Hi all,
I travel all around the world a lot and was wondering if there was an app that would periodically send my location to something like Facebook so family and friends can see where I am. Does anyone know of anything?
The only ones I know send GPS locations, but really need to send the name of my location. I haven't found one that updates Facebook either.
Also, these apps obviously use GPS for determining your location, but most of my day is spent indoors and I really only want this app to run once a day. It would be better if the app used the cell information like Google maps can to determine my location. It doesn't have to be very accurate, just the area is fine.
If you happen to know of an app that would send gps data to my computer it would be really useful.
nnvpears said:
If you happen to know of an app that would send gps data to my computer it would be really useful.
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GeoTerrestrial posts it online (privately or publicly). You can then view it online or extract track logs for your PC.
Not quite what you asked, but I use Google Latitude in the UK via Googlemaps.
That way the wife and kids can log on and see my face travelling down the motorway (assuming I have Googlemaps running).
Could it do something similar if you scheduled it to run Googlemaps without GPS for say 10 minutes during the day - presumably it would register your position which is what you were after?
Just a thought.
I guess I am one of the few that uses Google Location History, but I just recently discover that, since my Nexus Player is registered with the same account I use for my cellphone, Now location History shows me like I was in two places at the same time, which is really annoying, And I find a little silly that Google hasn't think about this.
Do you know a way to workaround this, other than disable location services on the Nexus Player?
Hi,
I just bought one android head unit from aliexpress for my car. While waiting it to arrive, I am setting up my tablet to see which interface and apps which I want to use later on after install. It just occurred to me that privacy and security is an issue I just thought off. Unlike your phone which is always with you. Your car may be
1. driven by someone else,
2. Serviced
3. Involve in an accident
4. Sold
5. Stolen
Situations like above mean that you can never be too sure about security and privacy. The reason most people get the android screen is to use navigation from the phone. While android auto is useful where user data is not stored in the vehicle, most android players are just mounted tablets in the car. I can think of some methods of security include.
1. Lock screen password
2. Using a different Google account
The first method anove is good since you can bring all your apps and profiles. Not sure how good is android lock screen is.
Second option means that some app profiles need to be rebuilt. Personal info is safe?
Any thoughts on the security?
First thing I'd point out is do you really want to have to unlock your screen every time you turn the ignition key? Your car key is your protection as long as no one else has access to it the same way it keeps your car from being stolen but then... Really you ask a good question, so many things to consider. I always have separate accounts for every device. It's less convenient but I have more control over what is exposed on a particular device; it's hard to keep an eye on all of them all the time.
A car device gives you an opportunity to add sort of a valet switch to keep anyone from snooping around when you have to part with your key. It would have to be a fairly large switch able to handle 10-15 Amp DC or a small one with a relay. Just add it in line with the red power wire.
Of course we're talking about Android, there is no real privacy. You can make it a little better by controlling what apps are allowed access to or don't use apps if possible and go through a browser that blocks everything. As you point out Android Auto keeps your private stuff off the HU and that is probably the better option. Android Auto is a proprietary standard and is not available to every HU and also doesn't work with every phones. Many of those Chinese HU have a screen mirroring app that is supposed to be more universal but there's no guaranty it will work either.
I would say if you want the most privacy get an iPhone and a HU with built in Carplay or one that is known to work with a Carplay USB dongle.
I see
Thanks for that. Will use separate accounts. What is the best app to transfer poi links? Sometimes I get links from phone to navigate. I am thinking of Google keep, however it needs an extra step to share keep notes. Better use some sort of shared messaging account so that the notes are always there. Open to suggestions
I agree that you should NOT use your prime Google account for your head unit. All your mail and Drive files will be available for everyone that accesses your car. Also, there's quite a big risk of leaking software on these units.
You can share POIs by simply placing them on a Google Map, and sharing that map with the account of your car's device. I have not found a way to create a map from the Maps app, so I tend to use the Maps browser interface. As follows: in your browser open Google Drive, then press the New button. Under More, select My Google Map. Then you can place or import POIs in that map. Share the map with your car account. You can always add additional POIs later to the map. This way, I have a single shared MyMap that I use to transfer POIs to my car.
To use this: In your car, open the Maps app, open the menu and select "My places". Your map should be visible under the "Maps" tab (last tab). You can now simply click a POI and navigate there. Need new POIs? Just add them to the shared map.
An alternative for individual POIs that you receive through Whatsapp is using the browser-based interface of whatsapp. Open Chrome on the unit, scan the barcode with the whatsapp app on the phone, and you can click the POI on the unit. That will open Maps or Waze or whatever you have configured.
