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Dueling Santa trackers are live

Santa is on the way. As of this writing, according to Google's new Santa Tracker, Kris Kringle and his reindeer are in Canberra, Australia, dishing out gifts and toys to the girls and boys down under faster than you can say, "Paul Hogan's your uncle."

Those lucky Aussies always get everything before the rest of us, whether it's making it through the Mayan apocalypse unscathed or landing some sweet Christmas swag earlier.

But wait, the long-standing NORAD Santa tracker (now powered by Microsoft's Bing maps) is also monitoring the fat man and his flying venison, too. The official U.S. government-sanctioned Santa tracker currently has him over Japan as I write this.… Read more

Watch out NORAD: Here comes Google's new Santa Tracker

Google has announced a new way for children around the world to track Santa as he makes his rounds.

The appropriately named Santa Tracker was developed by Google Maps engineers who developed a new route algorithm that will let users track Santa's journey on a special page the search giant has set up. The tracking won't begin until 2 a.m. PST on Christmas Eve.

Until then, Google has set up an interactive Santa's Village page, offering everything from a tool that lets users send a call or message from Santa to a game centered on the … Read more

Kids, here's 3D proof that Santa exists

Dear Children of the World,

I have a very important message for you.

A few days ago, a man in Kingston, Ontario, (look it up) turned up at the annual Santa Claus parade and began shouting that Santa doesn't exist.

I know, I know. He must have been a really, really mean man. Or just really crazy. Or he'd been at Dad's tequila.

You'll be pleased to know that he was arrested. However, I wonder if some of you might have lost a little sleep, scared that maybe Santa was really Uncle Jim in a silly … Read more

NORAD ready to track Santa Claus again

Editor's note: This story originally ran in 2009. In the spirit of the holidays, we thought we'd run this touching piece again.

On a recent Christmas Eve, Jeff Martin found himself forced to explain to a Canadian general why, when Santa Claus passed through Toronto that night, Google Maps had placed the city in the United States.

Martin, then a senior marketing manager in Google's Geo group, was part of a huge team of people involved in the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command's annual NORAD Santa tracker program, a long-running effort to … Read more

NORAD to once again track Santa's progress

The North American Aerospace Defense Command will once again be tracking Santa Claus as he circles the globe on Christmas Eve, offering up-to-the moment online updates on St. Nick's progress in a number of languages and using Google Earth and Google Maps to display his flight path.

While the actual "tracking" starts at 3 p.m. on December 24 (GMT +8), visitors to the NORAD Santa Web site can view last year's flight path while waiting.

If you're out and about on Christmas Eve, you can also use iOS and Android apps to view Santa's progress. Santa watchers can track his updated progress on Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter. … Read more

Behind the scenes: NORAD's Santa tracker

Editor's note: This story originally ran in 2009. In the spirit of the holidays, we thought we'd run this touching piece again.

On a recent Christmas Eve, Jeff Martin found himself forced to explain to a Canadian general why, when Santa Claus passed through Toronto that night, Google Maps had placed the city in the United States.

Martin, then a senior marketing manager in Google's Geo group, was part of a huge team of people involved in the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command's annual NORAD Santa tracker program, a long-running effort to … Read more

A voice mail from Santa

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

The FCC is set to vote on new Net neutrality rules today

An app that gives users access to WikiLeaks documents gets yanked from Apple's App Store

Google extends free Gmail calling through the end of 2011

Amazon is issuing a refund for the non-lighted Kindle cover for users who have problems with it. The refund number is 877-453-4512.

Google Earth and Google Maps will track Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve

Microsoft is none too amused by the 3D sex simulation use of Kinect by a company called ThriXXX

NORAD ready for 55th year tracking Santa

If you're wondering what route Santa Claus will be taking as he soars through skies this Christmas Eve, don't worry: NORAD has got you covered.

For the 55th straight year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command will be providing its Santa tracking service, offering in seven languages up-to-the moment updates on St. Nick's progress around the world.

Last year, I got a chance to look behind-the-scenes at NORAD's Santa initiative, which involves countless military volunteers, as well as donated corporate help, all in the guise of giving the curious the best information about where the jolly … Read more

NORAD posts rare video of its command center

This is not your "War Games" fan's NORAD.

If the picture in your head of the North American Aerospace Defense Command's operations center is straight out of that 1983 Matthew Broderick movie, you may need to replace it.

That real-life command center, where personnel from the militaries of the United States and Canada keep a watchful eye out for threats from the sky, is no longer buried deep under Cheyenne Mountain. It is, however, still in Colorado Springs, Colo. Today, it is housed at Peterson Air Force Base, and it is a joint venture with the … Read more