Henry Imler December 31st, 2006

From Slashgear via Digg.

After the news that China has decided to force
manufacturers to standardise phone charging ports to the mini-USB
format, it turns out that there’s an even easier way to get the
industry-wide feature you want implemented: just be the FBI. What
cellphone manufacturers are reluctant to include in-among all the blurb
about Bluetooth and high-speed data connectivity is that apparently
every recent phone sold in the US has a built-in tracking device that,
once activated remotely, can be set to keep the microphone powered on
even when the phone itself is switched off.

The FBI used the technology in collecting evidence for the recent
Genovese crime family trial, and it should be made clear that they can
only do so with the relevant court order. Saying that, just how
difficult is it to get a court order in our age of super-terror? The
only way to circumnavigate the tracker is removing the battery, which
then makes the phone rather useless. In fact, you’d be better off
carrying a small child’s shoe, which could at least be used for storing
your keys.

Oh, and as always, the pun was intended.

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