GPS locator app???

Skinner2k3
Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
edited July 2013 in Road general
Does anyone know of an app which I can run that will allow my position to be located whilst out cycling alone?

Getting fed up of returning from a ride to find the wife in a state of panic because I took 20 minutes longer than I said I would.

At least if she can log in to something and see my position is changing she knows I am not in a ditch somewhere and not panic (unless I am travelling at 60mph in the direction of the hospital!).

Or is there a function on Strava I have missed?

Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    What phone.?
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Iphone 3 and Ipad at home.
  • djm501
    djm501 Posts: 378
    Tell her you'll be off for four hours. When you arrive home in 3 she'll be pleased and think you are a cycling god in the same moment.

    Massively exaggerate how long you'll be - it's the only way ';-)

    (the new Garmin 810 does this functionality - I think Strava does this also if you are prepared to pay for the full package - the free app won't do it)
  • zardoz
    zardoz Posts: 251
    I think you can do it with a Garmin 510 with a bluetooth connection to a smartphone. Just tell her you will be out for longer. I think there are also non cycling tracker apps for phones but they usually are subscription based.
    http://www.strava.com/athletes/1767978
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,991
    The Avast anti virus android app lets you locate your lost/stolen phone - I'm sure it would work just as well for locating a lost/stolen spouse.
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    edited July 2013
    i used to use google lattitude but i think they have just binned that, does google+ location work?

    edit:

    not quite on iphone yet but should be soon:
    http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-shut ... 44648.html
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    http://www.apple.com/uk/icloud/features/find-my-friends.html

    Or Edge 810 paired with smartphone.
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Over estimating does work but its a bit like trying to do that with buying stuff, easily fails as you will then spend what you said plus a bit more :)

    I was hoping Strava would have something to minimise apps running. Don't fancy going premium though!

    Life360 app looks a bit like what I want.

    Apparently endomondo (sp?) have live tracking.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Beaten too it - iPhone = Find My Friends - or even better - Find My Iphone - already built in.
    Does rely on a phone signal - but then just about any solution will rely on that.
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    An app like that will eat your battery. Mke sure you have the opportunity to tell the app how often you want the signal to be sent back. I once installed the Google lattitude version on my blackberry and it drained the battery in about 6 or 7 hours. Normally I'd get 3 days out of a blackberry battery.
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Cheers will check that out.
  • steve6690
    steve6690 Posts: 190
    edited July 2013
    I used to do this with Endomondo and it works well. My wife can view exactly where I am at any point during my ride. She can even type inspirational messages" such as "Faster, fat boy" and the phone will speak them out to me in real time. Which is nice.
    I used it with a Samsung Galaxy S3 and a 2-hour ride would use hardly any battery. It's having the screen on which kills the battery life, not the gps. I had mine set to give me a verbal update every mile of my current time, distance, pace etc. Really good app.
    I've since bought a Garmin 510 which does live tracking too, but without the "pep talk" feature.
    For what you want Endomondo is perfect unless you have/want Ant+, in which case get the Garmin 510.
  • AndypG800
    AndypG800 Posts: 33
    I used Follow me app on a recent ride that I wanted the ability for people to track. You can also set the intervals it updates to save battery life.
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Logged into my icloud and itseems I had Findmyiphone installed and switched on already.

    Got a nice map with what appears to be a fairly accurate location.

    Not sure on how often it updates but it will do the job for what I want.

    Endomondo with pep talk sounds ideal too, Garmin is deffinately on the shopping list for next year though.

    Cheers
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Will have a look at Follow Me as well, ta.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Skinner2k3 wrote:
    Not sure on how often it updates but it will do the job for what I want.

    From Apple:
    How often is my device transmitting my location with Find My Friends?

    Your location is sent from your device when someone requests to see your location. It is not transmitted on a regular interval. For more information, see iCloud Security & Privacy Overview.
    This is the same for Find my Iphone feature - it's a bit of a pain as it means you sometimes can't see where the most recent location of the phone was. Hmm can't say that very well ...

    Ok - you're out for a ride and after 2 hours your wife tries to locate you. If you've got no signal then she'll get the location given the last time a location was requested.
  • Skinner2k3
    Skinner2k3 Posts: 310
    Cheers for finding that.

    So good for battery, bad for accuracy.

    So if I loose signal, she then checks a couple of times before I have signal again and it appears I have done my human crayon impression and am lead in the road somewhere.

    Possibly back to the over estimate and try and stick to it plan then!
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I tend to just say the route I'm intending to take and how long I expect to be. Doesn't stop the worry - but she can use the findmyiPhone facility - providing I have signal - which whilst it can be patchy you'd normally expect at least one hit in 1/2 hr!

    TBH, if you've got no signal then it doesn't matter what system you use because as far as the computer is concerned you're not moving until you've got a signal again ...
  • skelkelly
    skelkelly Posts: 80
    How about just putting headphones that have the inbuilt mike in to one ear, she can call you then.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    skelkelly wrote:
    How about just putting headphones that have the inbuilt mike in to one ear, she can call you then.

    Not sure riding on open roads with earphones in, even one ear is a good idea. I like to be able to have good all round hearing so I can hear vehicles coming up behind me. You may see it on the pro circuit but they don;t really have to worry about some tw@t knocking you off your bike, Unless your Johnny Hoogerland of course.
  • slowondefy2
    slowondefy2 Posts: 348
    +1 for 'Find my iphone'. Both the iPad and iPhone need to be on the same Apple account and your wife needs to know the password. It has minimal effect on battery life.

    My wife uses it to have a hot supper and a cold beer on the table the moment I walk in the door after work :D

Categories