CCTP 505 Section 5 (Riddle) Fall 2015 Worksheet 4: Team Technology Critique – Tile Item Finder Team Tile Item Finder: 1) 2) 3) 4) Nina Yang (ty172@georgetown.edu) Jing “Sally” Chen (jc2568@georgetown.edu) Wenhui Yang (wy99@georgetown.edu) Scott Schroeder (sjs298@georgetown.edu) F F F i i i What is the technology your group has chosen g and what problem does itg address? g u The Tile Item finder is an item tracking system which allows usersu to track the locationu of valuables r r r attached to Tile tracking devices using a smart phone app. The tracking device measures 36mm x 36mm x e e e 5.5mm (about the size of a matchbook), weighs approximately 1.3 ounces, is water resistant, and the included CR2 battery lasts approximately 8765 hours, or1 about one year from shipment (O’Grady, 2013) (Martin, 2015) 2 3 (TheTileApp.com). The Tile Item Finder uses Bluetooth 4.0 technology which sends low energy wireless signals between a Tile tracker device and the user’s I-phone through a Tile app at distances up to 150 feet (Martin, 2015) (O’Grady, 2015). What distinguished Tile from other item finders on the market which used similar Bluetooth technology was a ‘Community Find’ feature which uses a social networking strategy to search for a missing item with the phones of all users running the Tile app, vastly expanding the search range (TheTileApp.com) (Pasolini, 2013). The Tile app is compatible with several iOS devices, including: iPhone (Released 2011 or later): 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus; iPad (Released 2012 or later): 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Air; iPad Mini; iPod Touch; Apple Watch; OnePlus One; Samsung Galaxy S5, S6; Samsung Note 4; HTC One; HTC One M8; LG Nexus 4, 5, 6; Motorola Moto X; and Android 4.4 (TheTileApp.com). Each Tile account can manage up to ten trackers (Pasolini, 2013). The Tile Item Finder was created to assist users with locating and recovering commonly misplaced items, such as keys and wallets. The Tile trackers can be stitched into the fabric of items, such as inside wallets or backpacks; attached to items with adhesive, such as to laptop computers; or clasped onto items, such as onto keychains. The Tile trackers have even been clasped onto dog collars to assist dog owners should their pets become lost (Plante, 2015). The Tile Item Finder was designed to reduce time wasted by searching for lost valuables, as well as save users the cost and inconvenience of replacing those items when they are unable to be located. Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 Methods of Locating Devices: ● The user’s I-phone can ring the Tile device on the missing item. Tiny speakers within the Tiles let out a 90 decibel melody, easily heard from a few rooms away (TheTileApp.com). See Figure 2. ● The Tile app’s ‘Last Place Seen’ feature is a GPS location function which recall’s the last registered location of the missing item and displays the location on a map (Dzyre, 2014). See Figure 3. ● Tile allows users to share their account information with trusted individuals who can user their phones to assist in the search (Dzyre, 2014). ● (Lost phone) Double press any Tile device associated with the account on the phone. If the phone is within the Bluetooth range, it will ring loudly, even if on silent mode (TheTileApp.com). Who are the users and why is this relevant to them? The Tile Item Finder appeals to anyone with access to a smart phone who has ever temporarily misplaced a valuable item resulting in hours, if not days, wasted in search, or anyone who has permanently lost a valuable item. Hence, it appeals to just about anyone regardless of gender, age, race, religion, or ethnicity. At the price of $25 per Tile, or $70 for a package of four Tiles, it is within the price range of most income levels. Bokang Huang, a software engineer at a startup company in China, had interest in purchasing the Tile Item Finder when he was in college, but decided not to due to the associated costs and the tight budget of a college student (Huang, 2015). Norman Hollins, an employee of Geek Squad at the Best Buy store in Falls Church, VA, had never heard of the Tile Item Finder (Hollins, 2015). However, after a brief overview of its capability coupled with his experience with working with Bluetooth technology in other devices, Norman stated he would be interested in purchasing the Tile Item Finder for himself (Hollins, 2015). Since its founding in 2012 and subsequent crowdfunding success, sales of the Tile Item Finder have skyrocketed. Tile does not disclose the exact number of sales or the amount of revenue it has generated, citing privacy concerns for users at any given location (Facebook – Tile, 2015). Nonetheless, Tile boasts patronage in 214 countries with the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and Italy rounding out its top five countries, and claims over 250,000 items are found everyday worldwide using the Bluetooth key finder and wallet tracker (Facebook – Tile, 2015). Popularity for the Tile Item Finder has yet to reach that critical mass which would create the network required to make the Community Find feature truly efficient. However, users do not need to purchase Tile trackers in order to download the free Tile App. Users may ask friends and coworkers to download the app to assist in searches. Users may also ask friends and people they routinely congregate with to download the app as a precautionary measure, especially