One more tip: I invite my car for appointments.... Then if you fill in the location field in your home or office calender (in an application like Outlook or Google Calendar), that location will be in the Calendar app in the car as well. Maps will automatically pick that up from the calendar (and even warn you to leave on time if you happen to be in the car ).
MiS_NL said:
I agree that you should NOT use your prime Google account for your head unit. All your mail and Drive files will be available for everyone that accesses your car. Also, there's quite a big risk of leaking software on these units.
You can share POIs by simply placing them on a Google Map, and sharing that map with the account of your car's device. I have not found a way to create a map from the Maps app, so I tend to use the Maps browser interface. As follows: in your browser open Google Drive, then press the New button. Under More, select My Google Map. Then you can place or import POIs in that map. Share the map with your car account. You can always add additional POIs later to the map. This way, I have a single shared MyMap that I use to transfer POIs to my car.
To use this: In your car, open the Maps app, open the menu and select "My places". Your map should be visible under the "Maps" tab (last tab). You can now simply click a POI and navigate there. Need new POIs? Just add them to the shared map.
An alternative for individual POIs that you receive through Whatsapp is using the browser-based interface of whatsapp. Open Chrome on the unit, scan the barcode with the whatsapp app on the phone, and you can click the POI on the unit. That will open Maps or Waze or whatever you have configured.
One more tip: I invite my car for appointments.... Then if you fill in the location field in your home or office calender (in an application like Outlook or Google Calendar), that location will be in the Calendar app in the car as well. Maps will automatically pick that up from the calendar (and even warn you to leave on time if you happen to be in the car ).
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Thanks for the tips. I was thinking of using Google Keep to share waypoints. I did try to send location from phone to the car account, but I think I need to access the email for it to work as it does appear in maps after sharing the POI. whatsapp Web is useful since most of the places I get are through WhatsApp. Did not think of this. However, this means the car chrome browser keep a record of whatsapp? I have managed to get waze to work and login to my account. So I have all the POIs. From waze. Entering a destination on the car is easy, but transferring from phone to car.
mystvearn said:
Thanks for the tips. I was thinking of using Google Keep to share waypoints. I did try to send location from phone to the car account, but I think I need to access the email for it to work as it does appear in maps after sharing the POI. whatsapp Web is useful since most of the places I get are through WhatsApp. Did not think of this. However, this means the car chrome browser keep a record of whatsapp? I have managed to get waze to work and login to my account. So I have all the POIs. From waze. Entering a destination on the car is easy, but transferring from phone to car.
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Having a different Google account on your head unit versus your phone/pc, allows you to use Google drive.
Simply create a "share" folder on the car account google drive and share this with your phone/pc account. Everything that is not very privacy sensitive can be exchanged that way. Simple and straight-forward.
surfer63 said:
Having a different Google account on your head unit versus your phone/pc, allows you to use Google drive.
Simply create a "share" folder on the car account google drive and share this with your phone/pc account. Everything that is not very privacy sensitive can be exchanged that way. Simple and straight-forward.
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Maps can be shared as well?
mystvearn said:
Maps can be shared as well?
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Downloaded google maps as offline maps can't be shared AFAIK as they are stored in some weird format in multiple binary "blob" blocks inside your data folder. At least: I do not know how to do that. I tried it but I could not make it work. I'm not a Google Maps user anyway so I did not really try it extensively (, but I like to tinker and try).
Other maps for apps with offline maps like OsmAnd, Magic Earth and MNF Navigator work that way. As my PX5 WiFi is terribly slow I download the maps on my phone or pc and then copy them to my head unit. But as maps can be very big and my PX5 car WiFi is so slow, I use a USB-stick for that. I use Google Drive for GPX-routes, POIs, apks, etc. Everything below ~30MB.
You started this topic about security, privacy and the like and that's why I (and others) mentioned to use a separate account and why I mentioned how to share with drive.
There is of course a draw-back. Apps bought on your phone account will not be available on your car account, unless the app can be used in a "family group" and you add the car account to your family group. There are not so much apps supporting that though.
I mostly use open source apps from F-droid and Play Store. I'm a light user: navigation, DAB-radio and media player (and my JET and OneKey apk).
Yes. Already using a separate account like you suggested. Bought apps too on that account. Two cars share the same account. So I am fine with the current setup. Will try to explore more. Thanks
Wow I wish I had read this earlier
I had the Google account login issues after updating the firmware, after contacting Joying they sent me a link to two changed files to copy onto their original firmware update. I updated with this new "firmware" and my Google account worked.
