Buddy Beacon 2.0 Launched by uLocate
Posted by Greg Kumparak on February 14th, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Back in January, Helio sold the Buddy Beacon trademark to uLocate for an undisclosed chunk of change, under the agreement that they’d work together on the service.
This afternoon uLocate utilized the trademark with the release of Buddy Beacon 2.0. Unlike past versions, this release is browser based (via uLocate’s WHERE widget engine) rather than a standalone J2ME application. While this required a few design changes, it allows for one important feature: Buddy Beacon will now be available across additional carriers (Sprint, Boost, Alltel, and MetroPCS), as well as the iPhone.
While it’d usually be a bummer to lose exclusivity, it’s exactly what Buddy Beacon needed. As a social application, its usefulness is determined by how many people can use it. The more the merrier.
The application’s new browser based design makes it a whole lot prettier, allowing it to run on in either landscape or portrait mode on the Ocean. Unfortunately, a few things fell off the truck during the move: you can no longer add people via contacts, and the “Switch to Google Maps” button is gone - so while you can find out where your friends are, it’s not anywhere as easy to find out how to get there.
The new release also includes a Facebook application, which was a welcome surprise. It’s packed with features that just make sense. It digs through your friends list and displays others who have the Buddy Beacon application installed, serving as a quick and easy way to find more people to add. You can also pre-select a list of friends who, from your profile, can request that you update your location.
While we hope the absent features show up eventually, the potential for using the application with friends on other carriers is great in the meantime.
Update: We’re seeing some posts on the forum saying this new Buddy Beacon is a bit less accurate GPS-wise than previous versions, claiming discrepancies of a good number of miles. It’s putting us about 500 feet from our location. What are your experiences?
February 14th, 2008 at 7:50 am
So can I use this right now on my Mysto?
February 14th, 2008 at 8:21 am
lol @ Patrick Swayze
Yes, it’s no where near as accurate as the previous version. I was shown as being about a mile from where I really was. Navigating the web based map is difficult. Losing the Google Maps option blows chunks. (even though that feature has been down for quite some time) And how are you suppose to add buddies without a phone book? Who remembers peoples numbers anymore??
February 14th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I thought iPhone’s didn’t have GPS capabilities? Will this new version of Buddy Beacon overwrite the old version?
February 14th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Dont like it.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:39 am
iphone has a wifi tracking system which is waaayyyy inaccurate..
February 14th, 2008 at 10:51 am
if i have anything less than 3-4 bars, it will be off by about 3-4 miles. even is off by 2 miles occasionally when i have 5-6 bars. i’ve also noticed that if you tell it you are somewhere else and then try to just hit “update” to find your current location, it won’t change, it just keeps saying you are somewhere else.
it is nice that the app loads faster and looks better, but very annoying that it is so innaccurate and doesn’t seem to refresh unless you close it and open the app again. pretty much useless now since it can’t get any closer than a couple miles.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:04 am
They don’t, but they use some method of cellular signal triangulation to determine your location.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:19 am
It seems like it marks where you are off of primary last seen location, or in english, the nearest tower. Not true GPS. But down to 500 hundred feet is as accurate as you can expect from location based services. But its pretty cool the way it brings up close by businesses and is available on more carriers. Cause I am the only one I know that has a Helio.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Yeah unfortunatley
February 14th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I guess I’ll stick with my old version since I’d rather have better accuracy and I could care less about the new features like integration with Facebook and other than the iPhone, the other companies (minus Helio of course) all suck and I don’t know anyone that uses them so I could care less about it working with other carriers. Mostly everyone I know has either Verizon or AT&T. Hopefully they’ll get the Google Maps integration back up and running and more of my friends will get wise and get their asses a Helio. I just hope they can still get the version 1 when they get theirs.