in areas where items are commonly misplaced and/or picked up by 2 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 accident. An employee at an Apple Store in Washington, D.C. stated that the Apple Store just began selling the Item Finder in September 2015 and had already created interest with customers (Jing, 2015). Though it is relatively new on the market and still building its customer base, the Tile Item Finder is responsible for saving users countless hours of needless searching and an untold value of recovered property. Their Facebook page displays over 380,000 likes. Though the Item Finder is primarily marketed toward the private user, the Item Finder does have potential application in the commercial and government sectors as well. What are the critiques of the technology and who makes them? Depending on who one talks to, security should be a concern for Tile users. Because Tile uses an I-phone application which networks with other Tile users, the threat of information compromise from a Bluetooth hack for high-profile individuals or people who maintain banking information, credit card numbers, etc. on their Iphones may be very high (Chen, 2015). Additionally, a critique of Bluetooth technology in general is that because Bluetooth uses unlicensed radio band waves, enabling users to be mobile since line-of-sight connections are not necessary as was the case with infrared technology, the signals sent between the Bluetooth devices across the radio spectrum are susceptible to interception (Admin Staff, 2011). Norman Hollins, an employee of Geek Squad, asserted a risk does exist for criminals using the Bluetooth technology to hack into the phones of Tile app users, but stated that the risk would not prevent him from purchasing a Tile since he is careful not to put sensitive personal or banking information on his phone (Hollins, 2015). Nevertheless, Tile’s producer claims that hacking risks are minimal. Its webpage states that, “Tiles are only visible to the registered user, and they do not contain any personal identifiable information on them. If you mark something as lost, another user's phone can find a Tile, but it relays the information to our servers anonymously. The user never even knows they did it.” (TheTileApp.com). The ‘Community Find’ feature distinguishes Tile from other item finders on the market. “This feature lets you find your Tile by leveraging the network of Tile users running the app on their phone.” (Perez,2013) This unique feature undoubtedly propelled Tile’s early crowdfunding efforts, raising $2.7 million from 49,586 supporters (Alois, 2013). “Tile’s twist is to combine Bluetooth tags which users attach to their valuable objects with the power of a community of app users. Its vision is ultimately for each individual Tile user to benefit from a distributed network effect as other users’ smartphones can be used to trace their lost items.” (Lomas, 2013) However, despite its ability to enable users to collaborate their searches, many technology enthusiasts point out that the feature is only beneficial in areas with numerous other Tile users where cell phone coverage is strong and not patchy (Martin, 2015)(Brown, 2013). Among consumers, Tile has a very good reputation. Amazon lists 348 positive reviews out of a total of 3 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 442 online reviews. According to consumer critiques, Tile has following advantages: First, it is easy to set up and use. Second, the range of the Bluetooth capability is long enough to reach items within most homes. Third, the volume of Tile is loud and pleasant. The main complaint of Tile among consumers, as was mentioned earlier, is the battery will run low after eight to ten months. The built-in battery lasts about one year and is not rechargeable, so the user must purchase new Tile trackers each year (Dzyre, 2014)(O’Grady, 2013). What are the unintended consequences associated with this technology? Unintended Positive Consequences: The objects Tile can find are not limited to personal belongings, such as cellphones and wallets. Tile’s official website reported that a stolen automobile was recovered with the Tile tracking app in Holland. The stolen van was tagged with a Tile inside and was tracked by one of the users in the “Community Find” network. Additionally, Steven, one of the Tile users, posted on the official website that Tile assisted him with reuniting him and his wife with their three children after the children became separated in an amusement park. He also mentioned that Tile’s waterproof function enabled it to work well after taking water rides. The Tile community’s network has the ability to work across countries and oceans as well. Brenizer, a wedding photographer, posted on Tile’s official blog that one of his bags containing most of his photography equipment was misplaced during his flight back to the United States from Dubai. Having placed the Tile in his bag before the flight, he successfully tracked and recovered his bag which had been mistakenly diverted to Switzerland with the assistance of Tile’s community. Unintended Negative Consequences: Since its inception, the wireless transfer of personal information via Bluetooth has created concern for personal security and hacking attacks. One category of Bluetooth hackings is called Bluebugging, which uses sophisticated attacks to gain control of victims’ mobile devices (Staff, 2011). Bluebugging works like a Trojan