Backitude for Google Latitude

Control Google Latitude with gps accuracy & battery efficiency at your own rate

Control your location reporting with Google. Control your location accuracy. Control your location detection frequency. Therefore, control your related battery usage! Control it all with Backitude for Google Latitude.

Backitude is a light-weight and efficient Android 2.2+ application used to determine the position of your device and send the location to Google for use in the Google Latitude and Google Location History systems. Backitude can be used in conjunction with the built-in Google Maps location detection service or completely replace it. (recommended for better battery life).

Detect locations using GPS, Wi-Fi network locations, and/or cell tower triangulation locations. Send values to your Google account seamlessly in the background. The application allows the user to control your updating and accuracy options, and allows you and your friends to force updates on each other when an up-to-date current location is really needed.

Offline Storage is available to store location values and upload in bulk at a future time, when Wi-Fi is available if desired.

Widget launches Google Latitude friends list to replace Google Latitude shortcut.

Minimum accuracy config provides a min requirement in location accuracy for the device to achieve, while a timeout value stops polling and saves wasteful battery usage when a signal or location is not available.

Or choose not to even poll in addition to standard Latitude detection, but Backitude can provide your friends with the ability to seamlessly trigger location detection and updates on your device when an accurate and up to date value is needed.

Note: Backitude uses contact lookup and SMS to allow users to force updates on other Backitude users, if desired. Users can enable the feature to allow their friends to update their location when needed, allowing you to run update intervals more conservatively and save battery power!

Users are urged to set their Latitude app location reporting setting to the "set your location" option and simply run Backitude instead, saving battery power by shutting off Latitude location services. Let Backitude act as your Latitude updater and perform all polling and updates at your specification.

*Location detection is dependent on available resources for the device and the user’s allowance of such detection in the System Location & Security Settings.

First time users may need to log into Latitude from a computer browser to "opt in" before using Backitude. Any problems, contact me atbackitude@gmail.comAdditional Features:

-Starts up immediately on reboot if the application is enabled prior to reboot.

-Re-Sync timer: interval to send last detected location to Google Latitude in addition to the normal updates. Keep Latitude location fresh without the need to poll frequently (saving battery power) or Re-sync to override minimum distance requirements.

-Docked-Mode timer is an optional feature to detect when your device is “docked” (charging/charged). If plugged in, the application will automatically start using the Docked-Mode time interval. When the device is unplugged, it automatically reverts back to the Standard time-interval. Feature also has its own timeout value.

-Utilizes a concept of “stealing” locations to conserve battery-power. When another application (such as Google Navigation, Google Maps, or even a web browser) is running and already detecting your location, Backitude will “steal” this value and use it to update your Google Latitude, if it is accurate enough. By using this value, it resets your time interval and prevents the location detection service from having to waste battery life on unnecessary location polling that is already occurring.

-Minimum distance and accuracy requirements and filters.

-Widgets for many functions of the application

Tags

android google latitude updater background gps google location history update updates updater offline off-line storage sync upload timer sleep interval share your location