Franson Technology has launched GpsGate.com, a GPS mapping portal designed to enable people to share their locations from their Windows laptop or Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC device with anyone they have personally approved to “spot” them online. By logging in to GpsGate.com, users will be able to see their buddies moving in real-time on a map. To share their position with others in their group, they simply need to install GpsGate software on their Windows laptop or Windows Mobile Pocket PC. This software will enable them to share their GPS signal so that it can be received by fellow group members. GpsGate.com also offers a Google Earth plug-in so that friends’ locations can be spotted on a satellite image rather than a map.

Wireless consulting company inCode, a division of VeriSign, has released its predictions for the 10 most important events in the wireless industry for the coming year. The list, compiled by inCode’s senior staff, has had 80 percent accuracy since its inception, according to the company.

Palm and Telcel announced the availability of the Treo 680 smartphone in Mexico. The Treo 680 GSM/GPRS/EDGE quad-band world phone, running on the Palm OS, boasts Palm’s hallmark ease of use. Slim, compact, and packed with features beyond its stellar phone capability–such as email, Web browsing, messaging, multimedia, calendar, contacts and more–the Treo 680 will keep any user productive.

Ars Technica has a very disturbing report about limitations on Windows Vista upgrades. Fundamentally, if you buy the Windows Vista Upgrade (rather than the full version), you will now be restricted from performing a full, fresh Windows install. Since we consider a fresh Windows install an absolute necessity from time to time (what with security issues, rootkits, etc), the Windows Vista Upgrade product is fundamentally limiting. Given that it requires that you upgrade on top of what might well be a compromised Windows XP install, you’re already starting off badly. Even though you’ll save a few dollars, we think purchasing the Windows Vista Upgrade with this limitation is ultimately a complete waste of money.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is both a fascinating and controversial technology. It came to the general public’s awareness in discussions about embedding RFID tags in clothing, to track the purchase of clothing items in stores. The general paranoia from that, of course, is the idea that RFID could be used to compromise individual privacy — a new version of Big Brother is watching you. What is RFID, really? What are the advantages and issues? In our quest to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the topic, we’ve been very fortunate to enlist the help of Martyn Mallick, one of the leading experts on RFID technology. Over the next three articles, we’ll be talking to Martyn and learning all about RFID. If you’re interested in emerging technologies, this is a series you won’t want to miss.

Read this Computing Unplugged article.

Rabid video gamers could get some help keeping in touch with the outside world this weekend as Nintendo Co. launches an online news service through its popular Wii console. The Wii News Channel, scheduled to debut Saturday, will primarily feature top news stories and photographs from The Associated Press.

A novel whose narrative consists entirely of mobile phone text messages has been published in Finland. “The Last Messages” tells the story of a fictitious information-technology executive in Finland who resigns from his job and travels throughout Europe and India, keeping in touch with his friends and relatives only through text messages.

An overhaul of Microsoft’s flagship Windows software promises to put more razzle and dazzle in computer games, but its emphasis on security may make things tougher for smaller game developers. When Windows Vista goes on sale to consumers on January 30, Microsoft is counting on gamers to create buzz about the first overhaul of the company’s flagship software in five years.

Internet service provider EarthLink will be providing citywide Wi-Fi access in its hometown of Atlanta. EarthLink announced on Thursday that it’s negotiating a contract with the city to build, own and operate a municipal Wi-Fi network throughout the city.

Twentieth Century Fox Film served YouTube with a subpoena on Wednesday demanding that the Google-owned viral-video site disclose the identity of a user who uploaded copies of entire recent episodes of prime-time series 24 and The Simpsons. The subpoena, which first came to light on the blog Google Watch, was granted by a judge in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California after being filed by the News Corp.-owned studio on January 18. It is not yet known whether YouTube has complied with the request.