a defense contractor.  What’s in it for them?  That is the question.