‘Sniff’ Them Out

The popular texting message “Where r u?” may become a phrase of the past with a new program that lets your friends and family find out for themselves. The "social network integrated friend finder" (Sniff) will track down anyone who has signed up and agreed to be “sniffed”.

For less than a dollar, Sniff produces a rough address and map for any participant by triangulating the caller’s location based on nearby cell phone towers. This same technology is utilized by rescuers to find lost hikers who call 911 by cell phone. If you’re lost, you can even Sniff yourself!

Currently, about 180,000 people in Scandinavia are using Sniff, and the program was recently launched in the United Kingdom. It is expected that at least two major U.S. wireless carriers will start offering Sniff within the next few months.

Source:
Associated Press. (2008). ‘Sniff’ them out. Published in the Times-West Virginian on June 1, 2008.