February 14th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
yeah this is horribly inaccurate. mine is telling me im in the next town over, and what makes it worse its telling me im closer to the other side of that town. its about 5 miles off. it definitely looks better but im not sure how i feel about it being web based as opposed to a free standing application. oh well, i never really used version 1 because i barely know anyone that has helio and version 2 i wont use because its too inaccurate, so maybe version 3 will be the charm.
February 14th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
SUXORS!
February 14th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
ITS TERRIBLE. i want the old buddy beacon back.
February 14th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
This newest version seriously blows for accuracy. Mine is a good mile off. I like the integration with Facebook and the looks and the possibility of other carriers using it, but what good is it until it can be more accurate like before. Not a big fan of the web based version but I do like that we can use landscape now.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I thought this would be a good change. Since only two of my friends have Helio and this new 2.0 version supports multiple carriers and a facebook app. I was quite excited to hear about the switch of Buddy Beacon
That was until I downloaded it about twelve hours ago. Considering the old version on my Helio never placed me more than 100 feet away (one address number)
This “2.0 Version” in the three dozen times I’ve used it today, all in my house. Have placed me anywhere between 3.2 miles up to 5.4 miles away from where I actually am. Sometimes west of my location sometimes northeast. It’s just jumping all over the place.
The funny thing is if I use my Google Maps on the same Helio sitting in the same place in my home. Google’s location marker places me in my backyard about ten feet from the window I’m sitting at. I could hit the Google location marker with my cigarette if I had the window open.
How can this Buddy Beacon v.2.0. be so far off?
February 14th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I will download this, but not now. I’m hoping that the bugs get worked out sometime in the near future. It sounds cool, but if it could only perform too…
February 14th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Use your facebook account to create “MyPlaces”. For example, create a place for home, work, your favorite bar etc. These places will show up on your phone and you’ll be able to pick one of them as your location. What does this do? It puts your location at the exact right place and more descriptive than only an address. Buddy Beacon will also learn your habits a bit and after a while, will pick your location for you.
I also like the myplace feature to keep track of places I go to. I can just search for a place from inside Buddy Beacon and it will be added to my places.
Cheers!
February 14th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
OMG, this SUCKS ASS!
February 15th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
It actually is pretty cool. It is only inaccurate until you start using “My Places” on Facebook. Here is what I did… I created “school” and “home” on Facebook (there is “My Places” link). I started Buddy Beacon, it put me off my current location (about .5 miles), I selected “home” from drop down. Next time I use Buddy beacon it sets me at “home” correctly whenever I am close to my home. It actually learns your position over the time and you definitely have to create “My Places” on Facebook to enable this. I am not sure if this is better than GPS, but is faster and kind of cool.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
The official word from Yong Woo, the Helio Project Manager:
“Thomas,
How are you doing? I am part of the team that put together Buddy Beacon 2.0.
…….
As for the widening of your location to a radius circle of about 1 mile is size, this is part of the new approach we are trying for Buddy Beacon 2.0. An approach that is at the same time more sensitive to privacy and relevant. Instead of getting the exact GPS coordinate of where you are at, we start out with the location of the cell tower you are currently connected to. From there you can use the “point of interest’ functionality to set your location to a specific restaurant, venue or any address you set on the Facebook app. This way we are not “tracking” your location but rather giving you the opportunity to self report your location however you would like in a context that makes sense to you.
We really appreciate your input. 2.0 is still in an open beta phase and positive criticism will definitely make us better and you can expect to see improvements within weeks, not months or years.
……
-Yong, Helio Product Manager”
The parts I snipped were about my screen issue, which ended up being my fault..
