Forums > Windsurfing General

Iphone as GPS?

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Created by K Dog > 9 months ago, 25 Nov 2010
K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
25 Nov 2010 11:50AM
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Can you use an Iphone to act as a GPS tracker???

jermaldan
VIC, 1572 posts
25 Nov 2010 12:30PM
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Check out InstaMapper.

K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
25 Nov 2010 12:42PM
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I was checking out the GPS forums and thought it was pretty cool with how they can use google maps to see where they have been and how far and fast they went....

Want to bin my phone for an Iphone and if it does GPS like above - sweet

Gorgo
VIC, 4993 posts
25 Nov 2010 12:53PM
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Yes, but it's not very good.

By GPS Tracker you mean plotting points on a web site and other people can log on to see where you are? LiveTrack does that.

LiveTrack seems to round the position so you get a jagged track. They are releasing updates and similar tools like GPS Kit don't have the same problem, so it's not the phone at fault.

The real problem is that the iPhone battery will barely last for two hours on the GPS track.

What I would really like is a SMS triggered system where people can send me a special message from a phone or PC and the phone responds by getting the location and sending it back to the caller, maybe with on optional map or link to the position. That way the missus can see where I am when I go out kiting or flying or whatever.

There's a bit of a revolution in live tracking happening in Europe and those phones and services should filter through to us sometime soon.

K Dog
VIC, 1847 posts
25 Nov 2010 1:08PM
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Gorgo said...

What I would really like is a SMS triggered system where people can send me a special message from a phone or PC and the phone responds by getting the location and sending it back to the caller, maybe with on optional map or link to the position. That way the missus can see where I am when I go out kiting or flying or whatever.


That sounds like a good safety idea.

Might have to pencil in a proper GPS on the Xmas wish list then, and just get the phone....

jermaldan
VIC, 1572 posts
25 Nov 2010 1:13PM
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Agree with Gorgo, battery wears out quick when on GPS and there is a long list of stuff that is not quite up to par. For instance:

GPS Tracker cannot run in background, so whilst you have your tracker on you are ok, but if your phone rings it will stop transmitting.

Its accuracy is average

Because it has to be on the whole time the GPS transmits all the time wearing down your battery. It would be better if you could set the interval at which it polls the gps location just as you can with the sending of location back to the server.

There may be other better apps out there for tracking location on the iphone, but I haven't found them.

Best thing about this one is its free.

Gorgo
VIC, 4993 posts
25 Nov 2010 1:22PM
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If you want to be tracked for safety then Spot tracker is the go. It's touch expensive and it can be a little slow to get messages through, but it's made for the purpose and a lot of people use them.

Couple of hundred to buy and $100 a year subscription service.

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
25 Nov 2010 1:45PM
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I've been testing out a few tracker apps on my Android IDEOS and have not found one that is reliable or accurate enough to replace something like a GT-31.

evlPanda
NSW, 9202 posts
25 Nov 2010 2:00PM
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Don't you need to use phase shifting algorithms for accuracy? Is there an iPhone app that is that hardcore?

SlicerDicer
179 posts
26 Nov 2010 7:27AM
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K Dog said...

Can you use an Iphone to act as a GPS tracker???


Sure! It works great. However there is one serious drawback... You can crash and lose it.. I lost a iPhone 4 off Kanaha Reef (kitesurfing). Never recovered had to buy new one. Secure the bastard good and do not lose it. Failing that a shadowbox is cheaper I bet.

I even showed my walk of shame! :)




jermaldan
VIC, 1572 posts
26 Nov 2010 1:39PM
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SlicerDicer said...

K Dog said...

Can you use an Iphone to act as a GPS tracker???


Sure! It works great. However there is one serious drawback... You can crash and lose it.. I lost a iPhone 4 off Kanaha Reef (kitesurfing). Never recovered had to buy new one. Secure the bastard good and do not lose it. Failing that a shadowbox is cheaper I bet.

I even showed my walk of shame! :)







Whats the name of the App?

jermaldan
VIC, 1572 posts
26 Nov 2010 3:10PM
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Found it. Its called Motion X. And on of the good things is it has multitasking and bunch of functions that make it quite good to use. I.ll need to check this out on the water.

SlicerDicer
179 posts
26 Nov 2010 12:36PM
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jermaldan said...

Found it. Its called Motion X. And on of the good things is it has multitasking and bunch of functions that make it quite good to use. I.ll need to check this out on the water.


Just heed my warning of security plz...and losing it nothing sucks worse than going yo I lost a iPhone on the reef!

btw you can test the free version it only does solo tracking or pay for it and get more options.

waggles56
VIC, 204 posts
26 Nov 2010 9:48PM
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Gorgo said...

If you want to be tracked for safety then Spot tracker is the go. It's touch expensive and it can be a little slow to get messages through, but it's made for the purpose and a lot of people use them.

Couple of hundred to buy and $100 a year subscription service.


I bought one new from US for $130 on ebay.
ONLY took about 20 seconds for my wife to receive a SMS message, from when I pushed the button on the SPOT. Emergency services can receive your Lat & long if required. Cheap for safety if you venture a fair way out or in the ocean.



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