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

OK, since my last venture to CFR, I saw threads and waffled about with the Spot Tracking but wanted a better (cheaper) way. I have found this and have been testing it the last month. Most of us already ride with our smartphones, basically it's all you will need. My report and figures here are for Android Platform smartphones (sorry iPhones, iPads, you're SOL on this one).



Here's the skinny...

1. Download Bubbler GPS (Lite is free) The Pro version cost just $10 bucks and I would highly recommend!

2. Open (or create) your www.SpotWalla.com account. (free to create)

3. In your Spotwalla acct, open your device tab (link) add the device (easy instructs on page, follow Bubbler GPS notes) <you also need to enable the Web API on the menu as well>

4. Open the app on your phone and configure, if you did everything OK, you have green lights lit

5. Start a map in your SpotWalla with current date (or the one you're wanting to spot track).

6. Click of the icon on your phone (it can run in background with screen off!)

-done- Go out and rip up some asphalt, come back and check your map. Walla! you've been spotted!

Pro vs. Lite

* Lite can store 5 track points or messages between internet access.

* Pro can store 1500, that's more than 5 straight days of pings at 5-min intervals before you have to have any data service for an upload! (yeah, boonies are no problem).
* Lite can create track points (orange dots) in 15 minute intervals.

* Pro defaults to 10 minutes and can go down to 5 minute pings (intervals) as the lowest setting. I'm using 5-min pings.
* Pro can take pictures, and show those pictures in your trip map in SpotWalla.com. Auto emailing of images is also an option.

So basically, it uses the GPS to get your coordinates (like any spot tracker device) and uploads the data (in intervals you choose down to 5-minutes per ping) to your spotwalla map. If cell or data service is unavailable at the time of a ping (upload) it buffers the info until it gets service. It can hold 1500 position points (pings) with the Pro version. The screen will also display if any pings are in the buffer and gives additional information like the last upload time/date etc.

I've used the Lite version for about a month now with excellent results on my Samsung Galaxy S4. I went to the Pro version recently as I wanted both the 5-min interval bubbles (plotted on my maps) and the buffering capabilities; when going through the mountains (Adirondacks) etc. I will always have plots and with images if I so care to snap (easy also!). So speaking of easy, how much easier is it to use this as to click the icon on your screen, that's it!

Best of all.. NO Subscriptions, monthly or annual costs at all, no additional equipment to buy either or even more importantly, mount on your bike. I truly believe this is the spot device of devices if costs are put into factor. If you have comments or questions fire away (it's what Forums are for!)...

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I now have some time under my belt with this COOL and CHEAP way of spot tracking. I want to share and help others here explore this alternative way to spot tracking... cuzz, cheap can be good

-KJ

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(here's some screenshots)

This is good stuff!

Since the time I did a similar evaluation using Google Latitude on iPhone I see this app has added buffering of positions until it reaches conventional cell phone contact. I was fuzzy on whether that was possible as a constraint of the phone development environment or applications just not doing it. It seems possibly the latter (or at least true in Android market) so this generation application is elegant, simple, and potentially compelling as viable alternative for tracking purposes to SPOT....as well as having some functionality not in SPOT!

Too bad it's Android only...I guess I'll have to wait. Regardless, thanks for the detailed report!

Ignacio said:

This is good stuff!

Click to expand...

+1

Would love to not spend $150 a year for spot service. I think I'm going to test this during big sky and see how it performs over the course of a rally.

Yeah, me too. I just got sideways-graded from an old crack-berry bold 9300 to an iPhone 4 (non-S) by my frugal stingy assed company. I would love to have sat or even cell tracking capability while on the bike for gratis. Paying a subscription fee has kept me out of the spot users category.

Not that I'd use it all that much. I'm not (yet) a cross country venturer, though this kind of thing might very well be the kind of assurance to SWMBO that would move me into that category.

I hear there is a whole lotta good shit happening west of Eerie PA.

Ignacio said:

This is good stuff!
Since the time I did a similar evaluation using Google Latitude on iPhone I see this app has added buffering of positions until it reaches conventional cell phone contact. I was fuzzy on whether that was possible as a constraint of the phone development environment or applications just not doing it. It seems possibly the latter (or at least true in Android market) so this generation application is elegant, simple, and potentially compelling as viable alternative for tracking purposes to SPOT....as well as having some functionality not in SPOT!

Too bad it's Android only...I guess I'll have to wait. Regardless, thanks for the detailed report!

Click to expand...

UR welcome, glad to give back to a great community here!

Justin said:

Ignacio said:

This is good stuff!

Click to expand...

+1

Would love to not spend $150 a year for spot service. I think I'm going to test this during big sky and see how it performs over the course of a rally.

Click to expand...

How about just $10 bucks?, you'll be amazed!

(and no, I'm not affiliated in any way, shape or form) Enjoy Cheap n Good

That spotwalla track image you posted looks awfully familiar.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/151665-whirlwind-two-day-trinity-site-trip

gixxerjasen said:

That spotwalla track image you posted looks awfully familiar.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/151665-whirlwind-two-day-trinity-site-trip

Click to expand...

