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Google released Trusted Contacts [0] a while ago that essentially works like how the OP wants. You can one-time request a contact's location and (unless they bl

Google released Trusted Contacts [0] a while ago that essentially works like how the OP wants. You can one-time request a contact's location and (unless they block it) it will share it after a timeout. It also allows temporary sharing and has last-known location for if your battery dies. [0]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.emergencyassist&hl=en https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and...

Jedd 10y ago
Thanks for the recommendation. First time I'd read the description it looked like the recipient of the request had the option to grant / deny - which kind of defeated the purpose. Re-reading it looks like there must be some kind of time-out feature, where it will default to a response? Anyway - will give it a go.
- int_19h 10y ago
  Yes, that's exactly how it works. It asks first, but if there's no response in a while (and you're on their list of trusted contacts), then it defaults to allow.
  - Jedd 10y ago
    Okay -- we played with this tonight -- and it's not fit for purpose. There's a 5-minute delay, with a screen-on alert for the duration at the b-end, before you can get a geo-location response back. If the 5-minute delay was configurable (I want it immediately), and the pop-up was a notification (sys-tray rather than full screen / break -screen saver) then it'd be a contender. As it is, it's less useful than sending an SMS.
    - unprepare 10y ago
      Whats your use case for needing to know someones location and you must know within 5 minutes? or is the objection more about the full screen popup(i.e. if they are at the gym, does the request interrupt their music listening?)
      - Jedd 10y ago
        Use case is essentially that there are times when I'll make a quick decision based upon where my wife is. I could be more organised and use Trusted Contacts 5 minutes before I want to know the answer, but I'm typically not. Thinking commute -- train then long walk home -- if convenient I'd rather share a lift than walk. Not the best example as I really should walk, but nonetheless. With the gym scenario -- I know the days of week, and rough time, she'll be there, so not the best. In that case it's not the full screen pop-up that's the problem, just the hard-coded 5 minute delay. Better example: early evenings, I'd like to know if she's working late or driving home. Without requiring that I interrupt her. If I SMS and she's driving, she has to break the law to respond. If I call (or SMS) and she's still working, that's disruptive. If I use Trusted Contacts and she's still working, also disruptive. I'd never really thought about this stuff before the Google Maps article, and some of the discussion here -- it feels like my use case isn't that uncommon a thing. I may look at some of those family / kid-tracker applications, though last time I reviewed the field there they felt a bit clunky and overly intrusive.

Jedd 10y ago

Thanks for the recommendation. First time I'd read the description it looked like the recipient of the request had the option to grant / deny - which kind of defeated the purpose. Re-reading it looks like there must be some kind of time-out feature, where it will default to a response? Anyway - will give it a go.

int_19h 10y ago
Yes, that's exactly how it works. It asks first, but if there's no response in a while (and you're on their list of trusted contacts), then it defaults to allow.
- Jedd 10y ago
  Okay -- we played with this tonight -- and it's not fit for purpose. There's a 5-minute delay, with a screen-on alert for the duration at the b-end, before you can get a geo-location response back. If the 5-minute delay was configurable (I want it immediately), and the pop-up was a notification (sys-tray rather than full screen / break -screen saver) then it'd be a contender. As it is, it's less useful than sending an SMS.
  - unprepare 10y ago
    Whats your use case for needing to know someones location and you must know within 5 minutes? or is the objection more about the full screen popup(i.e. if they are at the gym, does the request interrupt their music listening?)
    - Jedd 10y ago
      Use case is essentially that there are times when I'll make a quick decision based upon where my wife is. I could be more organised and use Trusted Contacts 5 minutes before I want to know the answer, but I'm typically not. Thinking commute -- train then long walk home -- if convenient I'd rather share a lift than walk. Not the best example as I really should walk, but nonetheless. With the gym scenario -- I know the days of week, and rough time, she'll be there, so not the best. In that case it's not the full screen pop-up that's the problem, just the hard-coded 5 minute delay. Better example: early evenings, I'd like to know if she's working late or driving home. Without requiring that I interrupt her. If I SMS and she's driving, she has to break the law to respond. If I call (or SMS) and she's still working, that's disruptive. If I use Trusted Contacts and she's still working, also disruptive. I'd never really thought about this stuff before the Google Maps article, and some of the discussion here -- it feels like my use case isn't that uncommon a thing. I may look at some of those family / kid-tracker applications, though last time I reviewed the field there they felt a bit clunky and overly intrusive.