question about location based reminders

[kevinf1990]

I have been experimenting with location based reminders and it seems like a neat feature. One thing that I can't seem to do is to set a reminder that will remind me when I get to a certain address. When I try to set it up, it opens up my contacts, trying to get an address from the contacts. Is there something that I am missing or are we just not able to enter our own address. For example, if I want my phone to remind me of something once I get to school.

 

[r2shyyou]

I have been experimenting with location based reminders and it seems like a neat feature. One thing that I can't seem to do is to set a reminder that will remind me when I get to a certain address. When I try to set it up, it opens up my contacts, trying to get an address from the contacts. Is there something that I am missing or are we just not able to enter our own address. For example, if I want my phone to remind me of something once I get to school.

The way it is now, you have to use one of your contacts. So, you'd have to add your school in your contacts and then select it from there.

 

[pdqgp]

Just beware that location based reminders will use the GPS to constantly monitor where you are and will zap your battery very quickly.

 

[jabingla2810]

They do not use much battery at all.

Check out this website: http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/wherever_you_go_there_you_are_location_reminders_in_omnifocus/

"We were pretty excited by some of the changes Apple made in their recent hardware, though; they found a way to improve the accuracy of location monitoring without using more power. Specifically, the iPhone 4 (and 4S) include a feature called “region monitoring”, which lets them track the devices’ location via GPS without running down the battery. iPad 2 models with 3G also have this capability. Unfortunately, devices released before then don’t have a low-power way to monitor their location as accurately, so they won’t be able to use this type of reminder in OmniFocus. (The Reminders app included in iOS 5 has the same limitation.)"

 

[pdqgp]

They do not use much battery at all.

Check out this website: http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/wherever_you_go_there_you_are_location_reminders_in_omnifocus/

"We were pretty excited by some of the changes Apple made in their recent hardware, though; they found a way to improve the accuracy of location monitoring without using Mmore power. Specifically, the iPhone 4 (and 4S) include a feature called “region monitoring”, which lets them track the devices’ location via GPS without running down the battery. iPad 2 models with 3G also have this capability. Unfortunately, devices released before then don’t have a low-power way to monitor their location as accurately, so they won’t be able to use this type of reminder in OmniFocus. (The Reminders app included in iOS 5 has the same limitation.)"

I read that last sentence to mean iOS5 reminders have the same limitation. Limitation as in the do not have the same ability to use a the low power means of monitoring ones location.

The capability they speak of that requires 3G sounds like triangulation of cell towers combined with your most recent gps location jump. Thus why it's region based and also low power but not as accurate beyond a region. Reminders use the GPS inside the phone which I've found uses a lot more power because they are tracking your exact current location all the time vs just when you jump from one region of cell towers to another.

I reserve the right to be proved wrong but that's how I understand them to work.