Bubble GPS Spot Tracker (Spotwalla) w $0 subscription/fees

[RossKean]

... Although, once they've got your plot points, I don't think you can take them away from them. So, don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Or leave your cellphone with someone else while you are commiting the crime.

Or just hit the "Stop" button for the interval you don't want to have tracked.

 

[nankoweap]

Invasive? only as invasive as you let it be. Although, once they've got your plot points, I don't think you can take them away from them. So, don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Or leave your cellphone with someone else while you are commiting the crime.

Since I'm the "they" in the above statement I will say this... I haven't added functionality to SpotWalla for users to delete location data for two reasons. First, no matter how many warnings and confirmations I put int the process, there will always be a "whoops" factor. Second, I'm too damn nice and will probably restore messages as long as they were around long enough to have made it into a nightly backup.

So if someone's certain they want to delete locations or even their account, it's as simple as sending a request to support at spotwalla dot com from the email address used to create the account. After confirmation, I'll make it so.

Regarding invasiveness... I completely agree with the statement that it's only as invasive as we let it be. Each user is in complete control of their degree of exposure. It's entirely possible to fly under the public radar while still sharing your location data with family and close friends.

And even if you want to share a trip publicly, it doesn't mean you do so naked. Secure zones are a way to define reqions of the map where SpotWalla will not display location data. Setting a secure zone around your home, work, grandma's house, etc allows you to share trips publicly while still maintaining some privacy when traveling within a secure zone.

Additionally, you can control the message types that are displayed on a trip. For instance, I use OK messages to mark where I'm spending the night. The private trip I create and share with family and close friends is configured to show OK locations because I want them to know where I'm bedded down. But if I share the trip publicly, I create a separate, public trip that's configured to not display OK messages.

Anyway, the point is that if you want to fly under the radar and still provide family and friends with your location data, it's possible. Now there are some that will argue that once your location data hits the net even if it's encrypted, it's out there for prying eyes with the right technology. To a small extent, I agree. But the technology required to do this is extraordinary.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Jason, I just want to thank you for Spotwalla and tell you how awesome it is. I certainly hope you roll your eyes because you hear that all the time.

I do love the secure zones. It's nice to know that you've posted a public trip, but that when you start sending points from your house you aren't letting the world know you are out of town, 1400 miles away and you've shown them right where your house is. My first public spots show up miles from my house which is how I like it. Excellent feature.

 

[SFCJCA]

Jason, I just want to thank you for Spotwalla and tell you how awesome it is. I certainly hope you roll your eyes because you hear that all the time.

+1

 

[nankoweap]

Thanks. I really dig that so many people find SpotWalla useful and that it provides their family and friends with peace of mind while they're on the road. SpotWalla has matured quite a bit over the years, but that was its original intent - peace of mind. Especially for my sister who was the one who pulled me aside one day and said, "You know, I don't mind that you leave home for weeks at a time and don't call me back for 5 days, but it would be nice to know where the #$%^ you're at and that you're alright." Sisters have a way of cuttin' through the BS.

 

[JTBubbler]

+1 on SpotWalla awesomeness

I built Bubbler GPS, with quite a bit of assistance from Jason at Spotwalla, and wanted to stop in and say thanks for this thread. It sounds like Bubbler GPS is working out well for some of you, which is exactly what we hoped for.

A couple answers to some of the questions I saw.

1. Data usage- Some phones really vary. I can tell you that typically, for a 10 hr day of *movement*, that most people see between 200kb and 500kb of data used on 5 minute intervals. If you are sending pictures, that changes that of course. Bubbler GPS also has a "wifi only" mode if you really want to be clandestine, or are travelling internationally, it will not use any cell data and just putter along storing your positions on your phone until it sees a good wifi connection. There's a pretty cool (and free) android app called "My Data Manager" that does a nice job of breaking down what's using data on your phone for those that are interested. (Not affiliated, simply a satisfied customer)

2. Turning Bubbler GPS off- In addition to using the "Stop" button, you can also turn just turn the gps off on your phone.

3. Multitasking apps- A lot of testing is done of a variety of devices. I have several old devices that are use, and there is a pilot groups that beats on releases before the public as well. One of my test devices is a Galaxy S Vibrant, with the worlds worst GPS and a messed up battery. It multitasks just fine. We put a lot of effort into small footprints, low data usage, and low battery consumption.

4. Battery consumption- This is typically reported as people don't notice it is running, though is certainly does use some battery. This is directly related to 2 factors. How good your gps signal is. The longer it takes to get a fix, the more we have to eat the battery. Point frequency also has an impact. 5 minute intervals will use double the battery of 10 minute intervals. Again, most don't notice, but some people have older/problematic phones and that's one way to help battery life.

5. Many people put their phone in the top box and use Bubbler GPS just fine. Box construction will have a lot to do with the ability to get a gps signal. Mine works fine there. YMMMV.

