AT&T already knows my position, why should I duplicate that functionality with an app running on my iPhone (consuming energy, CPU cycles, RAM and bandwidth), if I can get that information for free (in terms of iPhone power/CPU/RAM/bandwidth consumption).
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Loopt to Become First Third-Party iPhone Service to Run in Background
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Why? A centralized server can run on AC power. Your phone runs on battery power. Which power source would you prefer, someone elses server or your battery?
Most background tasks don't need to run on the phone. The only tasks that really need to be on the phone are those that require non-lagging user interfaces.
An App that runs with no user interface does not need to run on the phone. Only when you switch the app to foreground doe it need to run locally
Wow.
I've got to hand it to AT&T and Apple:
It's the worst possible solution to this problem. Nice one, guys.
You aren't concerned that AT&T is selling your up-to-the-minute location for profit? This stinks in a lot of ways. It's not totally overboard because they only sell it with your permission. But it is still worrying... a step in the wrong direction.
I've got to hand it to AT&T and Apple:
It's the worst possible solution to this problem. Nice one, guys.
You aren't concerned that AT&T is selling your up-to-the-minute location for profit? This stinks in a lot of ways. It's not totally overboard because they only sell it with your permission. But it is still worrying... a step in the wrong direction.
Sorry but I fail to notice anywhere in the article stating that Apple has anything at all to do with this other than allowing the Loopt app to be sold in their App Store....
While this obviously isn't everyone cup of tea, it will appeal to more than you may think. Think of these scenarios:
1. Someone creates a location based dating app. Basically you are matched based on your profile AND position. Think about walking into a bar and you're phone (and the other persons phone) informs both of you that you are both a good match for each other. That would definitely make it easier to meet people. This can go beyond dating...it could just be interest groups...such as people who love their Apple products
2. High school/college kids and others will like this because many would like to know if their friends are in the area. Say you go to a mall. Your phone informs you that your friend is around. Many will think that is cool. Without it you may have missed your friend.
3. Advertising may suck for some but for other if you can turn it on of off it could be great. You could be informed of great deals while you're driving by a store that you may otherwise may not have known about?
All this probably working via push is nice for the battery too.
Kan-O-Z
1. Someone creates a location based dating app. Basically you are matched based on your profile AND position. Think about walking into a bar and you're phone (and the other persons phone) informs both of you that you are both a good match for each other. That would definitely make it easier to meet people. This can go beyond dating...it could just be interest groups...such as people who love their Apple products
2. High school/college kids and others will like this because many would like to know if their friends are in the area. Say you go to a mall. Your phone informs you that your friend is around. Many will think that is cool. Without it you may have missed your friend.
3. Advertising may suck for some but for other if you can turn it on of off it could be great. You could be informed of great deals while you're driving by a store that you may otherwise may not have known about?
All this probably working via push is nice for the battery too.
Kan-O-Z
Apple is the one forcing Loopt to do this through AT&T rather than a background daemon to get the desired functionality that customers want.
Yeah, the main body text of this Macrumors entry explicitly denies the claim found in the title.
At&t Stop Freaking.....
AT&T stop freaking wasting your time and effort on trying to squeeze us for more money $$$$ -- YOU FXCKING GREEDY!!!
PUT YOUR TIME ON FIXING YOUR USELESS NETWORK...
AND STOP RUNNING TV COMMERCIAL ABOUT MORE BAR in MORE PLACES...
THE MORE BAR I'LL GIVE YOU IS IN YOUR STINKY GREEDY AXX....
OH! BTW, I HAVE TRIED and SUCCESSFULLY USE TETHERING using your SIM CARD on my 4 Years Old NOKIA phone, which apparently has TETHERING standard from factory...
AT&T stop freaking wasting your time and effort on trying to squeeze us for more money $$$$ -- YOU FXCKING GREEDY!!!
PUT YOUR TIME ON FIXING YOUR USELESS NETWORK...
AND STOP RUNNING TV COMMERCIAL ABOUT MORE BAR in MORE PLACES...
THE MORE BAR I'LL GIVE YOU IS IN YOUR STINKY GREEDY AXX....
OH! BTW, I HAVE TRIED and SUCCESSFULLY USE TETHERING using your SIM CARD on my 4 Years Old NOKIA phone, which apparently has TETHERING standard from factory...
