BeThere! : User Guide

BeThere! is a simple application for a simple purpose: texting your location. Why would you want to text your location ? Well, may be your friends don't have an Android phone or may be you don't feel like sharing your location all the time...

So here's how it works: all you need is an Android phone with GPS. Android 1.6 and 2.x versions are all supported. Launch the app and, while waiting for a GPS fix, pick one or more contacts you'd like to send your location to. You can use your contact list or type in a number and press 'Add'. Selected contacts are saved by default, so next time you start the app, all you will have to do is press 'Send'. Just one button, yes !

When the GPS is ready, the label of the 'Send' button turns green. Pressing it sends a text message to each of your selected contacts, as you'd expect. You can also check/uncheck contacts at will, or clear the list altogether.

The message itself is made up of three pieces. First, a link to Google maps with your GPS latitude and longitude. This link opens up directly the map application on iPhones and Android phones. Next, as an additional information or for basic phones with no maps (yes, there are still many around!), the corresponding address is added. You may also edit this field in case it does not quite match what you'd expect. And finally, you can add whatever message in the third text field. Remember: all of this is optional; you can turn it all off, not care about the message content and just press the 'Send' button, it will send the Google maps link.

The app keeps a log of every message you send, which may be more handy than switching over to your message app and check if you forgot someone.

You can manage your preferences through the usual menu as well as clear any data.

One last comment about security: this app does NOT send any information other than those text messages. It needs Internet access for the sole purpose of translating your GPS location into an address (and for this online guide!). No hidden traffic.