location sharing
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Google pulls the plug on its Trusted Contacts app
Google's Trusted Contacts location sharing service is going away soon, and the company is recommending using similar features it's built into Google Maps instead.
Microsoft's Family Safety app combines screen time and location tracking
With the latest 365 rollout, Microsoft has introduce a new mobile app designed to help parents keep track of their kids (and each other) both online and in real life. Microsoft Family Safety can not only watch your kids' screen time, but also share their locations, monitor their driving habits and more.
Twitter says it accidentally stored and shared some iOS location data
Twitter says it fixed a bug that caused it to inadvertently collect and share some users' location data. It affected some people who were logged in to more than one account on its iOS app. If you had the precise location feature activated on one account, Twitter may have collected location data when you were using another account on which you didn't have that feature activated. Employees discovered the bug, Twitter told Engadget, and it noted it will tell users whenever there's an issue.
Glympse not rattled by Apple adding location sharing features in iOS
Glympse has been my favorite app for letting people know where I am with a real-time map and estimated time of arrival (ETA) information. Now, Apple has announced some new features in iOS 8 that mimic some of the functions of 3rd party location-based apps. Apple puts the location sharing in Messages, and lets you share your location one time, for an hour, or indefinitely. I talked with Glympse CEO Bryan Trussel this morning about the new Apple features, and actually he said they were expecting Apple to do that, and he was "surprised it took Apple so long." He doesn't consider the announced iOS 8 features as a full replacement for Glympse, which sends a link to a constantly-moving live location map and provides frequently updated ETA estimates. The Glympse platform has become really popular, and Trussel says their technology is used by Mercedes, BMW, Ford, GM, Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover. In cars, Glympse is accessed through a smartphone connection or directly on a car "infotainment" screen when a manufacturer has enabled it. Glympse is also a feature on the Navigon and Garmin iOS apps. Trussel wonders about Apple offering "indefinite" location updates, saying most people will want more privacy. As Glympse is configured, all location updates expire at a time set by the user. Glympse is also aiming at smartwatches, and soon a Pebble app will be going out. If Apple ever ships a smartwatch, expect Glympse to be there too. As for iOS, Trussel says he is eager to see what Apple is doing in the location sharing space, and says an upcoming iOS version of Glympse will have new features and a re-designed GUI that is cleaner and easier to use. Glympse for iOS is available in the app store for free, and there is a web based version for Macs or PCs. Glympse is a Seattle-based company, and the app first appeared on iOS in 2009.
Glympse adds in-flight tracking to its location-sharing service
Location-sharing app Glympse has added a new feature that'll allow users to track a friend or loved one while they fly. Glympse has partnered with in-flight WiFi service Gogo to bring this new In-flight feature to life. If you've never used Glympse, the service allows users to send temporary location-tracking information to another person via text messaging. It allows recipients to see where you are and when you are slated to arrive at your destination. Glympse works great when you are driving long distances by car, bus or train. This new In-flight option expands the tracking service to air travel and will keep others abreast of your location and your arrival time so they can be on time to pick you up at the airport when your flight lands. Yes, people can use a general flight-tracking app to find similar information, but the Glympse option adds a personal touch. It's a great addition for folks who already use the app for location sharing while driving or traveling by bus or train. The new flight-tracking option will go live on November 8.
Glympse app gets integrated with Ford SYNC
Ford car owners with SYNC AppLink can now enable voice-controlled location sharing through the Glympse app on their iPhones. To use Glympse, drivers must have the app installed on an iOS or Android-based smartphone. The car automatically recognizes the app when the phone is Bluetooth-paired or USB-connected. With Glympse activated, drivers simply need to press the SYNC voice button on the steering wheel and say, "Send Glympse." Users can send a Glympse to a friend's email or mobile number, or to Facebook and Twitter. Recipients can then monitor the vehicle's progress and ETA via a real-time dynamic map, on either a smartphone or desktop. After the user-defined time limit expires, the location is no longer updated. Glympse has been a favorite app around here, and it joins a growing legion of apps that are designed to work with car systems so dashboard controls link to apps rather than having to manipulate the phone while driving. We've seen automakers add services like Pandora, Rhapsody, Aha and BeCouply. BMW has its own app that puts web radio, news, Twitter and Facebook on the dashboard screen, and other car makers are following suit.
