Satellite image of a Target store in New York. Credit: daiji / flickr
Apple Inc. is now collecting the &precise,& &real-time geographic location& of its users' iPhones, iPads and computers.
In an updated version of its , the company added a paragraph noting that once users agree, Apple and unspecified &partners and licensees& may collect and store user location data. 
When users attempt to download apps or media from the iTunes store, they are prompted to agree to the new terms and conditions. Until they agree, they cannot download anything through the store.
The company says the data is anonymous and does not personally identify users. Analysts have shown, however, that large, specific data sets
based on behavior patterns.
An increasing number of iPhone apps ask users for their location, which is then used by the application or even uploaded to the app's maker. Apps like the Twitter application Tweetie and Google Maps make frequent use of location data, either to help the user get oriented geographically or to associate the user's action with a specific location (as when a tweet is geotagged).
Apple says in its privacy policy that it uses personal information to &improve our services, content, and advertising.& 
On Monday, Apple also rolled out its new advertising platform, iAd, for the latest version of its iPhone operating system (iOS 4). The company may well be integrating the location information into its advertising system -- for instance, to help local shops sell coupons to users in the neighborhood.
The update to the privacy policy did not specify which partners or licensees Apple will share the data with or how long the data will be kept. The only proprietary application it mentioned in relation to the data collection was the && app that helps users recover lost phones.
Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.
Here's the passage in question:
To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.
Some location-based services offered by Apple, such as the MobileMe “Find My iPhone” feature, require your personal information for the feature to work.[Update #2, June 23rd, 1:25 p.m.: Apple has been collecting location information since 2008, when notice of that practice began to appear in its
for various Apple devices.  What the company did Monday was to move its language from those individual, device specific documents to its general privacy policy.  Apple still has not offered any comment on the nature of the &partners and licensees& it shares the location data with, or the time period for which it retains the data. By using the phones and devices, users are implicitly giving Apple their consent to collect the data.  But,  the EULA explains, usersmay withdraw this consent at any time by going to the Location Services setting on your iPhone and either turning off the global Location Services setting or turning off the individual location settings of each location-aware application on your iPhone.Update #1, June 21st, 4:11 p.m.: As some readers have noted, Apple has added a &Location Services& page under Settings--&General that allows users to prevent apps from using location information. However, there's nothing to indicate that these settings prevent Apple itself from gathering and storing location data from Apple devices. As a point of comparison, Google has said for some time that it collects geo-data from Android phones. On a page about its mobile privacy practices, the company also offers this
of what it collects and when: If you use location-enabled products and services, such as Google Maps for mobile, you may be sending us location information. This information may reveal your actual location, such as GPS data, or it may not, such as when you submit a partial address to look at a map of the area.-- David Sarno
AdvertisementCulture Bytes | Farhang's daily notes on Culture, Politics, Travel, Triathlon and Technology
Farhang's daily notes on Culture, Politics, Travel, Triathlon and Technology
It was 3 AM in the morning I woke up to some drunk guy yelling on the street. Amazingly I had a good sleep till then. I went back to it again and before I knew it my phone started ringing, it was my calendar reminder for the appointment I set long ago:
Sunday August 19th, 2012
From : 7 AM to 7 PM
Subject: Ironman Mont Tremblant
Location: Mont Tremblant
More than year of training and the day was finally here, surprisingly I was very calm. I had my usual 2 bottles of Ensure a piece of bread with honey,half a banana and 2 cups of coffee for breakfast and then laid on the couch to relax.
My mom and my aunt were constantly checking on me making sure I’m all good. I was a bit cold, it was probably the nerves, I put on some warm cloths and went back to bed. I wanted to go through some of the notes I had received in the last little while…
“…in an Ironman, its not IF something will go wrong, but WHEN will it go wrong”.
I think he was trying to say that its such a long race, that not everything is going to go your way.
I think you learned that in the half you did last month.
Keep your head focused on the goal and work around the obstacles that your will face during the race…”
“….Allow me to answer the two main questions you might ask yourself once in a while :
Was your preparation right? / have you done enough? –
Agha yes, you know it better than anyone else but just to reconfirm it from my point of view – I’m hundred percent sure that you are perfectly prepared. You proved it yourself a few weeks ago, when you went to MT and did the individual disciplines. This gave you a perfect psychological stability. I was so happy for you. Never forget during the race that you are perfectly prepared.