horse, in which a hacker manipulates a user’s phone by executing commands on the phone (Staff, 2011). A super Bluetooth hack is a typical small 270KB Java application that runs on the mobile environment and causes great damage by gathering the victim’s personal information (Staff, 2011). It is not an authentication-bypass tool that uses brute-force or back door attacks, but uses a method of social engineering to hack into victim’s mobile (Staff, 2011). By using one of several categories of Bluetooth hacking, it is not improbable that the Bluetooth function on the Tile Item Finder could be used to lure a user to a vulnerable location and compromise the user’s personal physical safety. If the Item Finder itself is lost, an entirely new range of security concerns could be raised. Could an individual lure a user to a vulnerable location? Could the Bluetooth application within the Item Finder itself be exploited to gain access to a user’s mobile device? 4 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 Users may also develop an unhealthy dependability on the device, becoming more apathetic to carelessly leaving important items attached to the Item Finder in unsecure areas where the items can be found and taken by others. This apathy can also unwittingly carryover to other small, important items which are not attached to the Item Finder. This dependency can therefore further fuel absent minded tendencies which can create even more problems for users. What significant research questions have emerged as a result of this technology? What significant research questions do you anticipate that might emerge as a result of use of this technology? Because analyzing the Tile Item Finder itself is much too narrow of a topic and does not afford enough research material to work with, this section of the worksheet will focus on the overall technological system which includes the Tile app, the mobile device which operates the Tile app, the Bluetooth technology which enables communication between the tracking devices and the mobile device, and the human operator. From the team’s research, the following questions have arisen surrounding this technological system. (1) Is the advancement of this technology beneficial or detrimental to society? (2) What security concerns does this technology present to the users? Further questions which might emerge as a result of this technology include: (1) Does this technology have other potential applications which may not currently be in use? (2) Can applications which require broad networks such as the ‘Community Find’ function affect how we interact with one another? How might two different disciplines address these questions? What might be missing as a result of this approach? Two different disciplines which address the questions in the previous section are Information and Communications Technology and Sociology. Information and Communications Technology, or ICT, can be defined as “an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning.” (Rouse, 2005). The University of North Carolina’s Department of Sociology defines sociology as “the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies.” (UNC). 5 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 For the purposes of this research, the ICT discipline would address the interoperability between the tracking devices and the mobile device, the interaction within Tile networks, and the threats of signal interception from unintended devices. Tile uses Bluetooth technology to connect the items. Although Bluetooth technology offers many benefits and conveniences in personal and short range wireless communication, these advances do not come without some risks and vulnerabilities. Today, Bluetooth devices face risks and vulnerabilities. Bluetooth operates in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band. Therefore it is primarily vulnerable to all physical layers of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks such as channel jamming (Shrivastava, 2012). Hackers can use the weakness of Bluetooth to gather location information about the device, submit nonstandard input to get different results, gather private information in an unauthorized manner and so on (Sandhya, 2012). The ICT discipline may classify these security threats and explore how to eliminate these security problems by testing new security models. Classification can help in determining threat severity, measures that could be taken to avoid threats, and taking inputs for the next version to avoid this threat by design (Sandhya, 2012). With the release of new version Bluetooth (4.0), some of these threats have already been addressed. The technology of the item finder solves a common problem, which is loss and misplacement of personal valuables. At the same time, with the increasing popularity of smartphones, phone-based tracking systems have become a welcomed solution to such problems. In a survey conducted by Ahmad, Lu and Hussain, 92% of smartphone users express a desire for tracking software in their phones. They also examined Bluetooth as one of the existing item-tracking technologies. According to their research, it is an optimal solution in that it is energy efficient and budget friendly, and consumers are willing to purchase such tracking facility. (Ahmad, Lu & Hussain, 2014) The sociological discipline would address these questions by exploring the impact the introduction of this technology has had on individual behavior, on