Glympse announces voice-controlled location-sharing app for Ford SYNC
What's the point of hitting the road for glamorous destinations if you can't brag it up? To that end, Glympse is launching a new voice-activated location-sharing app that works with Ford SYNC-equipped vehicles. You'll need to install it on a compatible iOS or Android smartphone, then connect to your SYNC system via Bluetooth, provided you're one of the 5 million Ford drivers so equipped. From there, you'll be able to share your location with contacts by saying "send a Glympse," forewarning Grandma via Facebook or Twitter to put the pumpkin pie in the oven -- without needing to take your eyes off the road or make a call. Your contacts can even go online to see a moving map presentation of your Napa Valley wine tour while they're slaving in front of a screen -- so head sideways after the break for more info. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Twist for iPhone is an interesting 'twist' on location sharing
I've been a big fan of Glympse as a way to share my location with friends, so they know where I am and when I might arrive. In fact, it's a favorite app of mine. So I was interested to try Twist, an iOS app that has similar features but accomplishes things quite differently, and in many ways does it smarter and better. A new version of the app was released today. Twist is free, as is Glympse (also both Google's Latitude and Apple's Find my Friends). Twist will ask for access to your address book both for your home address and any favorite locations you want to set up as defaults. When you are ready to go, get a destination from your address book, search using keywords, or drop a pin on a map. Then select the recipients of your location updates; you can notify them via text or email. In a nice touch, Twist doesn't do anything till it senses (via GPS) that you have left your origin. It sends notes to the people you specify, and sends updates along the way with your ETA. Each text or email contains a link that will let people see your location on a map. If your friends have the Twist app, they can get the information there too. There are some other cool features that Glympse doesn't have. When you select your destination you will get a weather forecast for that location, a street view from Google, and Yelp will provide reviews if the location is part of the Yelp data. You can also create a new destination from a calendar event. Twist will tell you it's time to leave to get to your destination on time. In testing the app I especially liked the auto-start function. I can set up my trip in advance, and nothing happens until I leave. I appreciate that my route can be via car, public transportation, or walking. The estimates of arrival time were very good. There are also some things I didn't like. The app asked me to register for some additional services. I think I did, but got no response to my request. Curious. When someone is following me to see where I am, my location on their device (computer or smartphone) seems to lurch around and jump, rather than be a smooth moving position. Glympse does this much better. I also don't think it's always easy to figure out how to set up the your messages to people. While by no means difficult, it could still be more intuitive. These kinds of issues can be cleaned up, but I still think Twist is a giant leap forward in location sharing. I urge you to give it a try if it has capabilities you need. Twist is more about the when while Glympse is oriented toward the where. Both are valid, interesting and useful apps. %Gallery-160006%
Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins
It turns out Foursquare's massive 5.0 revamp was just the start of the changes, as the location sharing app unveiled a new twist with the launch its Connected Apps platform. Available as a developer preview, it lets the makers of apps like Untappd, Instagram or The Weather Channel connect directly with the Foursquare app. Many apps were already connected via the API, and once users upgrade to the latest version on Android or iOS their checkins pull information from those apps into Foursquare itself. That means they get things like the weather forecast on their first check in of the day from The Weather Channel, see what songs their friends have shared at a particular location via Soundtracking or beer recommendations from Untappd. Developers can get all the info on how it works at the overview, the rest of us can see the list of enabled apps on the official blog post.