Will you be able to do it? / Will you successfully finish the race? –
Agha, a second yes, due to two main reasons. As the first success factor I see your mental stability and self confidence, which you always had and you received from you dad and your mum. The second and most important part is the very very strong motivation you need to go over your pain and to finish the marathon even if it feels meaningless during running – and here I’m even more confident than in the first success factor. Because you have chosen the best motivation factor in the beginning of 2011, when you decided to dedicate this race to your dad and for the children of Lahijan. … ” (Ramin)
“…One of the greatest things my dad has ever taught me and told me repeatedly is “it’s all in your mind. If you set your mind to something, the hard part is over.”.
I couldn’t agree more as I have seen this many times in my own life.
Not only do you have your mind set to accomplish this race, but you have a personal mission and a reason.
I have told you time and again that I am so proud of you guys for all that you have been through the past year and a half.
suffered a great loss, one that I can never imagine, but you stayed strong and let it drive you.
I know your father will be on your mind with every stroke you take, every hill you bike and every step you run.
I also know that he will be with you, cheering you on as your biggest fan.
… ” (Gloria)
It was 5:30 AM and time to leave. As I was walking towards the transition tent, I saw a lot of nervous faces,
racers walking around with the morning cloths bag sipping on electrolyte drinks. I finally made it to the transition area where I was greeted by a group of volunteers in charge of body marking.
Once body marking was completed, I headed down to the bike transition area to check on my bike and drop off my bags. At this point I was a bit confused, not knowing where the bags needed to go, thankfully JJ was there to help, he told where I needed to drop off my bags but I didnt quite pay attention to what he said. I walked all the way to the transition tent only to realize that the drop off bins were right by the bike start. I figured I might as well
put on my wetsuit and as I was looking for my swim stuff I noticed that I’ve forgotten my chip at the hotel. I ran back to my uncle to ask him if he could go and grab the chip for me but as he started running back to the hotel I found the chip in my bag, race morning craziness at its best.
Just before I start to head down to swim start, I finally found Diana, it was very comforting to see a familiar face. She was with her parents and they seem much more in control of things than my team. We started walking towards the swim start. Athletes right, spectators left,… I probably heard that a good 200 times while doing last minute preparations at the swim start.
The beach was packed, everyone was smiling, some nervously. Last minute hugs and kisses and we were
off. There was a huge line up to get to the beach, swimmers were actually backed out all the way to the top of the beach. Diana and I
found a little pathway and got ourselves to the front of the line, all the way on the left side as it was said in the plan.
no time to warm up for the swim, we just had to do some quick arm swings to raise the blood pressure, not that it was needed. Before I knew it the cannon went off and pros started.
I can’t quite remember how the next 10 minutes passed but I remember seeing the jet fly by and then hear go go go. Diana and I were at the far left attached to the platform that was setup for spectators and camera crew. we started walking slowly to the end of the platform and then it all started. I reminded myself to stay calm and try to find my breathing rhythm and then I remembered my dad, with my head under the water, I remember trying to call him, pedar.
(Here is a video that shows how brave we were in attacking the water at the start! Around 1:25, you’ll notice 2 athletes(Diana and I)
attached to the platform making their way forward! )
It was time to focus, slowly but surely I made my way through the swim course, I felt very comfortable and confident that I could cover the distance with no problem. Every time I saw a buoy in the distance I tried to get as close as I could to it , making sure I don’t
get myself into thick of things.
I had estimated that I will be swimming an extra 100-200 meters as a result of swimming further to the left, but that was ok. I just needed to get to my bike. 400 meters into the swim and as expected my Garmin dropped the signal. I never got the chance to test if this was because I was wearing the 910 under my cap. I guess thats something I will have to figure out after the race. The next 2.5K of the swim was fantastic, I was breathing properly, I had open water and every once in while I found some good legs to follow, the swim could not be any better than this.
Almost 3K into the swim I started feeling the fatigue in my arms. I tried to ignore it, but it stayed with me for a next few minutes. I decided to do
50 DPS to give my arms a bit of a break, this was something that I’ve practised on my own. I did 50 DPS followed by 100 stroke and then another 50 DPS. I felt better and I was not able see the island.
As said in the plan the water got shallow close to the finish area before it got deep again. I see other swimmers trying to stand up and run but they struggle. I kept swimming and I could now hear the crowd.
For the first time in the last year and half I ran out of the water not being exhausted. I was happy, the guy beside me did a somersault as he ran towards the wetsuit ripping area. The crowd went crazy.
After taking off of my wetsuit I started running towards the transition tent while looking for familiar faces, and there it was my aunt with her Blackberry ready to take a photo. I high five her and continued.
