Remote GPS Enable and Tracking?

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 03:21 PM

I'm fairly certain that I read somewhere about a hack that allows you to send a text message with a code to your Pre that will turn on the GPS and email you the phone's coordinates every few minutes... as in being very handy tracking a stolen phone that the GPS is off. I, like many of us, usually keep it turned off when not in use.

Anyone know about this?

VeeDubb65 · 10/01/2009, 03:29 PM

I don't knwo about texting a code to your Pre, but that's the hard way.

There are at least two apps in preware that will update your phone's location to a secure website, but they are easy to circumvent, and they trash your battery because they are getting gps coord and uploading them every couple minutes.

This link has a really poorly written how to that starts by telling you to complete various parts of other how-to's first, does in fact install a web server on your Pre, that you can access from any browser to get a google map of your Pre's location.

It's totally invisible on the phone, and doesn't eat your battery because it only updates when you refresh the webpage.

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 03:38 PM

but, you would need to know the IP address of your phone and also remember to have the GPS on, no?

edit: ah, dynamic DNS.

VeeDubb65 · 03:47 PM

Never mind that whole bit about putting it up. It would take a longer for me to rearrange those how-to's than it would take me to ssh into your pre and do it for you. lol

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 04:20 PM

Here's what I was looking for: Patch webOS GPS Tracking - WebOS Internals

Any thoughts?

pullbangdead · 10/01/2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHeathenScum

Here's what I was looking for: Patch webOS GPS Tracking - WebOS Internals

Any thoughts?

I did that, and it was OK. I MUCH prefer the lighttpd method with a php page, myself. Nice and easy, fully customizable (anything php can do), you can use it from any browser. And like someone else said, it only uses battery when you request the location.

I wanted to be able to show it off to people, but without them being able to go back to the webpage and look at my location on their own, so I even added a trivial little password prompt to the php page. It's not infinite security, but it's still pretty nice and it'll keep out 99% of people. And you can make it more secure if you like.

VeeDubb65 · 10/01/2009, 06:34 PM

I agree with pullbangdead.

That solution should work, but it's a bit of a kludge. Setting up the web server and dynamic dns account is a bit complicated, and requires a lot of time at the root terminal.

However, once it's done it gives you a much more elegant solution. Just hit a web page and you get a google map with your Pre pinpointed on it, and the nearest streat address pinpointed as well.

elryon · 10/01/2009, 06:55 PM

I liked this and had set it up weeks ago. Works great except that port 80 is blocked by sprint and so I had to set up on a different port. Everything but port 80 is blocked here at work so I cannot view the page. Never did set it up to check if the GPS was on or not, but its possible to and then turn on/off...

Currently I also have a cron job running that automatically uploads to a server... I can set the interval and such... battery is minimally impacted when running at every 20 min or longer.

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 06:58 PM

As long as it can be work even if the GPS is off, tell me where the phone is with some reasonable degree of accuracy, and not use much battery, I'm down with it... honestly, functional is more important to me than elegance.

VeeDubb65 · 10/01/2009, 07:03 PM

When I refer to elegance, I'm referring to the elegance of the function, not of the form. I don't care what it looks like either.

Sending an text as email with a particular code to your Pre and waiting for a response is clumsy, and could alert the person who stole it that something weird is going on.

With the web server on the Pre, there would be no indication of any kind that you had any sort of tracking software installed, and it operates by simply opening a particular page in your web browser, refreshes as often as you click refresh on the web page, and does not use any battery at all except when you use it.

You could even install this on your kid's Pre and use it to keep tabs on the without knowing it.

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 07:15 PM

I like this... will read some more on it.

pullbangdead · 10/01/2009, 07:21 PM

I haven't yet set my lighttpd/php page up to be able to turn the GPS on if it's off, but that's definitely my next step. And really, even if the GPS is off, I can log into terminal through putty with DDNS and turn it back on anytime as well, even if the webpage can't do it itself.

And the other thing to consider is that you can set up DDNS, so that you can always get to terminal, as long as the phone has EVDO service. As long as you have DDNS already set up, you can always go in later and turn on a script. Maybe get your e-mail sending tracking script set up and working, tested properly, and then just turn off the cron job. Then if you lose your phone, you can just go in and turn on the cron job, and it'll start sending you the messages. You need the DDNS for the lighttpd/webpage version anyway, if that's what you'd like to do.

