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InstaMapper GPS Tracking

I

imrtt

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 19, 2008
23
0
We will soon be releasing an iPhone client for InstaMapper. InstaMapper is a free real-time GPS tracking service that allows you to share your location with friends and family and to record tracks.

Some links

http://blog.instamapper.com/2008/07/iphone-3g-client.html
http://www.instamapper.com/fe?page=demo

The app is not in Apple store yet, but if you would like to be a beta tester, please send the 40-digit device ID of your iPhone 3G to support@instamapper.com. To locate the ID, connect your iPhone, start iTunes, then click on "Serial number:".
 
Also, wanted to list some of the features:

- Ability to embed a map with your current location on web pages / blogs / Facebook profile. See

http://blog.instamapper.com/2008/06/location-sharing.html

- 100k positions stored per device. The positions can be exported in several formats and can also be accessed via an API.

- Up to 5 second update rate. You can see your phone as a moving dot on a map.

- Google Maps used throughout

- Mobile interface (http://mobile.instamapper.com) for tracking from a cell phone

- Location data we collect is confidential, not shared with any 3rd parties, and not used for anything but tracking.

Some limitations unique to the iPhone:

- App needs to stay in the foreground to transmit location data. No background tracking.

- Because the iPhone turns off GPS when the device goes to sleep, auto-lock must be disabled.

- Because the screen needs to remain on with auto-lock disabled, battery life is only 4.5 - 5 hours.

- Speed and heading data are a bit less reliable compared with the other phones we support (BlackBerries and Motorola iDen / Nextel phones).
 
imrtt said:
Also, wanted to list some of the features:

- Ability to embed a map with your current location on web pages / blogs / Facebook profile. See

http://blog.instamapper.com/2008/06/location-sharing.html

- 100k positions stored per device. The positions can be exported in several formats and can also be accessed via an API.

- Up to 5 second update rate. You can see your phone as a moving dot on a map.

- Google Maps used throughout

- Mobile interface (http://mobile.instamapper.com) for tracking from a cell phone

- Location data we collect is confidential, not shared with any 3rd parties, and not used for anything but tracking.

Some limitations unique to the iPhone:

- App needs to stay in the foreground to transmit location data. No background tracking.

- Because the iPhone turns off GPS when the device goes to sleep, auto-lock must be disabled.

- Because the screen needs to remain on with auto-lock disabled, battery life is only 4.5 - 5 hours.

- Speed and heading data are a bit less reliable compared with the other phones we support (BlackBerries and Motorola iDen / Nextel phones).
Click to expand...

I've been looking for something like this and this does seem interesting, so I may just sign up for the beta. I would like to ask if you can divulge, since you are a developer working on the whole GPS thing, you mention that "Speed and heading data are a bit less reliable compared with the other phones we support..." can you tell us why that is? What limitations have you found with the iPhone's GPS compared to others (such as the BlackBerries, etc.)

Is it the GPS chip? The Antenna? Something else? Will it improve with the reported Location Services update coming in the soon-to-be-released 2.1 firmware?

Thanks for any information you can give us on these questions.
 
Love the look of this app!

Cant wait to get home and get my iPhone 3G even more now!!!!
 
Installed last night and been playing with it this morning.

Loving the fact it updates my facebook profile with a 'im here' type map

Shame it wont run in the background - thats a real limitiation (by apple I think) cause I dont want the app running all the time.

Just plotted my 80 mile motorway commute to work on google maps and could share it with friends etc.

Good work so far.

The iphone interface is very simple and the web interface on a pc -is very slick, and viewing the web interface in safari on the iphone works well.

well done and thanks for the opportunity to beta test
 
We are a little overwhelmed with requests, but we will try to send out a beta version of InstaMapper to everyone who requested it by the end of this week. Thank you for your patience.
 
imrtt said:
We are a little overwhelmed with requests, but we will try to send out a beta version of InstaMapper to everyone who requested it by the end of this week. Thank you for your patience.
Click to expand...