The run to the transition was pretty fast, the crowd was very loud, the atmosphere was just fantastic. There was chaos in the transition tent, I grabbed my bag and then head to the change area. It took me a while to find an empty seat. I remembered Sylvie’s words, this is still part of the race, don’t rush but don’t waste time either. I quickly changed to my bike gear while sipping on a perform and headed out. As expected a lot of the racers have already left and my bike was sitting almost alone by itself. Nothing to worry about though, this was just part of the plan.
Out of the transition area, I ran a quick check, all systems were go. Through the constant cheering of the crowd I made it to Monte Ryan where I hit a traffic jam, again I reminded myself that I needed to let my body warm up for the first 10 minutes, but these riders seems to be too slow for a warm up. It was time for the first pass on the bike. I passed one person quickly and got back into the line. I was nervous about being caught drafting so I decided to go for another pass and before I knew it I was sitting in the left lane, passing a whole bunch of riders. As I was just about to pass a group of 5 riders on the first hill of Monte Ryan, I noticed the officals’ motorcycle pulling beside me and then slowing down to my pace. I quickly sped up and passed the group and merged back to the right lane.
Officials stayed with me for another 10 seconds which felt a lot longer and then moved ahead. I took a deep breath,
quickly checked my numbers and refocused.
I dont remember a whole lot about the first loop of highway 117.
The ride was pretty uneventful and I remember feeling really good through the ride. I saw Nigel, Sylvie, Brandon and
few other NRG athletes on the ride. It was certainly a good decision to wear the NRG gear through the bike ride.
Before I knew it, I was off 117 and heading into St. Jovite, and it was rockin!
The streets were packed with people, banners and volunteers.
Lots of cheering, lots of cowbells. My favorite was the guy in the BBQ apron that looked like Michaelangelo’s David (without the leaf).
Heading back to Monte Ryan I felt really good I was partially excited to see my team and as expected as I made the turn to head to head up lac superior, I saw the whole crew, I gave them a thumbs up indicating things are going well and headed for fun ride up to lac superior.
The first loop to the lac superior went very well, I was really comfortable climbing and I had no problem controlling my power. Once on the top I remember thinking, as it was exactly stated on the plan, this wasn’t too bad, I can do this again. Just before I head back down to Tremblant, I passed by Eric, it was a great surprise as I did not expect to see anyone from the UofT tri club on the race. We wished each other good luck and I was off for a quick and fast ride down the hill.
Pumped from being able to making it up the hill comfortably I decided that I dont need to pickup my bike special needs bag. I went through the
rest stop quickly and after getting another boost of energy from the team I headed for the second loop.
Overall the first loop went really well, I was on top of my nutrition and
there was no sign of cramps in my legs. Perhaps the only mistake that I made was not to lap on my Garmin after finishing the first loop, I thought about it hard and then I decided not to do it as I was worried that might start chasing the numbers and push myself too hard and although I purposely backed off during the second loop, having clean view of the second loop would have helped me to manage my power a bit better.
All was going as planned in the second loop until the wind caught us on 117. I could almost see the turn around point on 117 when things really started to slow down. As per plan this was almost expected but the big surprise of the day was the stronger wind that hit us on the way back to St.
Jovite after the turn around on 117.
perhaps the only time of the day that I had to dig a bit deep was the 20 KM ride to St. Jovite. Looking back at the race I could have certainly pushed a bit harder but though this portion but the uncertainty of marathon held me back. All that said I was relatively feeling good, my nutrition was all going as planned and my legs were still in good shape. The rest of the second loop was pretty quiet, I certainly felt more tired but I was still feeling good. I was becoming a bit anxious on the way up to lac superior, hills seemed longer and steeper but I had a marathon to worry about and that kept my head off from the hills. I grabbed a bottle of perform on the way back and started sipping it on the way down, getting ready for the run.
TP’s ride log:
Off the bike I started running, feeling really good, to the transition tent, this was when all my doubts for the run went away. With the help of an amazing volunteer I quickly changed into my run gear and headed out for the course. This was the best I have ever felt out of the bike transition of any race in the last two years. Out of the gate and not even a 20 meters out I heard my name, it was Diana’s dad, and this was all I needed to ignite my running engine. I started sprinting up the hill browsing the crowd for my team and sure enough half way through up the hill, I saw my sister, Pouria, Shannon and JJ. I can’t describe how amazing it feels to see a familiar face through the race but hearing a big group cheering for you right out of the run gate is all you need to make it through the first half of the run.
