Photo Geolocating With GPS

While searching the other units available, most significantly more expensive, I noticed one thing. There are a lot of people around who don’t trust their spouses/employees/kids and are looking to track them! Many of the GPS recorders have magnetic backs and can be installed under a vehicle.

I made an ebay purchase this morning. I bought a GPS tracking logger.

“Honey, I got something for the camera,” I told Helaine.

“You mean you bought a toy,” she replied.

I explained what it does. She still thinks it’s a toy.

Oviously, I’m unconvincing when it actually is a toy.

Here’s the link. This guy must have a million of them, because they’re constantly listed. I bid the minimum, $31, and took it home.

The little box I bought records translated GPS output. In other words, it keeps track of where you are. The batteries are recharged through a computer’s USB port, which also transfers the data, so it can be read.

There is software to add this information to the EXIF data which is already part of digital photography. Now every picture I take will have its location tagged. The tech term is, geolocating.

If I upload the photo to Flickr or Picasaweb, that location tag will call a map, showing where the picture was taken. It’s a pretty cool idea. Soon, it will be directly built into all cameras (and cellphones). That’s an easy prediction to make.

Here’s some of the data that’s available now, before the geolocating data is added. As a photographer, it’s helpful to be able to go back and see how I set my camera to get an individual shot.

The GPS recorder I bought is the cheapest of the bunch. No surprise there. But, I didn’t buy in the dark. I looked at a review from CNet’s Singapore site!

While searching the other units available, most significantly more expensive, I noticed one thing. There are a lot of people around who don’t trust their spouses/employees/kids and are looking to track them! Many of the GPS recorders have magnetic backs and can be installed under a vehicle.

Ads for some of the more sophisticated units don’t beat around the bush: “It’s ideal for the busy executive, a concerned parent with a watchful eye.. to track their teenager’s late night activity (like speeding) or to track suspicious spouse. It’s a real time and money-saver — and in some cases, a lifesaver.”

Yeah. Thanks Mr. Altruism.

A. Target leaves the house. He’s ‘Going to the gym’. BugGPS is in the gym-bag. BugGPS logs speed and distance travelled.

B. Target parks, walks to gym. Bug GPS even logs activities inside building

C. Target leaves the gym

D. Target makes a detour to a residence he’s always denied being to.

E. Target leaves the residence and heads home.

F. Target arrives home and says he ‘went to the gym and came straight home’.

Correct me if I’m wrong. If you get around to the point where you’re putting one of these on the car, your relationship is already over!

I’ll just be happy to track my photos.

4 thoughts on “Photo Geolocating With GPS”

  1. I will report back after I get it.

    There’s no doubt, with smaller, faster, less power hungry chips, GPS will find its way into nearly everything that moves. Think how ubiquitous digital clocks have become. GPS will be the same way… and set those clocks at the same time!

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