Emergence of international data plans

It was only a matter of time before better international data plans started emerging. AT&T has a new one for unlimited iPhone/SmartPhone data in many places. This is important because otherwise NESP applications might unwittingly transfer large amounts of data when someone travels. On some phones you can detect and prevent transfer when someone is out of the country, but even better is to have data plans where the NESP program can continue sending data and receiving surveys no matter where the phone user goes. They are expensive now, but perhaps will be more affordable down the road.

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/popup/dataconnect-comp-table.jsp

 

Google Latitude

Not the first one, but probably the location awareness app promoted by the largest company to date, Latitude is generating some interesting responses related to privacy. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over time.

 

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/can-you-see-me-now/

 

 

Google Maps and disclosure laws

There is an interesting article out about how groups upset about a proposition passed in California have created a mashup using info from public disclosure laws with Google maps. The result is that opponents are then targeting people who contributed money to get the proposition passed. The article discusses the tension this creates between “political transparency and untarnished democracy versus privacy and freedom of speech.”

 

The solutions, legal or societal, to these type of privacy dilemmas would no doubt impact a NESP to some degree.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/business/08stream.html?_r=1&ref=technology

 

 

iPhone HR monitoring

New phones are making additions of interesting health-related sensors possible that could trigger EMA. Here’s an example (although it is not clear if/how this would work for EMA, given the iPhone does not allow background applications … a necessary condition for EMA).  

 

http://www.appleinsider.com/blogs/iphone/09/02/09/iphone_gains_heart_rate_monitoring_and_fitness_tracking.html