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Need help locating a GPS app

T

tecgeek430

Lurker
Hey Guys,

I seem to almost always come back to this forum while doing a android related google search so I thought I would post this here.

I am looking for an app that would allow users to share their gps location with their friends on fly (Live). It would be used for riding atvs on wooded trails. While riding in groups it become difficult to keep together as the trails split. We almost always have cellphone signal while we ride and would just like to upload our current gps location.

Note: It would also be great if we could mark the trail on the map and share it with the group.
 
tecgeek430 said:
Hey Guys,

I seem to almost always come back to this forum while doing a android related google search so I thought I would post this here.

I am looking for an app that would allow users to share their gps location with their friends on fly (Live). It would be used for riding atvs on wooded trails. While riding in groups it become difficult to keep together as the trails split. We almost always have cellphone signal while we ride and would just like to upload our current gps location.

Note: It would also be great if we could mark the trail on the map and share it with the group.
Click to expand...

Built into google maps. Its called Latitude.
 
Built into CoPilot.. it's called CoPilot LiveLink. When your 3g dies out there in the middle of nowhere you can use the onboard maps to get you back home :D
 
Latitude won't hack it. Latitude isn't real time. I use it and compare it to a ham radio program I used to use-about 10 minute update. The Latitude update is totally unpredictable. I walk 5 miles a day @ 4 miles an hour. If it updates every 15 minutes (to the desktop at home), I am a mile away if hubby wants to know where I am. An ATC?? Won't work. Lots less accuracy than my walking. Too bad. They could have accuracy and appeal to a way bigger crowd than the social networking group that wants to meet for happy hour. Just my observation. Boni
 
bonipie said:
Latitude won't hack it. Latitude isn't real time. I use it and compare it to a ham radio program I used to use-about 10 minute update. The Latitude update is totally unpredictable. I walk 5 miles a day @ 4 miles an hour. If it updates every 15 minutes (to the desktop at home), I am a mile away if hubby wants to know where I am. An ATC?? Won't work. Lots less accuracy than my walking. Too bad. They could have accuracy and appeal to a way bigger crowd than the social networking group that wants to meet for happy hour. Just my observation. Boni
Click to expand...


You're right.. Latitude won't hack it!
 
Thanks guys looks like I might just have to wait a while. Such a simple concept but I guess it just hasn't been developed yet.
 
I don't agree that "it hasn't been developed yet." It has, but Google either doesn't realize the power of this app if it had the right features, or they think the social networking is more of a market than other important uses. Latitude is wonderful, just needs a way to configure how often your location is updated. Seems they decide based on how much power they want you to use on Latitude to update your location. Personally, it's a safety issue with me. I charge my Droid and walk for 1.25 hours. I want to update my location at least every minute. I want my hubby to know where I am. If I was meeting for happy hour after using my phone all day, I would send my location once. It needs to be able to be configured by the user. It would be dynamite. Boni
 
I think Latitude's main problem is that it has only acquired a few million _subscribers_, and far fewer who use it day-to-day. I suspect Google is wondering what to do with it.
 
swb said:
I think Latitude's main problem is that it has only acquired a few million _subscribers_, and far fewer who use it day-to-day. I suspect Google is wondering what to do with it.
Click to expand...

It's the old thing-which comes first, the cart or the horse. They haven't found a focus for development of features because they don't have features. People can't use it because it doesn't have the features that would make it valuable. As long as it's mostly a social networking tool, it won't be of much use to me. But, it's location abilities would be awsome if developed. I am not the only person that wants realtime location reporting as you can see by coments on this thread (and, others previously). Boni
 
I may have found at least a partial solution. Cellflare, as was suggested, says it provides live location update viewable from the web or Cellflare app. My questions will be how quickly does it update your location and will I be able to draw the trail on the map. Since we are in the woods a location is great but if you can't figure out how to get there it doesn't help a whole lot. A big as the ATV and Side by Side market is getting, at least in the ATL, I can't believe that someone hasn't made a tailored app yet. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
I have 2 apps which are pretty darned good, going to get you links and update this post. will also pro's and cons...

EnRoute - Location Sharing | AndroidApplications.com
Works pretty well. has 1 flaw, sometimes goes "grey" on you during share. I haven't figured out if it is just using the phone that causes it, or some other problem with google, the API or something. been in touch with the dev,(he's great), and he's still working on it.
It is LIVE, refreshes in realtime.

GPS Tracker | AndroidApplications.com
Seems more reliable. only time you lose the senders signal, is while on the phone. it tracks realtime, but you have to refresh the page to see changes. both use easy to view google maps. and "hybrid" will likely show you the trails near the tracked location assuming that it was not summer when the pics were taken by satellite.
one drawback, is this one requires online registration. the other might be a biggy for your use, it is a freakin battery EATER!
you can disable tracking on the net, and it will stop sharing if you exit the app. but you can run it in the background.

both are free in the market, i suggest you give them a try. iwould imagine they will both improve over time.

just re-reading your post... i don't think there is a way with either of these to draw on the map, but if you are able to see the trails, it should suffice, or help you to a degree.
 
Stainlessray said: " EnRoute - Location Sharing | AndroidApplications.com
Works pretty well. has 1 flaw, sometimes goes "grey" on you during share. I haven't figured out if it is just using the phone that causes it, or some other problem with google, the API or something. been in touch with the dev,(he's great), and he's still working on it. It is LIVE, refreshes in realtime."

I tried EnRoute today. Has a lot of promise. It does track realtime-took it on 2 walks and worked great. I tried it with Maps on my Droid on first walk. Seemed to track with EnRoute. And, it tracked with Latitude (at home with hubby) for about half of walk, then no more tracking with Latitude at home. On second walk, I tried it several different ways with Maps and Latitude on Droid, but wouldn't track with them, and EnRoute would not stay 'on' while I checked Maps and Latitude. Any ideas? I would love this to work so Hubby could track me at home realtime, and we see other applications similar through this and other forums. Thanks all for any info. Boni
 
i love the program, but that bug has persisted in spite of the developers efforts. if you contact him, maybe it will help motivate him to redouble his effort.

there are days it will work flawlessly....

if you find a better app in your travels, please don't hesitate to pm me about it, as i'm still in the market for something similar. i'll do the same. thanks!
 
This is a no-frills GPS system that works quite nicely. It is totally simple.There are no bells and whistles, and that is just fine because my kids can
 
I need an application based on GPS for all my 8310 blackberry users.
This application must be composed of a client part installed on the blackberry terminal and of a server side (with the map) located in my LAN (beside my BES).

I would like that the blackberry terminals send regularly GPS positions to an the application server.

employee time software
 
Unless I'm mistaken, blackberries do not run the android OS, so you will not find a blackberry app here.
 
tecgeek430 said:
Hey Guys,

I seem to almost always come back to this forum while doing a android related google search so I thought I would post this here.

I am looking for an app that would allow users to share their gps location with their friends on fly (Live). It would be used for riding atvs on wooded trails. While riding in groups it become difficult to keep together as the trails split. We almost always have cellphone signal while we ride and would just like to upload our current gps location.

Note: It would also be great if we could mark the trail on the map and share it with the group.
Click to expand...

This may not suit all your needs, but I'll bet it comes pretty close:
Ski & Snowboard Tracking
 
Sorry, I can't find MyLookout. But, I have been using MyTracks to replace my GPS for logging my walking miles. But, it does not provide real-time location updating that is not provided by Latitude. Too bad. Their loss that they don't see the value of this feature. Boni
 
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