GPS Nüvi Blog

As reported in this blog a few days ago (here), a Swedish art student (not artist, as we previously reported and as generally reported in other blogs and even news outlets) recently claimed that he had given a delivery company a metal case with a foam-protected GPS unit and a list of detailed instructions, by global map coordinates, for exactly where to take the package.

The route consisted, as seen on the original picture (see the linked thread above for a large graphic of the GPS’s reported route), of a complex, unbroken line that would require the delivery company to, beginning in Stockholm, fly around Europe, over Africa, through Asia and the Americas, all the while following the student’s lengthy list of pointless detours, huge loop, and forays thousands of miles over open ocean, only to reverse suddenly and fly back to land. All of this was to create the contours of the portrait of the curly-haired instigator, Erik Nordenankar.

As reported at telegraph.co.uk., blogs (such as www.GPSNuvi.com) reported on the news, and many found holes in the art student’s claims. (The Telegraph specifically mentions something we reported on here — that it is highly improbable that any delivery company would fly in several huge loops over the seas north of Scandinavia to create the portrait’s hair.) How did the GPS maintain an unbroken signal from its thick metal case for so long? Why does the route so often veer far from land, to areas where the company (DHL) has no service? Since when does any delivery company accept suggested delivery routes from customers, especially ones that would prove incredibly costly and pointless?

Well, it turns out the suspicions were on the mark: Nordenankar has admitted that the whole thing was made up. Despite the evidence on his website (photographs of the package, YouTube footage of him at a DHL warehouse with the package and of him sketching out the route beforehand, etc) the GPS was never sent around the world. Some bloggers praised the evidence as convincing (even while saying it might be a hoax), but in reality is was always flimsy and proved nothing.

The other main suspicion is that this whole story is simply a viral marketing campaign for the delivery company. DHL has stated that, yes, it allowed Erik to videotape inside the warehouse for a school project, but never sent any GPS around the world and certainly didn’t follow any customer-specified route through 62 countries. The courier’s half-hearted promise to get in touch with the student and find out more about his claims sound like a co-conspirator playing its part.

Of course, what would the company stand to gain from this anyway? At first, it seemed (if the package really had been sent around the world in the advertised fashion, even as a marketing hoax) that the company would gain favor with the public as a friendly, versatile service that can deliver anywhere. More friend than corporation — excellent PR points. But as it stands now, we are left with a company that does not follow instructions, makes no special forays into remote areas, and can let itself be easily duped by a kid with a videocamera.

If this turns out to be a marketing scheme for DHL, as still seems likely, one wonders if it was really thought out that well. Maybe it’s their first. Better luck next time. In the meantime, we’ll stick with UPS who is too busy delivering packages to engage in such shenanigans.

Erik Nordenankar, an artist in Stockholm, Sweden, says that he put a GPS device inside a package and gave a transportation company very detailed instructions where to send it.

Over 55 days, 62 countries, and 100,000+ miles, Nordenankar says the steel case containing the GPS was shuttled about according to his coordinates, and when it returned to Stockholm, he downloaded the information into his computer. The route taken by the GPS created the contours of the apparent self-portrait.

But questions remain: how was the route followed so well, especially in places such as where it dips down into the south Atlantic, only to suddenly reverse and head toward Europe? How did the unit’s antenna stay connected at every point and in every type of transportation? Surely at least once on such a journey, a driver would get lost following his vehicle’s GPS trying to deliver a legitimate package — statistically (and ironically) speaking, of course — and throw off the contours.

Most of all: what kind of transportation company follows requests to fly a package around in circles to make big curly hair loops in the sky (click image to enlarge the detail of the apparent course of the GPS over the rough, chilly waters in far northern Europe)? This is the biggest concern of all: the gut feeling that this is all advertising. We are not mentioning the transportation company here, since it smacks so strongly of a marketing gimmick and it’s a letdown if that’s all it is.

It’s a clever gimmick, of course, and admirable in its conception; but it’s sad to think that all the best ideas, and artists, all serve the dollar rather than the spirit.

On the other hand, if this really happened (and there is apparent supporting evidence on the official website, biggestdrawingintheworld.com), then hats off to both the artist and the courier.

But for now, pardon our cynicism.

Mitsuhisa Kobayashi, an unemployed 30-year-old in the small town of Itami northeast of Osaka, Japan, has been caught in an ingenious plot to steal cars.

Kobayashi worked with his two ex-wives. The women would rent a car, bringing it to Mr. Kobayashi. He had been a worker at an auto plant, and was able to attach a GPS device to a car where it would operate even while the car was turned off. A wife would return the car, and then Kobayashi would track it when someone else rented it.

When he saw his chance — the car parked in a lot, say, with the current customer elsewhere — Kobayashi would use a key copy he’d made and steal the car.

Unfortunately it didn’t last: both of his ex-wives’ identification cards, used when renting the cars, were outdated and reflected a still-married status, as well as Kobayashi’s home address. When the ruse was discovered, finding the culprit was easy.

In total, the man and the women managed to steal eight cars. When police arrested him, three of the cars were in his possession. The other five, he said, he’d sold “on the internet.” The reason he gave for the whole scheme was that he wanted to drive nice cars.

The women have also been contacted by the Nishinomiya Police. Exactly what they got out of the scheme is unclear.

John Edwards may have endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination, and words are flying back and forth about which preacher endorses which candidate, and what exactly all that means.

But the hottest, most sought-after endorsement was revealed recently: Oprah Winfrey gushed about the versatility and practicality of the humble little Garmin Nuvi, giving away several to members of her studio audience.

Oprah is widely known to have extreme power over the decisions made by consumers - the books she gives good reviews to generally end up being bestsellers.

So Garmin will likely see their fortunes, already impressive, rise even more. Maybe Oprah’s endorsement will even allow Obama to reach the White House — no GPS needed to find his way.

Garmin’s GPS and detailed mapping technology has been available for BlackBerry users for some time.

But now the companies have established a new relationship that will likely be beneficial for all involved, including customers. For a one-time fee of $99.99, BlackBerry users can use their phones for location and navigation for life.

Generally, mapping companies charge by the month or by the day for their services. This new deal will likely appeal to phone customers who have avoided such technology in the past due to the frightening billing procedure.