Then 2 days later (March 17th 2021) my Google account was compromised for the first time in 15 years. I only use that password for my Google account so I don't know how it was hacked but the audit logs say they just input my password.
They opened up a Google Adwords account and started selling fortnight ads, then attempted to get into my brokerage account, then logged into a dormant Etsy account and tried to do something with square before I caught on (40min total in my account). They were quickly deleting any account emails that came in so I wouldn't notice them.
I am highly suspicious of this new update to my head unit. The timing is spot on, and I haven't used my Google account anywhere other than my phone and this Joying unit.
I am very concerned now about the security of this device. I also don't understand the claim by Joying that "Google updated their servers" and that is what broke Google authentication.
My unit is this:
SKU: JY-TQ187N4G
Ship From: Chinese Warehouse
CPU: Octa Core 1.8GHz. 64-bit high-performance processor
Ram: LPDDR4 4GB Rom:EMMC 64GB
Support Bluetooth, WiFi, DVR, OBD2, Back-Up Camera
I updated with this firmware sent to me by Joying, which broke google sign in:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J6f3gv8wt1rujAYePFQCXj1yUV3F-pYh/view
I emailed Joying and told them the firmware broke my Google sign in they sent me this email. I updated my firmware with it. I was then hacked 2 days later:
Do not worry friend, we know this google account issue.
After looking into this google account this issue, we find that google server has upgraded, now we need to upgrade and adjust our software to make it compatible with google server, so pls try below new firmware to see if it can fix this google service issue.
(the upgrade steps is the same, below firmware only has 2 file after unzip, just need to upgrade your head unit with these 2 files)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aSGUljOrqwF8cFSIHKyrYSOhthDBHcqT/view?usp=sharing
I have no idea what they mean by "Google server has upgraded". Sounds sketchy to me
explorer_200 said:
Wow I wish I had read this earlier
I had the Google account login issues after updating the firmware, after contacting Joying they sent me a link to two changed files to copy onto their original firmware update. I updated with this new "firmware" and my Google account worked.
Then 2 days later (March 17th 2021) my Google account was compromised for the first time in 15 years. I only use that password for my Google account so I don't know how it was hacked but the audit logs say they just input my password.
They opened up a Google Adwords account and started selling fortnight ads, then attempted to get into my brokerage account, then logged into a dormant Etsy account and tried to do something with square before I caught on (40min total in my account). They were quickly deleting any account emails that came in so I wouldn't notice them.
I am highly suspicious of this new update to my head unit. The timing is spot on, and I haven't used my Google account anywhere other than my phone and this Joying unit.
I am very concerned now about the security of this device. I also don't understand the claim by Joying that "Google updated their servers" and that is what broke Google authentication.
My unit is this:
SKU: JY-TQ187N4G
Ship From: Chinese Warehouse
CPU: Octa Core 1.8GHz. 64-bit high-performance processor
Ram: LPDDR4 4GB Rom:EMMC 64GB
Support Bluetooth, WiFi, DVR, OBD2, Back-Up Camera
I updated with this firmware sent to me by Joying, which broke google sign in:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J6f3gv8wt1rujAYePFQCXj1yUV3F-pYh/view
I emailed Joying and told them the firmware broke my Google sign in they sent me this email. I updated my firmware with it. I was then hacked 2 days later:
Do not worry friend, we know this google account issue.
After looking into this google account this issue, we find that google server has upgraded, now we need to upgrade and adjust our software to make it compatible with google server, so pls try below new firmware to see if it can fix this google service issue.
(the upgrade steps is the same, below firmware only has 2 file after unzip, just need to upgrade your head unit with these 2 files)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aSGUljOrqwF8cFSIHKyrYSOhthDBHcqT/view?usp=sharing
I have no idea what they mean by "Google server has upgraded". Sounds sketchy to me
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sorry to hear this. any updates in the past few weeks?
btrcp2000 said:
sorry to hear this. any updates in the past few weeks?
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I've used it with a fake account since then with no problems. Still unsure where the account was compromised but there was another member on this board with a similar issue
explorer_200 said:
I've used it with a fake account since then with no problems. Still unsure where the account was compromised but there was another member on this board with a similar issue
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I've seen references to sharing things like map POIs from your real account to the fake account. Any other tips or workarounds you've put in place? I'm thinking I might use an app for vpn too.
btrcp2000 said:
I've seen references to sharing things like map POIs from your real account to the fake account. Any other tips or workarounds you've put in place? I'm thinking I might use an app for vpn too.
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No but that sounds like a great idea. I'll look into it