February 15th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I dont like it, this is not for the kind of person thats new to this…I’m sure I could go and figure it out and all that good stuff, but why? Why should we even have to do that?
thats not so kool anymore…
February 15th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
So I just downloaded the new version cuz some that I referred was trying it out on me. Well it says that it downloaded the new app but once it gets started I get a blank screen with the Menu and Go buttons available to me. Its odd. Did I mess it up? Or is it one of the few glitches? Ugh I agree tho, the old beacon was better…
February 15th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
yeah i just d/l it and it took me like hours… i kept getting the white screen so i had to keep deleting it and reloading it. (o’ by the way i have the ocean) and finally i got it to work… your right with the distance thing… no where near accurate… i had no idea where it was saying i was… it was driving me nuts… plus there is no manual or way to kinda get the inside scoop on the new program… (frustrating) then when i tried to d/l it on my wife’s phone….(also ocean) it took me again… a super long time to actually D/L it and when it finally did… none of the maps where working and when i clicked a push pin i went to an “HTTP error 500″ so i deleted and re-downloaded it and still can’t get it to work. I called helio and they said the only trouble shooting they have is to delete and to download it again. then they told me to call ulocate…. and when i called them they told me to just keep deleting it and re-downloading it or to try to take the battery out for a while… of course none of these things worked…. What the hell are they doing over there…. they totally recked a great concept/program. how bout thouroughly testing a program before releasing it. >:o(
February 16th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Im wondering what “CLOWN” at Helio came up with the whole Press Release thing as you sign on Announcing this POS BETA ‘UPGRADE’? Just what WE needed?? ” To Preliminary Release Computer Software for Initial Testing PRIOR to Final Release”…
Ya want non-helio apps that work on helio and can add buddys etc. that are on other carriers– great use nav4all or any of the others –or.. just modify the buddy beacon so can work on others ..
Helio should spend more time FIXING whats BROKE instead of Screwing up what Wasn’t
February 16th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
My buddy beacon is still pretty accurate, it’s only off by a block or so… which if I’m not mistaken, is intentional.
I like that I can choose an actual “place” I am, like a restaurant or store.
February 18th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
New and improved? Why would anyone want a GPS device that isn’t as accurate as tech., possible. This system does NOT work. Please give your paying users the choice of systems. Part of the reason that I bought this unit is the GPS feature that was working just fine until someone decided to improve it. My choice is to return to the last system..it worked just fine.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Yea this sucks. It’s shown me as much as 4 miles from my actual location. Why is it so bad? I don’t understand how they could mess this up that severely. Any news about future improvements?
February 25th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I’ve read all the complaints and don’t see anyone with my problem so here it is. First I’m ok with the buddy becan being a couple of blocks off as I’ve found that even google has the same issue. My complaint is that my invitations are being deliverd but no one is showing up on my map. Even thought my frinds press “1″ to accept the invitation. And vice versa My frineds have me in their pending reply status even though I’ve pressed “OK” when required to by the invite.
So how do we get our friend out of the invited buddies and nito the buddies list. I have had four calls, all lasting a good hour each with customer service and they have no clue why this is happening. They even sent me three attempts and the same phenomena occured. My Wife has a Heat and I a Fin, and our screens do appear different… for a while I believed she had the older version, and I the new one. Both phones are new and we’ve both deleted and re dowloaded the app. to ensure we had the latest versions. So am i the only one with this problem or just the only one so far that has a few friends with Helios.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Total garbage. Its got a GPS…..USE IT!!!!! My intention was to be able to use buddy beacon to find my family at places like the fair, soccer complex, etc. With the worthless accuracy of using cell towers to locate the functionality is GONE. And what’s this crap about privacy! If I don’t want someone to know where I’m at I’ll turn my buddy beacon OFF or delete them from my buddy list. Is this concept to difficult to understand. This was a big selling feature for our family. Whats more, I called Helio before I got the phones (Oceans) and they said you could track real time. What a crock of lies. Plus, as Chris just stated no one is showing up on the map. Besides, even then, if they did show up you could only tell if they were in town. WORTHLESS!!!!!
March 8th, 2008 at 10:27 am
[...] a week of Buddy Beacon 2.0’s launch back in the middle of February, Helio came to the community to get some feedback on the application. [...]
March 13th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Mine doesn’t work. Whenever I go to the Map it gives, me the HTTP Can’t find this page, I get the main page but that’s it, it wont load after that, piece of Crap@