Sidecar comes out of beta, reinvents phone calls
Smartphones have revolutionized how we communicate and the way we create, share and consume content. Yet there's one aspect of using these devices that remains stuck in the last millennium, and that's the calling experience -- yes, apparently some people still make phone calls. Sure, there are plenty of VoIP and video calling apps out there, but few are simple and beautiful. Enter Sidecar, a free app which aims to reinvent the way we make phone calls by adding messaging as well as real-time video, photo, location and contact sharing to that antiquated calling experience. It achieves this through an intuitive and polished user interface plus a handful of standards such as SIP and XMPP. Phone calls between Sidecar users are free anywhere in the world -- the app even supports free WiFi calling to any number in the US or Canada. While Sidecar's been available in beta on Android for several weeks, it's launching on iOS today with support for the iPhone and iPod touch. We've been using the app on and off for a few days on several handsets, including a Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ and an iPhone 4S and it works exactly as described. Looking for additional details? Check out the demo video and full PR after the break.%Gallery-155893%
Line2 for iOS now offers MMS support within its network, adds location sharing
One of your favorite, dock-worthy iOS apps just got a tad bit better. We're talking 'bout Line2, who's just hit version 8.0.0 and is bringing with it a slew of long-awaited traits. Of these, the most notable is the inclusion of MMS, which now allows users to send out pics to other folks using Line2's service. That said, you can share media with people outside the Line2 network, but due to carrier restrictions, the MMS being sent will only show up as a link on the receiving end. To go alongside that Multimedia Messaging Service, the app's also adding a new location sharing feature (for those who don't mind the occasional stalking). As of now, the fresh goods are exclusive to the iOS crowd, while an update for the Android variant is said to be in the works. As usual, you can grab the app straight from the App Store on your device or via the iTunes link below.
Apple's Find My Friends app now available
In advance of iOS 5, Apple has released Find My Friends, a location sharing app similar to Glympse. As the name implies, Find My Friends will let you locate your friends on a map. It'll also let you share your location so your friends can find you. For those concerned about privacy, the location sharing feature can be turned on permanently or only temporarily which is great for when you want your friends to meet you while you're eating dinner at a local restaurant, but not when you go home. It's also conveniently integrated with the built-in contact and map applications so you can find your friends and generate a route to meet up with them. You can install Find My Friends by visiting iCloud.com on an iPhone running iOS 5. You can also download it from the App Store. [Via Macstories]
Glympse is a great way to share your location
Somehow we missed telling you about Glympse, the great little free app that lets you tell others where you are in real time. To get started, download Glympse to your iPhone and accept the terms of use. There are no accounts to set up or anything else to fiddle with. When you're ready to share your location, enter an email address or search your contacts. Select a contact, email or text message number and set a duration you'd like the person to be able to see your location. Seconds later, your recipient receives a link. If they are on a laptop or PC, they will see you on a Google Map -- it can be street or satellite view. Your icon will be moving in near real time, and your speed will be displayed. If you have selected a destination, it will show up on the map as well. It doesn't get easier than that. If the other person has Glympse on their phone, they have the option to have the app's built-in map display your location. If you want to cut off a viewer before their allotted time is up, you can "expire" them. You can send your location to multiple people, which they can view simultaneously. I've used the app to let people know that I'll be late for a meeting or to display my position in traffic. You can also share your locations to Facebook or Twitter. %Gallery-115655%
Palm files patent for GPS-based location sharing service
Palm users looking to be a little more social may not have to wait much longer, as a new patent filing reveals that the company may be working on a Google Latitude-esque location sharing service for their devices. According to the patent, a user would be notified if another user is in the proximity of another one, and it makes mention of sharing location information to social networking sites. Additionally, it alludes to location based reminders, such as reminding you to pick up milk if you're at or near a grocery store. If this sounds familiar, that's because Apple filed a patent for a similar sounding location sharing service very recently. Let's just hope this doesn't lead to another legal spat between the two companies, because it could get pretty ugly, pretty fast... again.
Google Latitude coming to other devices, iPhone included
T-Mobile's decision to bundle Google's Latitude location-tracking service into the RC33 G1 update may have gotten all the attention this morning, but if you've got a BlackBerry, Window Mobile or S60 device, you can start oversharing right away -- Latitude is built into the newest version of the Google Maps app. Not only that, but it looks like iPhone owners will be able to get in on the fun soon -- Google says it's working on a Latitude app that will "hopefully" be available shortly. We're guessing that means El Goog is tied up in App Store approval shenanigans -- it's certainly been naughty before -- but what we're really wondering is if the next rev of Apple's Maps app will include Latitude, since it's basically just a really nice Gmaps implementation. We're guessing the developers of Loopt and Whrrl are equally eager to find out -- "duplication of functionality," anyone?
