Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is repurposing the company he started a few years back, Wheels of Zeus, to "make wireless useful" to being a locator network, according to my confidential and exclusive sources (like the Associated Press).

>From the "Company Overview" page:

wOz was founded by technology innovator and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in January 2001. Guided by the principles of ease of use and affordability, wOz provides partners with the wOz Platform system, an end-to-end wireless solution.

The wOz Platform includes an innovative wireless network, a system reference design, and an online service to enable wireless solutions in the areas of location, status, control, and communications. wOz partners will bring to market a range of business and consumer solutions based on the wOz Platform.

The heart of the wOz Platform is the wOzNet network, a unique local wireless network that provides long range and long battery life at a low cost. wOzNet enables businesses and consumers to locate, monitor and communicate with what’s important to them over much greater distances than current wireless networks.

wOzNet also enables the wOzNet Community™ network that can transparently mobilize an entire community to help locate a person, pet or thing that’s not where it should be. Businesses participating in wOzNet Community can provide an important public service to the community at no additional cost. And wOzNet grows organically so a community can be as large as the nation or even the world.

I have similar and more obvious reservations about public surveillance systems, but at least (in principle) participation in wOzNet is voluntary. Still, I can imagine the scenarios: jealous lovers, suspicious parents, and even nosy neighbors could wOzNet enable your car, and find out much more about your comings and goings than you would like them to know.