dualsportmaps.com - Android App

[PineyMountainRacing]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

Must be a glitch in the Market. The app is there and many people have it.

Thanks, I had to enter my credit card manually. For some reason Google wouldn't use my cards that were already in my profile. I bought it, then Google said there was something wrong with my verification code, so I went into Google again. Then it said I bought the app, but it wouldn't install, then Google sent me an email that my purchase was declined and it was "uninstalled.". Now I can't figure out how to try and buy it again, maybe I need to clear out the cache on my phone? If I don't figure it out today, Ill try it again when I get to NC. BTW I'm not complaining, it's prolly something I did or something with my phone.

Yeah, I cleared out my cache, but I can't get back to the "buy it" screen, only the "install" screen. I'll admit I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to phones, computers and internet.

[PineyMountainRacing]

K, looks like I've got it now :)

[pepetrueba]

Your application ROCKS!!
I purchased your app and installed onto a Motorola Global 2 compared it side by side with a Montana 600 gps.
Drove around San Diego and down to Ensenada Mexico and its amazing how accurate the offline maps and features is has compared to the Montana along with the toggle option for different mapsets a feature the garmin lacks.Installed some of my gpx files and enjoyed the functions that garmin has complains and we are awaitning firmware updates to fix the "bugs"
Simply amazing app.

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by pepetrueba

Your application ROCKS!! ...
Simply amazing app.

Wow Pepe, thank you for the kind words.

[craftycoder]

Update to the app has been released. There was a glitch in the GPX file reader that made it not read GPX files that it created (your saved track) correctly. It could read nearly all other files right, but not it's own.

[nevermind]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

Update to the app has been released. There was a glitch in the GPX file reader that made it not read GPX files that it created (your saved track) correctly. It could read nearly all other files right, but not it's own.

Where's the update function?

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by nevermind

Where's the update function?

Just go to the Market app on your phone and update it there.

[nevermind]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

Just go to the Market app on your phone and update it there.

The update option wasn't out there when I posted. Honest!

[BobM]

I have the app on my HTC Sensation and tried the "Locate your buddies" feature today. Perhaps I misunderstood the functionality, but I thought it displayed the locations on my phone while running the app. However, I was eventually able to view the locations if I used the browser to login to the main DSM website and view it's main map screen. There were 3 riders shown - me in Ontario (Canada), Crafty in Atlanta and someone in CA. I couldn't find out who was who as I was unable to click on the icon (like I do when on my home computer).

Is this the way it's designed or did I miss a menu choice on my phone?

BTW, the time stamp on the locations was quite old - Crafty's was about 60 mins old and mine was 30 mins. How often does the position get updated? Does the server continue to display the last position received or is there a time cutoff? I was thinking this feature would be good for locating a lost rider on a group DS ride when a rider turns off without waiting for the following rider to see the turn, but a very current updated position would be needed.

FWIW, my phone was fully charged when I left home and was completely dead after about 90 minutes. It was in my pocket with the screen OFF, and Wi-Fi OFF, but Internet (via HSPA+) ON. It wasn't very easy to read the screen in the bright light but it may be due to the high resolution ( qHD - 540 x 960 pixel). I know Garmin reduced the Montana pixel density from the Oregon spec to improve daylight visibility but not sure the HTC screen uses same technology (i.e. reflective layer beneath display). My touch screen didn't work with thin MX gloves.

Bob

[craftycoder]

The locate feature currently only shows User Locations on the website, which is designed to be used from a PC not the phone (which is why you are having issues with that). I am planning to create a layer to display this User Location information within the app but have not gotten to it yet. Soon though. It will work as you are imagining (allowing you to see people you are riding with's last known location assuming you BOTH HAVE CELL PHONE INTERNET ACCESS). It seemed like a more important feature to inform someone at home where you are rather than someone you are with which is why I did it in this order.

When you click the "Show User Location" button on the map (on the website), the website shows the last known location of users you have access to see if the last known ping was within the last 24 hours. The website currently displays ping times formatted to GMT -7 so that may be a bit confusing for people in different timezones. It would be convenient to display them at your local time which is something I will do on the phone but not something I can do on your browser (because the browser cannot tell me your timezone). There is a series of clicks on the website you make to show a specific users last positions for several days. It's hard to explain but rather intuitive on the site. I emailed you the link to your personal history.

As for the battery issue, I can get 3 hours of use with the screen on, the internet off, but the GPS on. For motorcycle use the phone really needs to be plugged in or you will burn through the battery. Of that, there is little doubt.

I've been pleased with my screens visibility, but that is not really a function of the software and more about each person's phone and their eyes and the light. Software cannot make screen look better or worse I'm afraid.

[craftycoder]

The app has been updated. It now has a "Friend" layer so you can see the locations of people who share their position with you via the website. The timestamps on the points are shown in YOUR time not the creators time.

[BobM]

Originally Posted by craftycoder

The app has been updated. It now has a "Friend" layer so you can see the locations of people who share their position with you via the website. The timestamps on the points are shown in YOUR time not the creators time. ....

Thanks for a very useful update. Just installed it and it works great. I like the options you added for Navigate to Point, etc.

Suggestion: Will you be allowing the User to specify their own update interval? The current 15 minutes (?) is OK for tracking long rides, but too long for quickly locating a riding buddy who made a wrong turn.

Bob

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by BobM

Thanks for a very useful update. Just installed it and it works great. I'm looking at ensenda's position and tracklog and I like the options you added for Navigate to Point, etc.

Will you be allowing the User to specify their own update interval? The current 15 minutes (?) is OK for tracking long rides, but too long for quickly locating a riding buddy who made a wrong turn.

Bob

Damn it Bob, you keep stealing my ideas!

I was going to add a button to force a ping, or perhaps just always do a ping when you open the Friend layer. That seems like a simple way to do the same thing you suggested.

[BobM]

If adding a User setting (my preference) is too difficult, a "Ping" button would help.

I was testing the feature again today on a short MTB ride and the "last Location" was showing as 30-40 minutes old. How long should it take from the phone sending a location to it showing up a) on DSM site and b) back on my phone?

Bob

[craftycoder]

Originally Posted by BobM

If adding a User setting (my preference) is too difficult, a "Ping" button would help.

I was testing the feature again today on a short MTB ride and the "last Location" was showing as 30-40 minutes old. How long should it take from the phone sending a location to it showing up a) on DSM site and b) back on my phone?

Bob

Neither the site nor the app automatically update the user location layer. You are currently required to turn the layer off and back on to get updates. Because updates are expected to come infrequently I didn't see the value in updating them automatically and assumed instead that when you want to know you will want the freshest data possible. When you turn the layer on you know what the server knows. Your phone will push updates every 15 minutes if the box is checked, but you have to be online. Your phone will catch up immediately if you've been offline for more than 15 minutes.

You can check your own history (on the website) to know when it pinged. I don't show all the pings on the app because the screen is pretty small.