Apple Removes Wi-Fi Finders from App Store

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
Apple has removed all Wi-Fi finders from the App Store. Aha! Now we know who is behind all those laptop thefts…it was all you damn iPhone owners....I knew it! :)

Apple removed several Wi-Fi apps commonly referred to as stumblers, or apps that seek out available Wi-Fi networks near your location. According to a story on Cult of Mac, apps removed by Apple include WiFi-Where, WiFiFoFum, and yFy Network Finder.
Click to expand...
 
I have inSSIDer installed on my laptop!! it is time to get revenge . . . .
 
What do you need an app for anyways? When you use your data connection with your WiFi turned on and not connected to one, you're going to be harassed by WiFi-in-area prompts anyways.

When I ride my train to and from work, I always disable WiFi or else I will randomly and often be prompted that a WiFi signal is in range.
 
Azhar said:
this doesn't affect me so no one else should care either
Click to expand...

Not everyone is using an i*phone* you know. And besides, surely you can recognize that there are other uses for wifi finders than simply replacing the built-in wifi connection interface, yes?
 
Sabrewulf165 said:
Not everyone is using an i*phone* you know. And besides, surely you can recognize that there are other uses for wifi finders than simply replacing the built-in wifi connection interface, yes?
Click to expand...

I believe I asked that in my post above yours. You didn't have to misquote me. I did not imply that I don't care because I'm not using it anyways. I'm actually asking "what the hell is it for anyways?" :-P
 
Azhar said:
What do you need an app for anyways? When you use your data connection with your WiFi turned on and not connected to one, you're going to be harassed by WiFi-in-area prompts anyways.

When I ride my train to and from work, I always disable WiFi or else I will randomly and often be prompted that a WiFi signal is in range.
Click to expand...

It could be that these apps are allowing users to easily find devices rather than hotspots, and thus you can walk around a parking lot or something and find cars with laptops, phones, etc. This makes it so a thief doesn't even need to case you or see your expensive machinery through a window, he just knows its there and breaks in and takes it.
 
Azhar said:
I believe I asked that in my post above yours. You didn't have to misquote me. I did not imply that I don't care because I'm not using it anyways. I'm actually asking "what the hell is it for anyways?" :-P
Click to expand...

Sorry, you're right.

I can't speak for anyone else but when I owned an ipod touch (which I eventually returned, just didn't use it that much) I had wififofum and would often just use it during boring meetings or while driving around town out of sheer curiosity. You find wireless networks in the strangest places sometimes. It was fun. And the app often detected signals too weak to be picked up by the built-in wifi detector.

Not particularly useful perhaps, but fun, and there's no reason for Apple to be restricting people's choices like this.
 
SonicTron said:
It could be that these apps are allowing users to easily find devices rather than hotspots, and thus you can walk around a parking lot or something and find cars with laptops, phones, etc. This makes it so a thief doesn't even need to case you or see your expensive machinery through a window, he just knows its there and breaks in and takes it.
Click to expand...

Time to strap a bomb to a laptop! One day one these fuckers is going to break into a car and draw back a nub.

And yep, the good old Apple nanny state.
 
Apple removes this from App Store, Apple removes that from App Store... Soon we will hear Apple removed App Store from iPhone. :)
 
faugusztin said:
Apple removes this from App Store, Apple removes that from App Store... Soon we will hear Apple removed App Store from iPhone. :)
Click to expand...

This about says everything I could say on the matter.

cLop7.jpg


The reasoning for pulling the app was because it used "undocumented" APIs... if this was a valid reason to restrict access to an application on any OS, there wouldn't be very many apps for anyone to run.

The fact that Apple is having to pull so many apps they've already once approved does speak volumes about their process and need for control after the fact.
 
SonicTron said:
It could be that these apps are allowing users to easily find devices rather than hotspots, and thus you can walk around a parking lot or something and find cars with laptops, phones, etc. This makes it so a thief doesn't even need to case you or see your expensive machinery through a window, he just knows its there and breaks in and takes it.
Click to expand...

Laptops don't send any wifi signals when closed or in standby do they?
 
I'm glad we have choice when it comes to smartphones. G1 FTW :)

Too bad it's pretty much impossible to find a non-apple 160GB+ HD mp3/lossless player that it's focus is playing music and not watching movies or playing games on a small screen. I hope sometime this year rockbox will be able to crack the 6th gen ipods.
 
odysseus145 said:
Laptops don't send any wifi signals when closed or in standby do they?
Click to expand...

I actually think they do, I was reading a story about people using these finders to break into cars with laptops to steal. I think even when turned off you can still pick up a small signal. I could be way wrong on this though.
 
techrat said:
This about says everything I could say on the matter.

cLop7.jpg


The reasoning for pulling the app was because it used "undocumented" APIs... if this was a valid reason to restrict access to an application on any OS, there wouldn't be very many apps for anyone to run.

The fact that Apple is having to pull so many apps they've already once approved does speak volumes about their process and need for control after the fact.
Click to expand...

Very funny and very true. :D

I'll never own an iPhone. :cool:
 
Just one more reason why I'm glad I kicked my iPhone 3G to the curb and then rooted a Droid.

Droid definitely does, well just about everything. :eek:
 
Azhar said:
What do you need an app for anyways? When you use your data connection with your WiFi turned on and not connected to one, you're going to be harassed by WiFi-in-area prompts anyways.

When I ride my train to and from work, I always disable WiFi or else I will randomly and often be prompted that a WiFi signal is in range.
Click to expand...

You can turn off the notification of WiFi networks, if you so choose. :)
 
rflcptr said:
You can turn off the notification of WiFi networks, if you so choose. :)
Click to expand...

True, but sometimes when I go out for lunch downtown Chicago, I pick up the free signal in the building I'm in to enjoy some higher speed CNN.com browsing while eating.

I'm just lazy :-P
 
Translation: Now that app developers have created several popular Wi-Fi locating apps, it's time to remove them for the App Store -- of course, this clears the field for Apple's very own Wi-Fi locator on the iPad.
 
Despite HardOCP's biased campaign against Apple, its stock hit an all-time high today. :D
 
I work in IT, and often need to do site surveys for wireless installations. WiFiFoFum GREATLY reduces the amount of hardware I have to walk around with at a new site. With that one app, I can not only tell what other SSID's are broadcasting nearby, but can easily tell what channels they are on. I can then place my test transmitter(s) in the building, and walk around with nothing more than my phone and be able to record signal levels.

Nice to see Apple is doing this kneejerk reaction for no good reason.
 
uclajd said:
Despite HardOCP's biased campaign against Apple, its stock hit an all-time high today. :D
Click to expand...
And we know a company is being reasonable and fair when its stock jumps up. :D


Reasons why Wi-Fi Finders are useful:
1) You can easily force rescans of wifi networks in the area instead of waiting for a refresh
2) Provides more signal strength information instead of just 3 bars
3) You can troubleshoot network problems and differentiate routers with the same SSID
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top