Ha, now that's Funny!, it's the background image on the Bubbler GPS Site. Check it out!

I likey! I've done the Latitude thing, but Latitude sometimes drops out. I use iOS, so perhaps one day they'll have a version for that. I know there's a number of similar apps for iOS, but I haven't tried any of them yet.

Top_Speed1 said:

How about just $10 bucks?, you'll be amazed!(and no, I'm not affiliated in any way, shape or form) Enjoy Cheap n Good

Click to expand...

I'm down for $10 bux to test this. Would like to see how it compares to my actual spot track.

I know. I was actually in contact with the guy a few months ago testing some stuff for him. I shot him my track and he said he'd been looking for a horizontal track to use for the web page and asked me if I'd mind him using it. Tracks on that image are at 10 minute intervals.

Fantastic product. It doesn't try to be a spot as an emergency device, but does a fantastic job of letting folks follow along with you. The caching of points is huge and works very well. Quite a bit of that track I was out in the middle of nowhere and Sprint doesn't serve the middle of nowhere, but it got the tracks and uploaded them as soon as I had service.

I think I need to take a new trip just to try out the new features.

Justin said:

I'm down for $10 bux to test this. Would like to see how it compares to my actual spot track.

Click to expand...

Quite simply, it'll be as good as your phone's GPS is. All it's doing is using that to track points. Thankfully my Galaxy S3 is WAY better on the GPS side than my Galaxy S ever was. Oh, and you can test it for free, it's just you get more features with the $10.

This looks nice - just be aware that one thing you get with SPOT is the ability to send a distress signal where there is no cell signal. Since I have T-Mobile and sucky reception in most areas outside of big cities, this is important for me.

Since I like my spot device...I could use that for emergencies...and this for tracking...if I want to be tracked.

Very cool. My smartphone is replacing a lot of devices.

LIke Wheatie says - you could theoretically drop the tracking fee with SPOT ($50-$150 per year) and still have the SPOT available in case of emergencies when you're out of cell coverage (hopefully not needed), and rely on your phone for tracking for a one time fee of $10. That sounds like a pretty good and economical compromise.

Will the spot still have the emergency service without paying for the annual fee?

gixxerjasen said:

Will the spot still have the emergency service without paying for the annual fee?

Click to expand...

Spot charges $100 for basic service, including emergency service, and $50 for tracking. The new SPOT3 has a different pricing structure and can cost more.

Fred W said:

Yeah, me too. I just got sideways-graded from an old crack-berry bold 9300 to an iPhone 4 (non-S) by my frugal stingy assed company. I would love to have sat or even cell tracking capability while on the bike for gratis. Paying a subscription fee has kept me out of the spot users category.
Not that I'd use it all that much. I'm not (yet) a cross country venturer, though this kind of thing might very well be the kind of assurance to SWMBO that would move me into that category.

I hear there is a whole lotta good shit happening west of Eerie PA.

Click to expand...

Fred - Check out Motion-X GPS for the iPhone. I've been using it for years to keep SWMBO happy. I have it set to email her coordinates every 15 minutes. Keeps her happy. I think it's only $2,99 and has loads of other functionality.

MrM0t0 said:

Fred W said:

Yeah, me too. I just got sideways-graded from an old crack-berry bold 9300 to an iPhone 4 (non-S) by my frugal stingy assed company. I would love to have sat or even cell tracking capability while on the bike for gratis. Paying a subscription fee has kept me out of the spot users category.

Not that I'd use it all that much. I'm not (yet) a cross country venturer, though this kind of thing might very well be the kind of assurance to SWMBO that would move me into that category.

I hear there is a whole lotta good shit happening west of Eerie PA.

Click to expand...

Fred - Check out Motion-X GPS for the iPhone. I've been using it for years to keep SWMBO happy. I have it set to email her coordinates every 15 minutes. Keeps her happy. I think it's only $2,99 and has loads of other functionality.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the lead. I'll check into that.

On a related , but slightly tangental, topic...

Both on the new iPhone 4 and also a new iPad (both of which were procured and sent to me by the company that I work for) I was required to install "Airwatch" app to enable connection to the Exchange enterprise mail server. Airwatch is MDM software that gives the corporate IT folks a direct link into both of those devices, both from a device security and also a compliance monitoring standpoint. For example, they can see what web sites you are on, like that you were participating in an online forum using that device during working hours, as well as who you call or receive calls from on that phone, etc, etc. This is pretty invasive stuff.

It is going to mean that I will no longer be able to use my smartphone for anything that I don't want to "share" with them. But perhaps even more alarming (and more to the point of this thread) is that with the Airwatch software allows them to monitor the device's internal GPS activity real-time from the back office and determine the device (and therefore my) whereabouts at any time that the device is powered on. Think about that.

Not sure how I am going to respond to this...

No more quick MC trips during the day to "clear your head" or surfing porn sites.

Seriously, any level of privacy is more illusion than reality these days. In your case, your employer has easy direct access to your whereabouts and (cyber) activity. (IMHO, a terrible invasion of privacy!) However, probably not any worse than what Google knows about you or the ability of security agencies to track what you are doing.