So really, there are several good options. My main thing is make sure DDNS is set up and working. As long as you have that, you can get into your phone and set up anything else if you really need to.

Oh, and if anyone is interested, I'd be more than happy to share my php page. I know it took me more than an hour to get mine set up because I just suck at php syntax and such. It's not the best page ever, but I like it.

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 08:13 PM

I would be interested in seeing it if you don't mind.

VeeDubb65 · 10/01/2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHeathenScum

I would be interested in seeing it if you don't mind.

I PM'd mine to you. I didn't do any customization at all. I went strictly by the book because I don't know the first thing about php scripting.

nullity · 10/01/2009, 08:49 PM

any idea if the camera can be activated via php and sent to a browser? How sweet would it be to take a mug shot of a phone-jacker for the police? Well... If you just happened to do so while they're checking themselves out on the slider mirror...

ok, so you'd probably just score a way close-up pic of their coffee table or pocket lint, but it'd still be neat.

VeeDubb65 · 10/01/2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullity

any idea if the camera can be activated via php and sent to a browser?

The folks who did the proof of concept video recording with the Pre did so with a web interface if I recall correctly, so I don't see why this wouldn't be "possible"

Feasible on the other hand, I really doubt. It would certainly require some SERIOUS programming skills.

nullity · 10/01/2009, 09:17 PM

It's not hard to run OS commands and pipe to a variable in PHP, I bet with the GD module it could be output to the browser. I'm just unfamiliar with that context; however using PHP to make a 900 site WAN uptime monitor by using linux to open ports on an array of IPs and piping success or failure to an array wasn't too terribly difficult. I'm not the gratest with PHP, let alone Linux, but I'm sure some intrepid developer with some time to kill could make it happen if video capture via web interface is possible.

I'll send a case of Guiness to the first person to make this happen! ( :

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 10:12 PM

good stuff!

mynameisjim · 10/01/2009, 10:18 PM

go batman style and activate the phone's microphone remotely?

DrHeathenScum · 10/01/2009, 11:22 PM

heh... call the police to report your phone stolen (maybe say "microcomputer"), then remotely have the phone dial 911.

