[fsa3]

I just built a simple application to add GPS/Cell locations to the OpenCellID initiative. This initiative builds a database of GPS coordinates and Cell tower information to allow for non-GPS applications to build location sensitive services.

The small application I built just tracks your GPS location and Cell tower info and adds it to the OpenCellDB. No personal information is stored or kept. The application has options for how frequent locations are polled and can be turned off easily.

As of now, I've tested it and it seems to work fine, but I wanted to see if a few other people could test it out. Please respond to this thread with any feedback or success stories.

JAD Download:
http://www.apsquared.net/BBTrackr.jad

Please Note: this application has only been tested on an 8320 with an external GPS Puck.

Thanks.
Frank

[avolcoff]

can you post a code example of how to find the location using a cell ID information ?

[fsa3]

I do it via the rest API available through OpenCellID . However this is community driven database and requires contributions of people sending them their cell/gps info. The app I'm working on allows you to easily contribute to their database thus improving the performance of the API.

I should have the applications available in the next few days and will post some details on my blog. Waiting for the keys so I can sign the app.

[avolcoff]

is the MLBtracker the same as the BBTracker ?

[fsa3]

No MLB Trackr is a program for tracking baseball games - nothing to do with GPS.

BBTrackr, when finally releases (the delay is due to waiting for keys from BB), will find your current latitude / longitude / Cell Phone Info, and add it to an open source database. It can also use that information (or if GPS in not availabe just the cell triangulation) to update social network apps. So far just FireEagle is supported.

I'll post a msg when BBTrackr is ready for open testing.

[fsa3]

My simple BBTrackr application with OpenCellID integrations and FireEagle updating is now available in beta. Click here to download it.

Let me know if there is specific functionality in here that you think would be useful to you, I'd be happy to post portions of the code. Also, please give the app a try and let me know how it goes. It's nothing fancy but it does contribute to the OpenCellID project.

[avolcoff]

can you post the functionality of converting the cellID info to coordinates ?(including the URL call to the OpenCellID site?)

[fsa3]

Will do in the next few days, working on a few new features as we speak (well type).

[fsa3]

Looks like my code for this isn't working a 100%. It only seems to work on GSM phones, and beyond that I'm getting feedback that it's not working on 3G phones (well the Bold is the first one I heard about)

Before posting the code I'd like to get these issues fixed. Hopefully I can find out what's up soon.

Thanks.

[avolcoff]

look for the application FindMyLocation on Handango

it will give your approximate location using your cell (tower) ID
it uses the opencellid database (OpenCellID)

it's free for now so you are welcome to download

(note: I just uploaded it to Handango so it might take 24 hours till you see it on the site)