Using beacons to more effectively remind or market to shoppers

Back at Apple's 2013 event, they mentioned iBeacon as part of their new upgrades. This technology uses Bluetooth Low Energy to alert your phone when it comes within range of a beacon - a small, low-powered device used to identify a place. Sneaky Apple not only announced a major competitor to NFC (Near Field Communiction), they also announced that some of their products (and others) have built in beacon functionality and have had them for some time. With the rollout of iOS 7 and OS X 10.9, there are suddenly tens of millions of iBeacon ready devices which can both seek or offer location awareness.Why is this important? Bluetooth low energy technology currently offers a range of 50 meters/160 feet using a trickle of energy (less than 15 milliamps according to this page). Your phone is suddenly able to identify interesting or even necessary locations within that range with very little impact on the device itself. This is a major step towards the Internet of Things and, as with most leaps forward, will have both positive and negative impacts on our lives and privacy.Here's a positive example as a parent. Before a trip this past year, we ordered a tracking device for our toddler. With a range of 1600 feet, it is 10x the distance of a beacon, but it also requires an additional device, additional batteries and has a large "bug" attached to her clothing. Something easily identifiable and removable, something a small wafer would not be. I could just slip a beacon in her pocket or attach it to her sock. Maybe in the future, Huggies and Pampers will offer diapers and pull-ups with small pockets for these devices...or maybe the diapers will simply incorporate beacon technology. But the Internet of Things means our children can become identifiable, digital dots in space.The first use of the beacon technology is by Apple, in their own stores. This month, inMarket is installing beacon technology in Seattle, San Francisco and Cleveland grocery stores. Once in place, the stores will be capable of alerting individuals who install and run iBeacon responsive apps to items on their shopping lists, items that may have been out of stock when it was previously on their list, coupons, or even less expensive comparable items. As a family that uses a grocery app, this could be beneficial to me. Especially for items I have not previously purchased and am not certain where to find (I'm a man...and quite certain grocery stores are designed to foil our gender).Apple devices and their accessories are nice. Groceries are better. But the technology doesn't have many limitations as what is in the space where the beacon is located doesn't matter, except to whoever controls the beacon. The technology can be added to anything and, if made responsive, could even be used to then track an individual for various reasons. Suddenly a concept I first read about back in 2007 can be created.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dgaz6NIUFk]There is, of course, a downside. Enabling the apps, or maybe without enabling the apps, we can be identified. Our preferences can be databased and a profile of our strengths, interests, flaws and vices can be used in the future to separate us from our money. Given the current widespread concerns over NSA tracking, beacon technology is capable of identifying and tracking ever more granular details about our lives. Details that could be used against us in ways we cannot currently identify.