5400 App Trackers on iPhones; Windows May Get ‘Invisible’ Background; Google Maps Adds Speed Limits & Speed Traps in 40+ Countries

Yes, it’s so pervasive that we become numb to all the privacy intrusions brought upon us by the web. Now, 9to5mac.com reports that the Washington Post hooked up with an app called Privacy Pro…just to a reporter’s iPhone, and in a week, recorded over 5400 trackers. Privacy firm Disconnect helped with the testing. They found most ‘phone home’ at night when you are plugged in and recharging. Most use the background refresh function (or you may say mis-use) to harvest your data and send it to the app maker AND partners! Some of those are legit…to help app makers figure out how you use the app so they can…obviously…get you to use it more. Others are purely buying your data and bundling it with other info. The Post article noted that even the paper’s own app was phoning home overnights! Apple could do more…at least to let you know what’s going on as the app Privacy Pro does, but it will probably take more laws to really reign this kind of intrusion in.

Microsoft is working on what it terms a ‘modern OS’ that will be something of a Windows Lite…that will run on dual-screen and Chromebook like devices. According to theverge.com, it would include features like updates that would be done invisibly in the background, and one that is ‘deterministic, reliable, and instant with no interruptions!’ What a refreshing change that would be! Also, the system would be secure by default according to MS, with the OS and compute separated from applications. Interestingly, nowhere in Microsoft’s blog post on the “modern OS’ is there a mention of Windows. Redmond says it will be multi-sense. Users can use touch, pen, voice, even gaze…all those inputs to work as well as a keyboard and mouse. It is likely that this modern OS won’t be out until at least 2020.

Google Maps is picking up some features formerly only available on Waze. TechCrunch.com says they are rolling out the ability for drivers to see speed limits, speed cameras, and mobile speed cams in over 40 countries. The new features are rolling out now on Android and iOS. Maps still won’t have the Waze data like crowdsourced advisories of polio ahead, gas prices, road closures, red light cameras and the like.