According to the loopt site FAQ:
Q: How accurate are the location updates and how often will they occur?
A: Location accuracy can vary from a few hundred yards to a few miles depending upon the distance to the nearest cell tower. Updates usually occur once every 1 to 2 hours.
So basically you are paying $4 a month for something that will only update every one or two hours and will mostly be inaccurate since it is only using cell tower location. A few hundred yards is a lot to be off itself, by a few miles is ridiculous.
Wouldn't this be much more accurate as a background process that could make use of wi-fi and gps as well as the cell towers?
Q: How accurate are the location updates and how often will they occur?
A: Location accuracy can vary from a few hundred yards to a few miles depending upon the distance to the nearest cell tower. Updates usually occur once every 1 to 2 hours.
So basically you are paying $4 a month for something that will only update every one or two hours and will mostly be inaccurate since it is only using cell tower location. A few hundred yards is a lot to be off itself, by a few miles is ridiculous.
Wouldn't this be much more accurate as a background process that could make use of wi-fi and gps as well as the cell towers?
The app is not running in the background, Loopt are talking to AT&T to gain a location.
Edit: Even funnier is that the Mac Rumors article quotes the bit where the app developer says that it doesn't run in the background.
Edit: Even funnier is that the Mac Rumors article quotes the bit where the app developer says that it doesn't run in the background.
You do realize that your battery would last about 2 hours at best with Loopt running in the background, constantly using your GPS to update your location and send it to their servers, right? And that's assuming Loopt is the only app you are running in the background.
jailbreak+navizon.
10 minute updates, seemingly negligible battery drain, free for limited 'crippleware' (that mostly only does not include path-logging), plus a way to get the upgraded version for free, simply by having the app and discovering APs & cell towers.
win, if this is your thing.
10 minute updates, seemingly negligible battery drain, free for limited 'crippleware' (that mostly only does not include path-logging), plus a way to get the upgraded version for free, simply by having the app and discovering APs & cell towers.
win, if this is your thing.
I came from a 2G (so same internal specs as your 3G), and on that, yes, background processes would be a nightmare. The 3GS is an entirely different beast. The jump from 128 to 256 MB as much more than a doubling in terms of how much RAM is available after the OS takes what it needs.
The other point is, why shouldn't a user who is willing to put up with sluggishness to keep pandora in the background, why shouldn't you be allowed to? (to answer my own question though: because apple would rather see people complain about no background processes than see articles about how iphones run like cold molasses. Even if people have the option not to do do backgrounding, they'd still complain if they had the ability and it didn't work right.)
I disagree to a certain extent. It makes me feel uncomfortable that app makers go through a carrier to make a deal for a pseudo background app especially with the all nonsense with the FCC.
I think for now it is a necessary decision to not allow background tasks for the sake of earlier generations of iPhones. At the same point we all know that, while Apple has made the iPhone compatible with every upgrade, this will come to an end at some point. You're right in saying that all models of iPhones and touches with 128MB RAM can't handle background tasks ( I know the pain too
) and multitasking will only be allowed on this year's models going forward.
It's 'way easy' for them now. This changes nothing. It's a classic "don't pay for it if you don't want it" situation.
All the over-the-top negative posts are confusing to me. Just don't buy it.
All the "they should have done this" posts are similarly lame. You want an app that uses GPS constantly? Trust me, no one would use that either.
Ah c'mon. That sounds totally useful!
/Waits for someone to break the new protocol AT&T opened for Loopt servers to query locations of cell phones.
*Sigh* Who needs it updated every second? As it is, they say AT&T is updating it every hour.
It's simple as a .sh script that goes
Code:
#! /bin/bash
while true; do
sleep 7200
updatePosition
done*Replace updatePosition with whatever command they make for sending the coordinates to Loopt or Google Latitude or whatever.
And it won't use any CPU while it's sleeping... So it's very minimal. Really easy to do as well, just Apple doesn't allow it.
multitrackimg
might not be so bad if you're a parent and want to monitor your kids...
until implants arrive, this might provide a tiny trail to locate someone if he/she vanishes...
might not be so bad if you're a parent and want to monitor your kids...
until implants arrive, this might provide a tiny trail to locate someone if he/she vanishes...