[Discuss] GPS feature in cellphones?

[richb at pioneer.ci.net (Rich Braun)]

Rich Pieri wrote:
> A power off state does not disable this "feature" on smart
> phones and some feature phones.
>  ...[and followed up with]
> Off isn't really off. It's
> a very low power state same as every personal computer and TV set made
> since manufacturers did away with physical power switches. How do you
> think soft switches can be used to turn them on? How do you think wake
> timers and alarms can turn these on from a power off state? It's because
> they're not really off.

I agree with your second statement about powering the power button at least on
some devices, but the amount of power is a miniscule fraction of that required
for location tracking.

I'm not buying the NSA's published FUD on this issue.  Sure, they and the
terrorists they're tracking can believe all they want about tracking
capabilities, and their bosses pay them quite well to be paranoid.  But anyone
who has ever fiddled with a handheld GPS or wifi-enabled device knows how much
of a power-suck those technologies are.  Just because Ed Snowden found a
document that claims otherwise doesn't mean it's true.

The average common-crook can get away from the cops by turning off his
cellphone and driving faster/cleverer than they do.  Count on it.  Maybe by
2020 that won't be true.

-rich