10/01/2009, 03:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	Remote GPS Enable and Tracking? I'm fairly certain that I read somewhere about a hack that allows you to send a text message with a code to your Pre that will turn on the GPS and email you the phone's coordinates every few minutes... as in being very handy tracking a stolen phone that the GPS is off. I, like many of us, usually keep it turned off when not in use. Anyone know about this?
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 03:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
VeeDubb65 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,130 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 87 Thanked 388 Times in 220 Posts	I don't knwo about texting a code to your Pre, but that's the hard way. There are at least two apps in preware that will update your phone's location to a secure website, but they are easy to circumvent, and they trash your battery because they are getting gps coord and uploading them every couple minutes. This link has a really poorly written how to that starts by telling you to complete various parts of other how-to's first, does in fact install a web server on your Pre, that you can access from any browser to get a google map of your Pre's location. It's totally invisible on the phone, and doesn't eat your battery because it only updates when you refresh the webpage.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 03:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	but, you would need to know the IP address of your phone and also remember to have the GPS on, no? edit: ah, dynamic DNS.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 03:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
VeeDubb65 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,130 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 87 Thanked 388 Times in 220 Posts	Never mind that whole bit about putting it up. It would take a longer for me to rearrange those how-to's than it would take me to ssh into your pre and do it for you. lol Last edited by VeeDubb65; 10/01/2009 at 03:47 PM.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 04:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	Here's what I was looking for: Patch webOS GPS Tracking - WebOS Internals Any thoughts?
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 06:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
VeeDubb65 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,130 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 87 Thanked 388 Times in 220 Posts	I agree with pullbangdead. That solution should work, but it's a bit of a kludge. Setting up the web server and dynamic dns account is a bit complicated, and requires a lot of time at the root terminal. However, once it's done it gives you a much more elegant solution. Just hit a web page and you get a google map with your Pre pinpointed on it, and the nearest streat address pinpointed as well.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 06:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
elryon Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 716 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 33 Thanked 374 Times in 163 Posts	I liked this and had set it up weeks ago. Works great except that port 80 is blocked by sprint and so I had to set up on a different port. Everything but port 80 is blocked here at work so I cannot view the page. Never did set it up to check if the GPS was on or not, but its possible to and then turn on/off... Currently I also have a cron job running that automatically uploads to a server... I can set the interval and such... battery is minimally impacted when running at every 20 min or longer. __________________ Avatar on Left Patch Call Rejecter Patch Make your messanger look like the iphone's SMS tone per Contact No Alert During call Thanks are always appreciated or for a really big Thanks you can always: (it can go a long way to convince my fiancee that this is worth my time) Please feel free to PM for more direct assistance.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 06:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	As long as it can be work even if the GPS is off, tell me where the phone is with some reasonable degree of accuracy, and not use much battery, I'm down with it... honestly, functional is more important to me than elegance.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 07:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
VeeDubb65 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,130 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 87 Thanked 388 Times in 220 Posts	When I refer to elegance, I'm referring to the elegance of the function, not of the form. I don't care what it looks like either. Sending an text as email with a particular code to your Pre and waiting for a response is clumsy, and could alert the person who stole it that something weird is going on. With the web server on the Pre, there would be no indication of any kind that you had any sort of tracking software installed, and it operates by simply opening a particular page in your web browser, refreshes as often as you click refresh on the web page, and does not use any battery at all except when you use it. You could even install this on your kid's Pre and use it to keep tabs on the without knowing it.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 07:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	I like this... will read some more on it.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 07:21 PM	#12 (permalink)
pullbangdead Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 353 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 7 Thanked 57 Times in 41 Posts	I haven't yet set my lighttpd/php page up to be able to turn the GPS on if it's off, but that's definitely my next step. And really, even if the GPS is off, I can log into terminal through putty with DDNS and turn it back on anytime as well, even if the webpage can't do it itself. And the other thing to consider is that you can set up DDNS, so that you can always get to terminal, as long as the phone has EVDO service. As long as you have DDNS already set up, you can always go in later and turn on a script. Maybe get your e-mail sending tracking script set up and working, tested properly, and then just turn off the cron job. Then if you lose your phone, you can just go in and turn on the cron job, and it'll start sending you the messages. You need the DDNS for the lighttpd/webpage version anyway, if that's what you'd like to do. So really, there are several good options. My main thing is make sure DDNS is set up and working. As long as you have that, you can get into your phone and set up anything else if you really need to. Oh, and if anyone is interested, I'd be more than happy to share my php page. I know it took me more than an hour to get mine set up because I just suck at php syntax and such. It's not the best page ever, but I like it.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 08:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	I would be interested in seeing it if you don't mind.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 08:49 PM	#15 (permalink)
nullity Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pittsburg, KS Posts: 193 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 39 Thanked 34 Times in 20 Posts	any idea if the camera can be activated via php and sent to a browser? How sweet would it be to take a mug shot of a phone-jacker for the police? Well... If you just happened to do so while they're checking themselves out on the slider mirror... ok, so you'd probably just score a way close-up pic of their coffee table or pocket lint, but it'd still be neat.
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 09:17 PM	#17 (permalink)
nullity Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pittsburg, KS Posts: 193 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 39 Thanked 34 Times in 20 Posts	It's not hard to run OS commands and pipe to a variable in PHP, I bet with the GD module it could be output to the browser. I'm just unfamiliar with that context; however using PHP to make a 900 site WAN uptime monitor by using linux to open ports on an array of IPs and piping success or failure to an array wasn't too terribly difficult. I'm not the gratest with PHP, let alone Linux, but I'm sure some intrepid developer with some time to kill could make it happen if video capture via web interface is possible. I'll send a case of Guiness to the first person to make this happen! ( :
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 10:12 PM	#18 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	good stuff!
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 10:18 PM	#19 (permalink)
mynameisjim Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 77 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	go batman style and activate the phone's microphone remotely?
	Liked by

10/01/2009, 11:22 PM	#20 (permalink)
DrHeathenScum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfern Kali-Fornia Posts: 778 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 22 Thanked 160 Times in 84 Posts	heh... call the police to report your phone stolen (maybe say "microcomputer"), then remotely have the phone dial 911.
	Liked by

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