Intellibits let me know about an application that they released that sounded interesting. The app essentially listens to your incoming SMS messages with specific content and coming from specific numbers. If the right combination comes through then it will automatically send them your location. It sends them your latitude/longitude along with a link to Google Maps. If you are in a building without GPS reception then it will send a reply saying so and keep on looking for your GPS location until it locks on it and then will send it out. Not sure why it only works over SMS and not email but hopefully that will change. The app is going for $4.99 in the store and sadly does not have a free trial.
From the product description:
WhereAreYou works like this:
1) You install it on a BlackBerry device, and configure it so that it listen for incoming SMS messages with a specific content, and coming from a specific list of numbers.
2) You give the device to your children, employees, friend etc.
3) When you want to know their position, you send them a SMS message from one of the phone numbers specified in point (1). You can send the request message from any type of phone.
4) The BlackBerry device configured in point (1) will auto-reply with its GPS coordinates. The response message contains the latitude/longitude coordinates, plus a complete link to Google Maps that you type into your web browser to visually locate the device on a map.
5) If the device is without GPS coverage when you send it the request (might be inside of a building, for example), it replies to you saying so, and then it silently keeps trying retrieving the coordinates every few minutes, until it succeeds. You will get its location as soon as possible.
This is useful to make sure that you children are always close to you when they go out at night, or that your employees really go to that place and not somewhere else…or maybe even to find out where you left or lost your own device.
Features:
- Configurable keyword to request coordinates
- Configurable list of numbers that can request coordinates
- Password-protected settings
- Auto-retry until GPS coordinates can be retrieved
- Allows to temporarily disable the autoresponder
- Autostarts when the device is turned on, and then runs in background
- Very clean and simple user interface
- Very small size, just 16 KB
- Works on all devices with built-in GPS
- Free updates for ever! (including new minor and major releases)
monkey Not Registered
Posted: December 15, 2008 at 5:02 PM EST
i wonder if this would work on a verizon 8830 with 4.5?
DavidB Not Registered
Posted: December 16, 2008 at 6:42 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8830
@monkey:
No, not until the devs submit it for Verizon approval.
A lot of this can already be done in BBMaps, and works with ALL blackberry regardless of carrier and can be done email or PIN as well as SMS. And doesn’t require installing GMaps that only works on some Blackberry smartphones.
Travis Tubbs Not Registered
Posted: December 26, 2008 at 11:55 AM EST
I like the idea, but I’m not sure I would give my kids (if I had any) a Blackberry as a cell phone. Maybe if they were teenagers, possibly, but younger kids, not at all. Hopefully the developers will look into making this app available on other platforms.
ferry Not Registered
Posted: December 30, 2008 at 1:35 AM EST from my BlackBerry 8310
I wonder if this software will work on 8310 series or bold series?
are there any need to set gps on blackberry always on? Or this just work on background?
Thank you.