The run was the best part of my day, feeling a bit nervous from y half experience in Peterborough, a good start in the run gave me the confidence that I needed. I ran the first 2K on 4:35. Once I realized how fast I was running I slowed down and started to focus on my rythem and think about nutrition. 7K in and it was the first time through the race that I saw Diana, she cwas a good 6 K ahead of me, we smiled at each other and continued.
Through loud cheers of the crowd and fantastic volunteers I made my way back to the transition area to wrap up my first loop, It was getting a bit colder and clouds were moving in quickly. I was feeling a bit of fatigue in my legs but nothing serious to stop me. My energy level looked good and seeing my team at the beginning of the second loop of the run gave me the last boost of energy I needed
The last 20K through the run was rather emotional, I knew the end was near and I just felt the urge to share my story. A few times I felt like pulling right by other runners and tell them who I am running for but this did not happen until the last few Ks of the run.
5 K to the finish and right in the middle of heavy a rain is where I met Allen, we ran the next few Ks together and chatted a bit. He told me with our pace we’d be able to finish just before 12 hours mark and that was the first time I realized how long I’ve been running. I asked him why he was doing this and told him my
and with that off of my chest I was ready to cross the finish line.
Over the hill and through into the pedestrian village, I saw my sister at the entrance to the village holding the “Children of Lahijan” T-shirt that I was suppose to wear at the finish, but for some reason I didnt want to stop. Thinking about it now, I feel a bit bad for having her wait in the rain for me, but at the moment I was just not thinking properly. I cant remember the last few hundred meters of the race, next thing I remember is me kissing the ground at the finish
My brain was blocked, I was nto thinking about anything, couldnt even rememebr that I had a whole crew waiting to greet me. I was just overwhelmed with the thought of having finished an Ironman. After getting my medal and finisher shirt, I got in the line for some food. I saw Andrew and Nigel on the line and we chatted a bit about the race and our amazing experiences. Next I saw Diana and her family we congratulated each other and finally I saw my family. After a couple of minutes of emotional hugs, kisses and tears it was time to head back. We said farewell to Diana and her family and I went back to the transition to collect my bags.
The day was over, mission accomplished and a new goal for 2013 was set.
TP’s run log:
Posted in , ,
Its time to put the feet up, relax and reflect on the
journey, the race is just around the corner.
On June 2011, I made the decision to particiapte in my first Ironman event in memory of my father. 14 months later and after many hours of intense training, I am ready for the big task.
To celebrate his memory , we have decided to use this event to run another fundraising campaign for the Children of Lahijan. During our last two fundraising campaigns we managed to raise a total $6000 that allowed us to purchase clothing for 125 kids in Lahjian. Our goal for this round is to raise $3000.
To honor our donors, for our third campaign we have prepared something special. Donors who donate a minimum of $50 will receive a “Children of Lahijan” T-Shirt, designed by our good friend .
If you are willing to contribute to this cause, please visit . Thank you for your donation in advance
This was important milestone and quite honestly an important emotional day for me. I had to dig deep many times and remind myself why I decided to do this and why I will continue to do it. I’m happy about my day but not 100% satisfied I’m sure many better and worse races are yet to come
The day started pretty well, I was rested well and felt calm, Diana certainly helped in that department. We did a quick swim warm up just in time for the start. I felt good through the first half of the swim, the second half was a bit tougher and my pace dropped. I obviously need a lot of help in the swimming department, it might be too late now but this would something I will definitely work on the next winter.
T1 went pretty well. I think I finally managed to get hang of things in transition
Overall it went pretty well. I was a bit uncomfortable on the ride back and had slight mechanical at 20 K into the ride which I have myself to blame for. My chain came out due to some bad shifting. Unfortunately it was at the start of the hill so I ended up losing more time there.
Beyond that, the ride back was a long haul of me battling the cramps. The cramps were both on my thighs and calves. In one way they worked well for me because I was not able to reduce the pressure on the pedal as the cramps would get worse but I was a bit worried about the run. The cramps got better over time but they did come back towards the end of the ride. The rest of story is on TrainingPeaks, at least the VI is not as bad but I think I still need to work on a few things.
As for nutrition, I stuck to the plan but I think I can perhaps make some adjustments in that department as well. I didn’t necessarily felt low on fuel but I as you’ll see later I may need to do something a bit extra for the start of the run.
T2 was also smooth, although (this is probably normal) when I got of the bike, I had some serious pain in my legs which went away pretty quickly.
