The Azure Sphere Challenge Heat Map!

Looks like I'm top of the board at the moment - 0xFRED. I suppose mainly because shipping was quick in the UK and I started earlier than most. Unfortunately I didn't realise what the device name would be used for when I registered, so it's nothing too silly. (Could I change it? Not sure if that would then count as a different device so maybe I'll leave it.)

One thing I find a little odd is how your ZIP / postal code pinpoints your location with a bit too much accuracy. You can see exactly which house I live in. Having that sort of info publicly available makes me a little uncomfortable. Someone could travel the world breaking in and stealing thousands of Azure Sphere kits. Maybe that why it's named "secure everything".

Looks like I'm top of the board at the moment - 0xFRED. I suppose mainly because shipping was quick in the UK and I started earlier than most. Unfortunately I didn't realise what the device name would be used for when I registered, so it's nothing too silly. (Could I change it? Not sure if that would then count as a different device so maybe I'll leave it.)

One thing I find a little odd is how your ZIP / postal code pinpoints your location with a bit too much accuracy. You can see exactly which house I live in. Having that sort of info publicly available makes me a little uncomfortable. Someone could travel the world breaking in and stealing thousands of Azure Sphere kits. Maybe that why it's named "secure everything".

Congrats Fred27, lucky you, for getting the kit quickly and be sure to "secure everything" . I too had the same thought when viewing the heat map!

42 devices so far! The places above Equator and the Western world is busy with the kit so far and India having 2 devices ... Imagining how it will be once everyone receive their kits!

Hi David, thanks for bringing up the issue regarding location. I'm going to contact the folks who built the app, we absolutely did discuss the privacy question of showing location, and settled on using postal codes. We will work to make sure it's anonymized enough so that everyone is comfortable!

Maybe UK postal codes are finer grained than US ZIP codes. I quick search shows they average 15 properties per post code, but if you live in a small road like I do (3 houses) there can be fewer.

To be honest I'm not too bothered that I can be located, but I'm sure others might be. Thanks for taking the time to look into it.

I'll be round later with some beers Fred! Combination of this map plus RFID door entry should let me find you (but I'll ring the doorbell rather than trying to defeat your security).

That seems to be exactly it, that the UK postal code can narrow things down further than most and the map pin happened to land where it did. One team member in California, USA who has been testing the contest server shows his device living in a much more general area based on his USA ZIP code.

On average a full UK postcode represents 17 delivery points (i.e. different houses). In a city or built-up area, that can narrow down the location to just a few yards. In rural areas, a single postcode can cover a wider geographical area.

E14 members bearing beer are always welcome.

Indeed, lucky you. I got my board today ... and set it up within about an hour of its arrival. I guess I won't see myself on the map until tomorrow - but should be the first one from AU (hopefully).

- Gough