interpersonal and group relationships, and on network development. The Structural Ritualization Theory (SRT) provides the tools needed to examine how rituals are created, sustained, change, and can impact our lives (Schmidt, 2006). By ritualizing the use of smartphones, the Internet, and online networks, people are interacting and communicating in new ways which are affecting their behavior in different situations (Schmidt, 2006). Applying the SRT, one may argue that the Tile Item Finder enables people to become consciously less accountable in their behavior, relying on technology to keep their belonging secured. This empathetic behavior could be interpreted as a negative consequence, or detrimental to society’s overall productivity. SRT can also be used in the online collaboration with others in the use of the ‘Community Find’ function. With the expansion of Tile App users, individual users may experience a greater sense of security within their communities knowing that their possessions are less likely to become misplaced or lost with so many additional ‘tracking devices’ available to assist with searching. This increased sense of security could positively improve an overall sense of community. 6 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 Mead defines Community as “where we get our generalized other (what others expect of us)” (Mead, 2009). He believes our ‘generalized other’ shapes how we think and interact within a community (Mead, 2009). According to him, self is the combination of “I” (creative, elusive) and “Me” (object, the image we see in the mirror). As a new feature, “Community find” can change others’ expectation of us in the Tile Community, which indicates that “Me” can be changed by the emerging Tile community. Hence, identity is formed through meaningful symbolic communication that occurs within a specific, structured social situation, thus individual selves and social structure is reciprocal (Burke &Setes, 2009). If “Community Find” can be viewed as an innovative social situation which provides new access for symbolic interaction, the “I” defined by Mead might change with the social situation. Therefore, the user's identity can be changed by the “generalized other” in the Community Find network, which can lead to further changes in the ways in which users interact with other users in the Tile community. Many of the studies conducted about the growing dependency on information technology have negative reviews. There is a sense that the technology explosion has come at the cost of much poorer interpersonal skills among common users. April Mohr’s Georgetown thesis on the relationship between mobile technology and quality of life statistically analyzes the relationship between demographics, quality of life, and mobile communication devices such as laptops and cell phones (Mohr, 2013). Using a self-reported quality of life measurement and several other variables to include income, age, education and race, Mohr discovered a positive relationship between mobile communication and reported quality of life (Mohr, 2013). The increased sense of personal security the Tile Item Finder provides as well as the community collaboration may absolutely contribute to a perceived higher quality of life among Tile subscribers. In summary, the ICT discipline would address numerous detriments the Item Finder would bring to society, mostly focusing on security concerns. The ICT discipline would also address numerous benefits that the Item Finder would bring to society through its practical application of keeping track of valuables, further synchronizing our technological devices, and advancing technical applications in general. The sociology discipline would answer these questions in mostly positive senses, highlighting the creation of cooperative relationships amongst new networks of people and improving overall quality of life. One area of concentration which may be missing as a result of this approach could be looking at the problem from a commercialization and marketing approach. If this technology does reach critical mass and becomes very common among the population, would it lead to increased research in the technology and possibly lead to other technological advancements? Could increased commercialization lead to more densely populated networks? Could expansion in the commercial markets encourage criminal networks to focus more on exploiting this form of technology? To some extent, ICT and sociology does address these questions, but likely not to the depth which this approach deserves. 7 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 References: Administration Staff. (2011, October 24). Types Of Bluetooth Hacks And Its Security Issues. Retrieved from http://hassam.hubpages.com/hub/Types-Of-Bluetooth-Hacks-And-Its-Security-Issues Ahmad, S., Lu, R., & Hussain, M. J. (2014). Never Lose! Smart Phone based Personal Tracking via Bluetooth. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 4(3), 528–545. Alois, J. (2013, July 24). Tile Item Finder Crowdfunds Over 134 Times Goal, Rockets to Over $2.6 Million. Retrieved from http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2013/07/19443-tile-item-finder-crowdfunds-over134-times-goal-rockets-to-over-2-6-million/ Brown (Social Business), E. (2013, July 8). Tile, The Crowdsourced Mobile Object Locator Now Available in EU, Aus and NZ. Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.zdnet.com/article/tile-the-crowdsourcedmobile-object-locator-now-available-in-eu-aus-and-nz/ Burke, P. J., & Stets, J. E. (2009). Identity theory. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press. DeSilva, D. (2014, September 22). Tintag Bluetooth item tracker takes aim at Tile’s biggest shortcoming | 9to5Toys. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://9to5toys.com/2014/09/22/tintag-bluetooth-itemtracker/ Dzyre, N. (2014). 10 Bluetooth-Tracking Devices To Keep Your Belongings Safe - Hongkiat. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/bluetooth-tracking-devices/ Hollins, N. (2015, October 2). Interview with Norman Hollins at Best Buy, by Scott Schroeder. How It Works - Tile - Never Lose Your Keys, Wallet Or Anything Again. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2015, from 8 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 https://www.thetileapp.com/how-it-works Huang, B. (2015, October 3). Interview with Bokang Huang, Software Engineer, by Nina Yang [Skype]. Kolodny, L. (2014, May 20). Early Crowdfunding Player Indiegogo Brings On Famous New Investors. Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/05/20/early-crowdfunding-player-indiegogo-bringson-famous-new-investors/ Martin, J. (2015, October 5). Second-Gen Tile Review: The Bluetooth Tag that Helps You Find Lost Items. Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/digital-home/secondgeneration-tile-review-bluetooth-tag-3575574/ McGuire, P. (2013, August 29). Should You Be Freaked Out About Tile, the Cheapest New Location Tracker? Retrieved from http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/should-you-be-freaked-out-about-tile-thecheapest-new-location-tracker Mead, G. H. (2009). Mind, self, and society: From the standpoint of a social behaviorist (Vol. 1). University of Chicago press. Retrieved from http://ir.nmu.org.ua/bitstream/handle/123456789/5009/c3a60c23ee5eab07efd2e1c54f86897c.pdf?sequence =1 Mohr, A. (2010). On the relationship between mobile technology and quality of life (Order No. 1476447). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Georgetown University - WRLC; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: Business; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: Science & Technology; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: Social Sciences. 9 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 Name Withheld. (2015, October 2). Interview with Apple Store Employee, Washington, D.C. by Nina Yang & Jing Chen. O’Grady, J. D. (The A. C. (2013, June 21). Bluetooth “Tile” allows you to find lost keys, bikes, dogs, anything really. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.zdnet.com/article/bluetooth-tile-allows-you-tofind-lost-keys-bikes-dogs-anything-really/ Perez, Sarah. ( 2015, November 12) “Tile, The Lost-Item Tracker With Millions In Crowdfunding, Was Worth The Wait.” TechCrunch. http://social.techcrunch.com/2014/06/12/tile-the-lost-item-tracker-withmillions-in-crowdfunding-was-worth-the-wait/ Pasolini, A. (2013, June 25). Tile tracks objects with help from app users. Retrieved from http://www.gizmag.com/tile-object-tracker/27996/ Plante, C. (2015, September 25). Tile and the illogical plan to never lose my dog. Retrieved from http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/25/9397983/tile-2nd-generation-review Rouse, Margaret. (2005, September). What is ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies)? - Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/ICT-information-and-communications-technology-ortechnologies Schmidt, T. W.The ritualization of communication developments: Institutions and McDonaldized communication of everyday life (Order No. AAI1506753). 10 Worksheet 4 – Team Technology Critique: The Tile Item Finder CCTP 505: Introduction to Communication, Culture, & Technology Section 5 Fall 2015 What is Sociology? | Department of Sociology. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://sociology.unc.edu/undergraduate-program/sociology-major/what-is-sociology/ Tile. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2015, from https://www.facebook.com/thetileapp Tile finds photographer’s lost luggage across the globe - | Tile - Never Lose Your Keys, Wallet Or Anything Again. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.thetileapp.com/blog/tile-findsphotographers-lost-luggage-across-the-globe Tile (Gen 2) - Phone Finder. Key Finder. Item Finder - 1 Pack. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Tile-Gen-Phone-FinderFinder/dp/B011HT9AL2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447714282&sr=8-1&keywords=Tile Tile’s Bluetooth Tracking App Helped Find Stolen Car - Blog - | Tile - Never Lose Your Keys, Wallet Or Anything Again. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.thetileapp.com/blog/stolen-carrecovered-with-tile Tile Tracking Tags Help Keep Track of Your Family - | Tile - Never Lose Your Keys, Wallet Or Anything Again. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.thetileapp.com/stories/the-family-plan Sandhya, S., and K.A.S. Devi. (2012) “Analysis of Bluetooth Threats and v4.0 Security Features.” In 2012 International Conference on Computing, Communication and Applications (ICCCA), 1–4, 2012. Shrivastava, Manish.(2012)“Analysis of Security Risks in Bluetooth.” International Journal of Computing Academic Research ($2305-9184) 1, no. 2 (2012): 88–95. Xue, Q. (2015, October 3). Interview with Qiaoxuan Xue, Computer Science Student, by Jing Chen. 11