Terrible is probably the right word to describe the run. It started with some cramping which I ignored as I was sure it would get worse if I stopped. I kept the pressure for the first 2 K and at some point the pain became unbearable so I walked about a 100 meters. I restarted after getting some Gatorade at the aid station, but here is where I felt I could use some extra nutrition, I did have some gels with me but I didn’t want to deviate from the plan of drinking Gatorade so I avoided them (Note to self, Need a plan B). I was feeling alright, slower pace between 3 and 10 but it was between 10K and 14K mark where I really blew up on those hills, I simply didn’t have the legs to run them. Interestingly after 14, I picked up the pace again and I did much better, but the damage was already done.
Some pictures of the race can be found here:
There is two and a half months left to the big event and I’m dialing it up by day. I just wrapped the first race of the season and I’m very happy about my performance. Milton is a pretty challenging spring course but certainly a great race to kick off the season. While I have seen big improvements in my run and bike, my swimming stays constant. To make any significant changes to my swimming pace, I will have to spend a lot of time and that’s not a luxury I can afford right now. I’m just going to focus on endurance and strength and try to wrap it up with a decent pace, I will have quite a bit of time to move up the ranks on the ride.
In Milton though, I was happy with my swimming, it was pretty straight and right around 2 min pace. I did drop the pace just a bit towards the end but I think that was mainly because I miscalculated the depth and stopped to start running out of the water:
The bike course was as difficult as I expected it. It was certainly a smart idea to go and checkout the course a day before, the 6th line hill could shock you if you haven’t seen it before the race. As per Sylvie’s instructions, I kept a steady watt around 250 on the hill. I made sure that I have enough power to push over the top and attack the rest of rollers. For the next 10 K of the ride I pushed hard and rode smart, approached every hill with a good momentum and made sure I push off the top of it. My power averaging around 210 watts.
The ride back to T2 was pretty fast. I made sure that I give my legs a bit of rest for the hilly run course
The run was the portion of the race I had the least idea about. With the exception of the short hill right out of the transition area, I did not know much about the rest of the course. It actually turned out to be a good thing at the end or otherwise it could have slowed me down.
I ended up setting one of my fastest runs despite the challening and up hill first 4 KM of the run. I ran a 4:02 on the second half of the course for a total average pace of 4:25.
Overall I’m very happy with my performance, Its now time to log some 5 hour rides and get ready for the half Ironman race. This is going to be really good.
Lastly, here is the link to my pre-race warm up track, one of my most favorite essential mixes of all time.
Not to Jinx myself, but I’m feeling good and getting better by the day.
I just need to be careful and stay injury free
Here my latest numbers:
Swim: 2:00/100 for the long Swim (3K)
Run: 4:55/KM for 26 K
Bike FTP: 256
Here is my FTP results from yesterday’s test
And my track of the week:
Got a massive boost this afternoon at the 21 K mark when my ipod shuffled to a power booster by , I wish we could carry iPods at races.
Its been a while since I’ve reported on my training. Well here is a quick update:
Things have been going really well.Here is a snapshot of my third FTP test results:
and a link to the full workout:
My FTP now sits at 236, not bad but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Personally I’m targeting and average of 180 &# watts for my ride at the race. I think I have enough time to get there. Next few months is going to be a lot of fun.
Biking: My Saturday bike rides are now up to 3.5 hours, I’m averaging at 150 watts, this will obviopusly change when I hit the outdoors which should not be too far in the future!
Running: Sunday runs are now up to 2:20 , I’m pacing right around 5:00/KM for the long run and 4:40/KM for an hour progression ride.
Swimming: Thing have certainly improved since I’ve been back at the pool, my technique has improved but I still have a lot of work to do on my left arm and body rotation. My Sunday swims are now up to 3K and I’m focusing on a race pace of 2:00/100m. At the pool I’m around 1:45/100 for the short distance. I’ll just have to wait and see how things turnout in the lake.
Nutrition: This is the only part of my training plan that I’ve been slacking at. I am planning to organize my diet by the end of March. I think I still need to lose another 5 pounds for better performance but I’m not too worried. I’m sure summer rides and runs will get me there.
That’s all the update for now. Stay tuned!
Posted in ,
Tears, Hugs,
Emotions … we all dream about that moment.
Those of us who have made the commitment and go through countless hours of training constantly dream about the finish line.
But for some there are
no flashes, compliments or finish lines …
My mother does what I do for a few hours a day …. around the clock, day in and day out … she’s been doing this for 30 years with no finish line to dream about. She’s the strongest person I know , better than world’s best endurance athlete.
There are days that you just
feel you can go forever … today was one of them!}