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InstaMapper GPS Tracking on iPhone 3G

Submitted by Jonathan on 20 August 2008 - 12:41pm

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I'm having a lot of fun with InstaMapper's GPS Tracking application on my iPhone 3G. The client application takes live GPS data from the iPhone's position and transmits this to their servers at regular intervals. Using GPS positioning, the iPhone software can calculate the speed at which you are travelling and also the heading as a bearing.

However, it isn't until you log in to the InstaMapper GPS Tracking website and analyse the data that the iPhone has transmitted, that things become really interesting.

After a recent trip to the Lakeside Shopping Centre to collect a repaired MacBook, I looked at the data recorded. Journey time home was 20 mins from start to finish, travelling at an average speed of 48 miles per hour. The InstaMapper site also overlays each GPS position when data was transmitted onto a Google Map showing my entire journey to and from the Centre.

...and of course, using Google Maps as the mapping engine, it can also be viewed using the Satellite view.

I've started to cycle more regularly and next time I shall take the iPhone with me to track the route, speed and distance travelled.

Unfortunately, with Apple's policy on not permitting 3rd party applications to multi-task on the iPhone, the application only transmits data when it has been launched and is the running foreground application. This means you can't have the device constantly uploading GPS data - which is a real pity as this would then become the ideal anti-theft security system. Well, it wouldn't stop the iPhone from being stolen, but you'd be able to track the device quickly and within just a few metres. I'd love to see InstaMapper creating a variant of their tool which perhaps just uses a Unix application which runs in the background and posts GPS data - it doesn't need a GUI. Is this possible?

There are inherent dangers of having a device posting GPS data of course, not least having someone close to home knowing exactly where you are at every heartbeat. Hmmmm.  Or, as in this case, being busted for growing Cannabis plants. 

Comments

visitor

8 September 2008 - 9:02am

A Wordpress plugin of Google Static maps is available... www.geekant.co.uk or http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/instamapper-google-static-map

visitor

10 September 2008 - 3:15pm

Yes, it's an interesting application but after having logged one journey, I can't seem to get it to start afresh and log another. It just seems to keep the old data and append the new data to it which makes the app pretty useless in my eyes. If you've found a way of clearing down the data and starting a new track, I'd love to hear.

Jonathan

10 September 2008 - 10:45pm

Hello David,

Thank you for your comment. I agree with you about being able to track and present different journeys. Currently, as you say, the route is just appended, unless you download the data and edit the spreadsheet into individual journeys using the date and time.

I'm looking at a few other GPS alternatives such as TrailGuru to see if that is any better at organising the data that is being transmitted.

Jonathan

visitor

6 March 2010 - 11:19am

Hi,

I think it gives you the option on the website to create a new journey, you an also delete previous ones as well.

visitor

14 September 2008 - 8:55pm

its not free but pathtracker works quite well sends individual routes through to the website www.pathtracks.com; though the gps in the iphone is a bit fuzzy ... it suggested i was doing 211mph on the m1

visitor

17 December 2008 - 9:54am

Admirably fine performance!

pdaaccessories.com

visitor

13 January 2009 - 12:06am

Can any gps tracking system track a stolen iphone?

visitor

14 January 2009 - 6:35pm

yes and no , due to the app needs to be running on foreground so the theif would need to load the app however there is an app review on appvee.com that has an app were logo just states private so more change of noisy criminal clicking on the and sending co-ords

hope this helps

visitor

26 February 2009 - 2:53am

hi, i went to the gym yesterday i put mine iphone in a locker found out it got stolen! can i use my friend iphone to track down my iphone that got stolen

visitor

5 October 2009 - 8:11pm

This is great addition to the iphone unfortunately it doesn't have the same purpose as a real gps tracker like this one;

http://naonline.co.uk/gps-tracker/trackstick-mini.php

visitor

11 October 2009 - 10:53am

I am aware that it is possible to send out tracking messages to allow you to locate your stolen iphone.

visitor

20 October 2009 - 4:55pm

my husband and I both have the iphones. this is a little embarrassing to say, but he's most likely cheating. can i use the GPS thing to try and track him? try not to judge, i know it sounds "stalkerish" but i would really like some piece of mind.

visitor

4 February 2010 - 1:14pm

Hi, we might be able to help you. I work for a private investigations company and we do a lot of infidelity work, which includes use of trackers. If you still have a doubts of your husbands trustworthiness, please, give me a call. 01483 278 777 Harriet

visitor

19 April 2010 - 6:23pm

Can you help me with the same problem?

visitor

10 January 2010 - 4:31am

give me your address and ill sort you out

visitor

12 May 2010 - 9:03pm

HAHAHA!!! Nice!!!

visitor

23 June 2010 - 2:58pm

can someone track a person with a iphone? ,i have a diffrent phone but,feel im being tracked ,or,someone is reading my texts,things ive texted have been repeated to me word for word and i can stay home never get calls soon! as i leave this person calls ask what im doing seems they know everything!!!!!!i do and, say....feel my privacy is taken away....can you help! me and tell me how someone can do this is it the iphone?

visitor

5 April 2011 - 4:32pm

My iphone got mugged off me and police arnt doing anything plz can i have the software plzz :~} it was my christmas presss PLZZZZZZZZZZZ i beg u son

visitor

20 April 2011 - 2:43pm

Hi Folks,

Do you want to track multiple devices in near real-time?

Do you want to avoid breaking InstaMapper's API rules?

I've developed a Java AJAX based broker application which can be run on any servlet container. You can download it here:

http://132.205.28.15/~cmikos/imp.war

I'll post detailed instructions on my blog:

http://web.me.com/cmikos/Christopher_Mi … ashup.html

Feel free to contact me by posting a comment on my blog entry if you need help setting it up.

Hcm

26 December 2011 - 10:31am

Hi,

I am interested in gps for iphone.  so I try to get current speed and average speed with gps for iphone.

But I can 't get accuracy them.

I need document and sample code for it.

Please help me.

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