Happy to help with any questions you may have here. I added a notification for the thread. I'm a fellow rider, though momma yamma's finest has yet to grace my garage.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

I loaded Bubbler Pro on to my Droid 4 and started a Spotwalla account a couple of nights ago. I think I didn't quite finish up the instalation fully cause It does not seem to work for me but I am not a overly techy type of person. I will have to look into it this evening and see what steps I missed or what I did wrong.

The system sounds great and I hope I can get it up and running before my CFO & EOM ride.

 

[RossKean]

Many thanks to Nankoweap and JTBubbler! Great resources for the riding community! I have only had Bubbler (Pro) for a few days but I believe it will work well for me.

Love its ability to remember and upload when back in cell range (or via wifi if roaming data charges are a concern). This could be especially important if one wanted to create the trip track with lots of photographs to document an excursion - not so good for emergency tracking.

 

[gixxerjasen]

One thing that is also nice is all the options for marking along the way. If you happen to be at a beautiful overlook, you could mark it to look up on the map later when you are home. Then you can find information on it and remember where it was for future rides.

 

[HelzBelz]

... Although, once they've got your plot points, I don't think you can take them away from them. So, don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Or leave your cellphone with someone else while you are commiting the crime.

Or just hit the "Stop" button for the interval you don't want to have tracked.

if you are commiting a crime, my idea provides the alibi...

 

[HelzBelz]

In case I wasn't clear, I love Spotwalla, and Bubbler. Thanks for these super products.

 

[HelzBelz]

Saw THIS on another site. For iPhone.

Only buzzkill or anchor I see is no buffering and no spotwalla connection.

Looks like the My Tracks app for android. That works pretty well, just no spotwalla interface.

Yep, I've used My Tracks. before Bubbler. NO COMPARISON. MyTracks was just ok. Until I tried Bubbler. Bubbler is worth every penny.

 

[FJR Flyer]

I will say after using bubbler a couple times, im pretty impressed. I'll get the Pro version before my next trip.

Might have to go to Morocco in October, so it will be cool for my wife and kids to see where I'm at, using the wifi uploads at the hotel.

 

[mikerider]

I'm trying Bubbler lite. When I press 'STOP', how do I know it really stopped? There was no indication whatsoever...

Thanks.

-mike-

... Although, once they've got your plot points, I don't think you can take them away from them. So, don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Or leave your cellphone with someone else while you are commiting the crime.

Or just hit the "Stop" button for the interval you don't want to have tracked.

 

[mikerider]

Is there a way to tell Bubbler to save all the track data to a user-specified path? I like to store them to my external microSD card, instead of on my phone's internal memory.

Thanks.

 

[RossKean]

As far as I know, bubbler only saves data to the phone if it doesn't upload (i.e. out of cell range or set to only upload in WiFi area). I don't think it stays on the phone after uploading to Spotwalla. So if you have the full version, it is a maximum of 1500 points - much less for the Lite.

Shouldn't use much phone memory.

 

[RossKean]

I'm trying Bubbler lite. When I press 'STOP', how do I know it really stopped? There was no indication whatsoever...Thanks.

-mike-

Don't know what phone you are using or your Android version but my Galaxy S4 shows an icon in the notification bar that tells me Bubbler is active. You can also open the app and look at the timing related to the activity detail. If there are no points waiting and no recent GPS activity, then Bubbler is off.

 

[mikerider]

I'm trying Bubbler lite. When I press 'STOP', how do I know it really stopped? There was no indication whatsoever...Thanks.

-mike-

Don't know what phone you are using or your Android version but my Galaxy S4 shows an icon in the notification bar that tells me Bubbler is active. You can also open the app and look at the timing related to the activity detail. If there are no points waiting and no recent GPS activity, then Bubbler is off.

Thanks. Mine is a Galaxy S2. You are right. Pressing STOP made the notification icon disappeared. Didn't know that means it stopped.

 

[mikerider]

Thanks. 1500 points is about 6-7 Mbytes. That's ok then.

As far as I know, bubbler only saves data to the phone if it doesn't upload (i.e. out of cell range or set to only upload in WiFi area). I don't think it stays on the phone after uploading to Spotwalla. So if you have the full version, it is a maximum of 1500 points - much less for the Lite.
Shouldn't use much phone memory.

 

[JTBubbler]

As far as I know, bubbler only saves data to the phone if it doesn't upload (i.e. out of cell range or set to only upload in WiFi area). I don't think it stays on the phone after uploading to Spotwalla. So if you have the full version, it is a maximum of 1500 points - much less for the Lite.
Shouldn't use much phone memory.

That is correct. As a point of privacy, Bubbler GPS stores no tracking information, or history, once the information has been sent to SpotWalla and verified as accepted. Your location privacy is strictly between you and SpotWalla.

If your "points waiting" says 0, there are no locations on the phone.

I may be splitting hairs, but wanted to throw this out for clarity. When there is data being stored in Bubbler GPS, it is stored to the internal SD card, not internal memory. There is a difference, and internal memory is very limited on most phones. (The primary reason older phones cannot be moved to Android "Jelly Bean" is lack of internal memory for example)