Tag: bluetooth

Police Bluecasting

I got bluetoothed yesterday at Euston Station. It was O2 sending me a TV ad to watch on my phone. A boring and mildly depressing use of technology.

But it reminded me of this, much more ‘interesting’, use of bluetooth that I’d read about:

Messages using Bluetooth technology will flash up on mobile phones and palmtop computers telling people they will be ripped off if they enter Soho’s notorious clip joints.

The message from Westminster City Council reads: “£5 to get in, £500 to get out. Criminals operate some of the hostess bars in Soho. Don’t enter without knowing what you’ll get for your money.”

Basically as you’re walking by dodgy strip joints you’ll get messages warning you that they’re run by criminals and that they’re out to con you. But it does raise a couple of questions:

  1. Why don’t they actually do something about shutting down these places if they’re so bad that they need to employ technical solutions to warn people away?
  2. What’s to stop dodgy strip club owners from setting up cheapo bluecasting kits to warn people off rival establishments?

Read more on the City of Westminster Site

Photo by: James Cridland

Chemical Brothers ‘Shop’ in London

Not sure quite how I feel about this. I like it. But I’m not sure it’s a very good use of money. I’m trying to make it a better use of their money by blogging about it.

Chemical Brothers Shop

The Chemical Brothers have taken over a disused shopfront to promote the launch of their new album ‘We Are the Night’. It’s basically just a shopfront with a screen in it showing a video. And you can also text in to get sent some mobile goodies. And you’re supposed to be able to turn on bluetooth to get sent a free download. Which I tried. But nothing seemed to come. Which was a shame.

I’ve used Google’s nifty MyMaps feature to create: Google Map that shows exactly where it is (in case you care).