GPS

GPS stands for global positioning system, which is a network of at least 24-32 satellites. A GPS receiver (more commonly referred to simply as a GPS) is a device that receives microwave signals from GPS satellites to aid in navigation by providing exact location, speed and time.

GPS is considered a dual-use technology, meaning it has applications for both military and civilian use. Activities such as banking, mobile phone operations and driving are enchanced with the use of GPS technology. In 2006 a reported 7% of drivers in the United States had GPS navigation in their vehicle.http://gpstracklog.com/2006/04/7_of_us_cars_ha.html In 2010 many cars have GPS navigation as an option or even standard equipment. Garmin produces the most popular GPS devices for cars.

GPS navigation also has been integrated into many other mobile devices such as smartphones. Applications use GPS to locate the nearest gas station or restaurant. Mapping applications such as carrier specific navigation applications, Poynt, Yellow Pages, Google Maps and Yahoo Maps provide mobile navigation through their smartphone device. http://www.pcworld.com/article/152570/cell_phone_gps_app_smackdown.html

The GPS was developed by the US Department of Defense and a group from MIT in 1973. It is officially named the NAVSTAR GPS.http://www.maps-gps-info.com/gps-history.html The name was given by John Walsh, a key person who helped make the budget for the GPS. The United States spends about 750 million dollars annually maintaining the GPS system.

A GPS works by calculating its distance from four or more satellites. It takes a very large number of satellites to pinpoint ones location. The receiver receives the measurements from the satellites and then calculates them into a latitude and longitude format using Geometry and Trigonometry. These coordinates are then displayed on the screen.http://www.maps-gps-info.com/hw-gp-wrks.html

In September 2010, researchers from various universities did some research on the new Android phone. They installed 30 different applications on a test phone, and found that exactly half of them, 15, were sending information such as phone numbers, GPS coordinates, and IMEI numbers to advertisers. In response, Google claimed that this is necessary in order to allow some of the apps for the phone to work. However, the situation has brought forward a debate about tracking people through GPS and whether it is an invasion of privacy.http://www.switched.com/2010/10/01/some-android-quietly-sending-gps-coordinates-to-advertisers/