New SMS/HTTP Track Loging Tool for Windows Mobile - Looking for Beta-Testers
 

I just recently registered at POI66 (POI66) cos leaving for an Indonesia trip next week. POI66 has a free service to track log your current position via SMS or HTTP, the site can also be used as trip diary. The main point is that they have a service which receives SMS messages containing you track log data, which is handy especially for remote areas where SMS is often the only working electronic communication.

I've got a nice little HTC-Toy (Window Mobile) with build in GPS and tried all the software recomended on poi66.com to be used with their service. They all frustrated me for some or the other reason and after not being able to get PathAway to work neither (some problem with the authentication) I decided to develop my own application. I already wrote a commercial tracking software for Windows Mobile a while ago and therefore had the core technology already.

The result is a small PPC/Windows Mobile application named jkPhoneHome with the main features

- Send Tracking SMS
- Send Tracking HTTP Requests
- Fully configurable SMS/HTTP templates
- Auto-Send capability
- Send Position, Date/Time, Message, and up to 4 Extra Fields (Leg Mileage, Trip Mileage, Mood, Next Target)

The whole application is developed to be an easy assistant while on the go, not having to bother a lot with it but to send a quick SMS back home with just a few clicks after arriving in the evening. When everything is set up all you need is:

1. Start App
2. Wait for GPS signal
3. Maybe type a short message and specify details about the trip (Leg/Trip mileage, mood and next target)
4. Press "Send SMS" or "Send HTTP"
5 That's it. Next time you start up jkPhoneHome remembers your last settings and here you go again

The current beta version is freeware. I'm not planing to make this a commercial project unless it would take me too much time to maintain it, but I'm not expecting this.

Anyway, if interested have a look at the "Quick Overview Manual", there's also some screen shots inside:
http://www.cape-x.com/downloads/jkPhoneHome/jkPhoneHome%20Quick%20Overview.pdf

Update 2008-09-19: The manual is not anymore up to date, there's a new Beta-2 available (see download link below) but the manual is not updated.

Requirements:
- PPC with built in phone AND/OR any kind of connection to the internet (GPRS,WiFi/WLAN,EDGE,UMTS,etc.)
- Windows Mobile, anything between PPC2003 to Windows Mobile 6.1 should work. So far only tested with 6.1

- .Net Compact Framework 3.5 HAS TO BE PREINSTALLED
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e3821449-3c6b-42f1-9fd9-0041345b3385&displaylang=en)

Recomended:
- GPS Receiver (but works without a GPS by entering the cords manually)
- Account at POI66 (but works with any Phone Number or other similar Web Service)
- A device with a touchscreen, the thing is not tested with smart phones without touch screen but should work


The installation (cab file) can be downloaded here:
http://www.cape-x.com/downloads/jkPhoneHome/jkPhoneHome_Latest.rar
Unzip the the file somewhere on your PC. Then copy the cab file (which is in the zip) to your device. Install it on your device by taping it in the File Explorer. If you have any questions about how to install a cab file on your device please ask Dr. Google ;-)

Please cope with me, do not ask any questions related to installation, communication, networking or how to attach a GPS to your device. In case you want to send a HTTP tracklog, the application is just assuming that you have ANY connection to the internet, the rest is doing the OS. As a rule, if you can open a website on your device with IE, you should be able to tracklog via HTTP.

Here's my current album on poi66.com, that's what it looks like at the end:

South East Asia 2008B

Any feedback very appreciated ;-)

Cheers, Jiri