UFF - how great: TinyGPS - an automated LBS event handler...

[Guest lutzh]

Hi there,

this is a crazy tool: TinyGPS reads out cell ID's and can start events like profile switch, homescreen switch, on/off your phone based on trained cell ID's!!!

TinyGPS enables receiving information about location of your phone in your GSM network. It also shows name of your current location (if your GSM operator provides it).

You can "teach" your phone locations which are important for you like: home, school, work, train station, church etc. Then you can set up events based on entering or leaving chosen location. For example your phone can automatically switch profile to Silent when you come home. If you commute to work by train you can set up alarm which will wake you up when you arrive to the train station - even if your train is late!

How to teach my phone?

Since in big cities you are usually in range of a few network cells (even when you stay in the same place) your phone should learn them all.

Choose Menu/Learn. Select location you want your phone to learn, time of learning and press Start. All cells you are logged in during that time will be assigned to selected location.

Events

You can create events based on the location you enter or leave. To set up new event choose Menu/Events and Press New.

Select action (enter or leave), location and desired action. The action can be one of the following:  

Change home screen - changes home screen to chosen one  

Change profile - switches to desired profile  

Play sound (alarm) - plays chosen wav file  

Power off - switches the phone off  

Vibrate - makes your phone vibrate  

I've tested the trial available HERE! Check it out - works on e200/c500 (decertified only).

Now I have the always wanted automated profile switcher when I arrive in the Cell that covers my office.... JUST GREAT!!!

Cheers, Lutz

[Guest Maverick]

Cool !! Its works then... Ms Mobiles was claiming that it doesnt, on her site :)

[Guest chucky.egg]

Is msmobiles a "her"? I thought from the picture it could have gone either way, nice to have it confirmed! :)

Anyway...

This has been out on Symbian for a while, and in my experience actions based on CellID are too vague - simple things like bad weather can make you "swap" cells and trigger events!

If they could add a GPS function to it that would be cool

[Guest bosshogg]

doesn't work for me :) - do Orange UK broadcast cell info?

[Guest flashflash]

currently does not work with mpx200 (2003)

[Guest glenglen66]

add a map on that app and then it will be great! i really want a gps system on my mobile which is free and feel this method is the way.

[Guest cosmoOo]

hmm, doesn't work on my C500. I bought it in the netherlands

I get the 'you cannot run this application on locked phone....' error.

Ok, unlocked the phone and it is working now.

I only have to move to test the application, So i'll see tomorrow if the program is of any use.

[Guest Osiris]

Yeah I got lucky and got a copy of MiniGPS for symbian free, when I had my Nokia 7650. As someone else said they are vague and the program can be more trouble then its worth.

be intresting to see how this one went, but I didnt even like the one I got for free all the while back then, little own payng 15 pound for this one.

[Guest nickcornaglia]

It would be cool if the app can trigger an FTP session to broadcast your location on a website.

[Guest doyle_am]

Encece, keep an eye out... something may be coming soon that does just that. But it uses a GPS to give an exact location rather than a network cell that I've found can be stupidly big.

:)

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

I've tried the app, pretty neat - a few bugs that are being fixed tho.

I have been trying to write something using the CellID stuff in .net CF, and have so far failed, so i'd love to know how they do it! ;-)

P

[Guest nickcornaglia]

Encece, keep an eye out... something may be coming soon that does just that.  But it uses a GPS to give an exact location rather than a network cell that I've found can be stupidly big.

:)

You make that and I'll buy a BT GPS! :P

[Guest nedge2k]

Had this for a couple of days...pretty good :P Expect bug fixes next week and a review to follow :)

[Guest Jon_]

i really like the automatic profile change facility of it, usefull for a number of things :)

[Guest Mike Wagstaff]

It's cool... very cool! :)

The idea of setting up definable actions based upon your location is very neat, although I have to say that other than switching your profile to "silent" when at work, I'm struggling for ideas.

I'd love to see some sort of open API so that end-users could create custom actions. Maybe even a simple option to execute a command of your choosing?

Additionally, I'd be a little concerned about how this affects battery life. Mind you, I've left it running all day and so far I'm still my battery indicator is still on full, so I'm probably being paranoid.

Also, one obvious bug that I've noticed so far is that when you set it to switch your profile as an event, the profile screen is left on after the event has triggered.

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

The bugs I have found so far is the autostart option doesn't work, and you can't turn logging off.

I asked for functionality where we can execute a seperate program with a command line on an event, let's see if that happens!

P (still trying to understand how they managed to get cell info without PRIV access... I want to do it!)

[Guest lutzh]

i see that the tool is interesting you just as much as me - good to see ;-)

what i hate is the fact that it has the same problems in switching profile like every try before had: once you lock the keys it can't fully switch and stays stucked in profile selection. same experience like i had with xbar and the makros to switch profile and the smart watcher. i don't believe there is a workaround for it but who knows.

cheers, lutz

[Guest Mike Wagstaff]

what i hate is the fact that it has the same problems in switching profile like every try before had: once you lock the keys it can't fully switch and stays stucked in profile selection. same experience like i had with xbar and the makros to switch profile and the smart watcher. i don't believe there is a workaround for it but who knows.

I'm not a developer by trade, but one potential kludge might be to append a (user optional) "return to homescreen" command after an event. After all, I'm betting that returning to the homescreen would be a safe enough bet even if you weren't there originally.

[Guest Maverick]

"]still trying to understand how they managed to get cell info without PRIV access... I want to do it!

My guess would be that they somehow managed to use the Cell broadcast Homescreen plugin dll.. If I were u, I would get hold of the dll and find out :).

Also, Another cool idea would be to automatically trigger Activesync via BT, say 10 minutes after you enter a particular location. So if ur home PC is on when you come in.. u'll be in sync always :shock:

[Guest flashflash]

"]P (still trying to understand how they managed to get cell info without PRIV access... I want to do it!)

If you manage to find out, I would be gratefull if you shared the info. Ive been trying to work it out for the last year, and cant find anything.

[Guest Jon_]

what would be VERY usefull is if when entering home (or office) locations, bluetooth turns on and attempts to activsync via bluetooth, that would gurantee this programs popularity!

[Guest Maverick]

what would be VERY usefull is if when entering home (or office) locations, bluetooth turns on and attempts to activsync via bluetooth, that would gurantee this programs popularity!

I should start patenting my ideas.. even though I can never ever convert those ideas into reality :)

[Guest Dr_StrangeTrick]

Autostart works on my E200 and the setting the logging to off works as well :)

Same problem about changing profiles when the keypad is locked though :P

As the program is still 'experimental' it would be useful to see the cell/location on the homescreen so I can keep an eye on what's going on (or not as the case may be)

[Guest MaJiK]

Also, Another cool idea would be to automatically trigger Activesync via BT, say 10 minutes after you enter a particular location. So if ur home PC is on when you come in.. u'll be in sync always

Ohhhhh :) That would be sooooper !

[Guest markhempstead]

i see that the tool is interesting you just as much as me - good to see ;-)

what i hate is the fact that it has the same problems in switching profile like every try before had: once you lock the keys it can't fully switch and stays stucked in profile selection. same experience like i had with xbar and the makros to switch profile and the smart watcher. i don't believe there is a workaround for it but who knows.  

cheers, lutz

It's fixed - handango and smartphone.net now have version 1.01 which changes profile when the handset is locked :)