[Closed] Solo riding, simple Android app to let my son track where I am, "just in case"?

I have this loaded:

[url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lachat.droidBeacon&hl=en ]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lachat.droidBeacon&hl=en[/url]

approved numbers can text a code to your phone and it sends a url of your current location for google maps back.

advantage is that it only switches the gps on when it receives a text so if you don;t use strava etc you're not drainign battery the whole time.

down side is it needs a phone signal, obvs 🙂

chap on here made one that would send a text at locations you specify, so you could at least setup 'gates'.

Mapmyride has live gps tracking, but you need the paid version.
I think the person or persons tracking you might also need the paid version, and they can track you via thier phone or from pc via the mapmyride website.

Cheers guys.

The one in the link sounds good.

I would turn on GPS anyway, but out of interest, I think with the last few versions of Android apps can no longer turn on GPS without the users (manual) consent?

Like I said, it doesn't matter as I would turn on GPS anyway, just curious! 🙂

Thanks guys, downloading app now.

You can do this in Google+ via their location services. No 3rd party app required.

another one is Glmypse I use. You can send an "invite" to anyone you choose (by sms, or hangout, or email etc) or even publish to twitter etc (if you really wanted to?) that invite is a url to a map that tracks your location and path for a period of time (up to 4hrs)

I use this.
https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=androidconsole&passive=3600&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2Fandroid%2Fdevicemanager&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2Fandroid%2Fdevicemanager#identifier
Has a find my phone function.

sorry, gps needs to be available (ie. 'on') but not active all the time.

Like when you start Maps (or whatever) it only starts the GPS bit when the app is running and turns it off when you close the app. It's not finding your location 24/7 despite GPS being 'on', it's only when an app needs to be able to use it.

Yeh, I leave my GPS 'on' permanently in the phones settings, it's not always actively tracking and draining power but it's available to any apps that request it, so it will start working if you launch Google maps, or sports /fitness apps etc.

Thanks guys, yeah Google's built in cider is an option but I wondered if there was anything a bit"lighter" as it were.

wwaswas - Member
sorry, gps needs to be available (ie. 'on') but not active all the time.
Like when you start Maps (or whatever) it only starts the GPS bit when the app is running and turns it off when you close the app. It's not finding your location 24/7 despite GPS being 'on', it's only when an app needs to be able to use it

Wwaswas, does your suggested app just send a street name (no use off-road)upon a text request, or an actual link to a Google map location?

The send Google map location via email won't be of use to me. Need the text request to send a Google map link? ?
Does it do that?

Thanks!

Endomondo will do this. I use it to track my rides, but the Mrs can also check where I am at any time on the map either on the website or from the app on her phone

approved numbers can text a code to your phone and it sends a url of your current location for google maps back.

Ah, splendid. That's pretty much what I've been meaning to write for the last four years as my first Android app, just as soon as I started doing some Android development 🙂

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Viewranger has a feature called Buddy Beacon which I think does this. Think the person tracking you will require Viewranger too, and I assume you need 3G signal so possibly of limited use, hence I've never tried it.

Will check out the first suggestion though, as I've wanted something like that in the past.

HereIAm is the app developed by the STW forum user

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.uk.happyapper.HereIamFree&hl=en

you can set up points to send messages when you pass, and I think you can set it to send a message if you don't reach a specified point by a specified time

poopscoop - it sends the street address (if known) plus a direct link to a google maps page with your current lat/long on it.

bez - gutting when that happens, isn't it.

I worked with a bloke in 1983 who had designed a complete tablet (in his head). GUI, touch screen, wireless comms. He was a visionary. he never got a round tuit either...

Second the suggestion of google+

I use strava anyway (partly for this reason) so the chosen few can cyber stalk me as long as I have GPS and phone signal. At the least they should be able to search a much smaller area if I go missing. Still try not to push it too hard, but then again had an OTB on a relatively straigtforward trail last night.

I use the free app from Road ID. I've only been using it for a month or so but it seems great, it is however, like most of these apps reliant on you have a GPS reception.

No, Google plus location services will track location for you automatically,and report to those who you want to share your location with. They do need Google plus too.

Another RoadID user here, I have no idea whether it's good or not as I just turn on the app and click go. My wife however finds it very reassuring indeed that she can see where I am. It also has an alarm that you can set up to alert someone if you've been stationary for a set length of time.

Turn it off when you reach the pub, or the texts will start....

waswas - Member
poopscoop - it sends the street address (if known) plus a direct link to a google maps page with your current lat/long on it

Cheers!