I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess. I do find it to be a nice little application with few hang ups at this time.

The locating seems to take a little longer than one would like. :) As much as a few minutes, most of the time. Even when outdoors. And I find the fact that the iPhone doesn't currently push to be the most disappointing thing about this application.

Thanks for the opportunity to test InstaMapper. I'm looking forward to see how things progress. It's showing a lot of promise.
 
I received the beta and am authorized to use it (as seen in general settings on my iphone), however I am unable to get the beta app on the iphone. I unzipped the two folders given in the email and dropped them into itunes. If I try and drop them back into itunes it asks if I want to replace the files, so I know they are there.. the app just isnt showing up on my iphone. I am using a pc if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance
 
aggies2010 said:
I received the beta and am authorized to use it (as seen in general settings on my iphone), however I am unable to get the beta app on the iphone. I unzipped the two folders given in the email and dropped them into itunes. If I try and drop them back into itunes it asks if I want to replace the files, so I know they are there.. the app just isnt showing up on my iphone. I am using a pc if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Hey aggies,

I'm not sure what's going on there. Are other apps syncing to your phone? Maybe try downloading a free app from the iTunes store and syncing. Check if your issue is something other than InstaMapper. And I don't think the PC makes a difference.

Aside from this, I recommend posting your issue over on their forums.

http://forums.instamapper.com/

Good luck, and let us know.
 
Thanks for the reply severe...

Didnt figure it out nvm, arghh

All the apps work fine... is it just supposed to appear in the applications after I drag and drop?
 
domness said:
Now where abouts can we find our Device ID?
Click to expand...

Connect your iPhone, open iTunes, click on the words "Serial number".

aggies2010 said:
Thanks for the reply severe...

Didnt figure it out nvm, arghh

All the apps work fine... is it just supposed to appear in the applications after I drag and drop?
Click to expand...

Yea.. after the drop you should see it in your apps window. Repair Permissions and restart? :eek:
 
Great googly moogly, this is exactly what the iPhone will shine at. Sent you my Device ID. Can't wait.

Also, good on you for using google maps and not the trash msft virtual earth / yahoo maps junk.
 
@imrtt: Questions.

So somebody else asked these questions which were never answered, I think they may be important questions to ask:

imrtt said:
- Speed and heading data are a bit less reliable compared with the other phones we support (BlackBerries and Motorola iDen / Nextel phones).
Click to expand...

SlapMonkey said:
... you mention that "Speed and heading data are a bit less reliable compared with the other phones we support..." can you tell us why that is? What limitations have you found with the iPhone's GPS compared to others (such as the BlackBerries, etc.)

Is it the GPS chip? The Antenna? Something else? Will it improve with the reported Location Services update coming in the soon-to-be-released 2.1 firmware?

Thanks for any information you can give us on these questions.
Click to expand...

I too would like to know the answer to these questions. Can you shed some light imrtt?
 
genshi said:
So somebody else asked these questions which were never answered, I think they may be important questions to ask:

I too would like to know the answer to these questions. Can you shed some light imrtt?
Click to expand...

My impression is that the GPS in the iPhone is quite a bit worse than in many other phones. Even Motorola i425, a $40 prepaid phone, works better in some respects. Acquisition times are long -- 20 seconds and longer, compared to about 5-7 seconds on the BlackBerry Pearl. The accuracy is poor. In daily life the location capabilities of the iPhone seem adequate because cell tower triangulation and the wifi database (look up Skyhook on wikipedia) can provide a rough location. Unfortunately we cannot use those as we need better accuracy.

iPhone OS 2.1 will expose speed / heading through the API. It remains to be seen how accurate those will be. The hardware in the iPhone may not have the capability to compute speed / heading directly from GPS signals. If they do the computation in software and rely on position changes over time, the accuracy won't be that good.
 
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