Google Latitude location history alternatives?
July 10, 2013 5:32 AM Subscribe
With Google retiring Latitude in a month's time, what alternatives are there?
Ideally, I'd have something that works on both iOS and Android devices in the background, that stores a private location history permanently and allows real-time location sharing with a restricted list of friends based on geolocation data (rather than check-ins). Does such a service exist, or can these features be found in one of the mainstream Latitude-esque competitors?
(previously, a long time ago)
Ideally, I'd have something that works on both iOS and Android devices in the background, that stores a private location history permanently and allows real-time location sharing with a restricted list of friends based on geolocation data (rather than check-ins). Does such a service exist, or can these features be found in one of the mainstream Latitude-esque competitors?
(previously, a long time ago)
Best answer: My family uses Glympse when travelling. It works on iOS and Android, and read-only through the web. You can set a group of people that will get the link, and set an expiration time. Those people can view your location in real-time, as well as speed and (our favorite) an ETA.
Glympse can now permanently store your Glympse history in an Evernote notebook.
posted by eafarris at 6:28 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Glympse can now permanently store your Glympse history in an Evernote notebook.
posted by eafarris at 6:28 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it looks like Google+ will be taking up the torch.
posted by Grither at 6:54 AM on July 10, 2013
posted by Grither at 6:54 AM on July 10, 2013
Okay, but will that have the same location tracking functionality as latitude?
It's not clear.
If it is just Check In based than it is basically useless to me.
Also, they are killing the API which is what the app Backitude uses to make latitude actually any good at location tracking.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 7:05 AM on July 10, 2013
It's not clear.
If it is just Check In based than it is basically useless to me.
Also, they are killing the API which is what the app Backitude uses to make latitude actually any good at location tracking.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 7:05 AM on July 10, 2013
Response by poster: Let me clarify by saying that I have no desire to sign up to Google+, so I'm not really looking at solutions which go down that road. Furthermore, the indications are that there will not be any iOS support.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 7:08 AM on July 10, 2013
posted by Talkie Toaster at 7:08 AM on July 10, 2013
Best answer: Glympse was the best of the social sharing options last I looked.
If you just want your own location data for personal use, OpenPaths is nice. The iOS client is very gentle on battery life and the whole thing is designed for simple storing and downloading of data. OTOH I have some worries about the future life of the service and wouldn't mind an alternative.
posted by Nelson at 2:06 PM on July 10, 2013
If you just want your own location data for personal use, OpenPaths is nice. The iOS client is very gentle on battery life and the whole thing is designed for simple storing and downloading of data. OTOH I have some worries about the future life of the service and wouldn't mind an alternative.
posted by Nelson at 2:06 PM on July 10, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks for the replies.
Glympse looks pretty good, but I'm disappointed by the limited duration (4 hours?!) although I can see why they did that. SMS invites work, but I have not been able to get email working, nor does the Evernote connectivity appear to be functional (I successfully connected my account but have not seen written despite selecting "save to Evernote notebook"). The developers also need to have a good look at the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.
In contrast, OpenPaths looks excellent and is a pleasure to use — even if it only replaces some of Latitude's features.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 7:55 AM on July 11, 2013
Glympse looks pretty good, but I'm disappointed by the limited duration (4 hours?!) although I can see why they did that. SMS invites work, but I have not been able to get email working, nor does the Evernote connectivity appear to be functional (I successfully connected my account but have not seen written despite selecting "save to Evernote notebook"). The developers also need to have a good look at the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.
In contrast, OpenPaths looks excellent and is a pleasure to use — even if it only replaces some of Latitude's features.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 7:55 AM on July 11, 2013
I'm sort of hoping that when the API goes down Backitude will do a feedly.
Backitude already does the location gathering. It only uses latitude for storage.
Admittedly I have no idea how hard that would be to do.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:48 AM on July 12, 2013
Backitude already does the location gathering. It only uses latitude for storage.
Admittedly I have no idea how hard that would be to do.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:48 AM on July 12, 2013
« Older What is the point of the plastic card the hospital... | How to avoid getting screwed by another driver's... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chengjih at 5:54 AM on July 10, 2013