Abaq.us Blog

myGeoTracking: Asset Tracking & Monitoring Service

Abaq.us provides hosted custom, geotracking service to enable tracking & monitoring of valuable assets. Abaq.us custom solutions can be employed in industries such Transportation, Government, Healthcare, Construction, and for Small-to-Medium sized businesses with field services personnel and assets.  It can also be employed by end-users with vehicle, pets & family tracking needs.   Abaq.us’ delivers this service as a hosted solution thus greatly reducing the total-cost-of-ownership for the end customers.

Benefits of a GPS based tracking solution

• Use real-time GPS vehicle tracking for easy mobile-resource-management to ensure good customer service.  Solution can ensure accurate pick-up & delivery times while ensuring beneficial utilization of company vehicles and personnel.
• Use GPS tracker device for time & attendance records (capture onsite arrival/departure times).  Improve employee productivity
• Effectively manage field personnel with real-time information and directives from HQ central offices.  
• Manage  efficient fuel consumption and provide better asset / vehicle allocations to operations team
• Get better insurance rates on vehicles that have a Real Time GPS system
• Locate lost or stolen property with exact location details and geographical positioning.
• Integrate asset history and live tracking data into business processes to improve accountability, planning and budget management.
• Provide safety and security to children, pets and other family members with direct assistance and support.

2.      myGeoTracking Service Details:

Abaq.us myGeoTracking service runs on top of the Abaq.us GeoWeb Services platform.  The service provides an interface to the end-customer’s tracking devices, a console for provisioning & management of these tracker devices; a web browser and smart-phone based monitoring application for live and historical location activities; an analytics engine and a reporting system connected to customer’s backend.

3             

4             

                       i.            GPS Tracking Device

Abaq.us supplies GPS tracker HW based on specific solution requirements.    Abaq.us also provides a web gateway which can connect with any NMEA compliant GPS tracker device over a GSM / CDMA cellular network.  

If you have a device you can contact us by email at support@abaq.us to discuss how we can support it!

                     ii.            GPS enabled Smart Phone applications

Abaq.us phone apps enable you to Track, remotely configure, and view the history of any GPS tracker unit using a secure, easy-to-use mobile interface. The application is currently available on GPS enabled Blackberry, Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile phones.

                   iii.             Web based Administration tool

This is a provisioning tool for customers to manage deployment and provisioning of GPS Tracker devices across their assets.  The tool supports the following features:

·         Register and setup accounts for the mobile GPS tracker devices

·         Register and setup manager accounts for these customers. This includes assigning mobile tracker visibility for particular managers

·         Setup Location events based triggers to launch business rules processing

Once provisioned, the business customer will be able to monitor their tracker via Abaq.us’ browser based application (cockpit).  The application works with Google and specially-provisioned local maps.

                   iv.            Web based Tracking & Visualization application (Cockpit)

Abaq.us myGeoTracking cockpit displays data from various trackers. This application can be launched from within any web browser and displays live and historical tracker data on a local map. This application serves as the primary tool for the managers and provides the following features:  

·         Visualize user’s current location, history, groups of users on a Map. The visualization will be based on markers on top of the map.   

·         Add audio, pictures, video & text annotations to the tracks directly from the field

·         Support for Google.  This can be switched to other local map layer based on customization requirements

·         Visualize other types of gps tracker sensor data including battery, external input such as audio & temperature, ignition on-off etc.

                     v.             Alerts

The myGeoTracking service enables an administrator to setup various rules to trigger SMS, Email and phone call based alerts based on geo-sensor readings by a tracking device.   Rules can be set to trigger alerts for device tampering, violating geo-fences, over-speeding, emergency alert, kid & patient safety alerts etc.

                   vi.            Business Rules Adaptor, Analytics & API

Abaq.us provides complete data portability and can hook GPS tracker device data such as Longitude, latitude, address, speed, signal strength, battery level, external inputs, geo-fences, and waypoints into a customer’s business rules engine.   Abaq.us provides analytics on this data and a web-services based API for custom-integration with internal business processes OR external web resources e.g. payroll, accounting, dispatch center etc.  

                 vii.            Web Reports

Abaq.us offers industry standard data feeds such as CSV, XML, KML, JSON and web page based reports on the aforementioned data.

3.      Demonstration

A personal GPS based social application is available at www.myGeoTracking.com.  Please get in touch with us at info@abaq.us to setup a demonstration of myGeoTracking service connected to your specific GPS Tracker device.

                       

3             

4             

Android Application Setup & Upgrade

Android Application     We recently launched our Android Application to enable users to record their tracks or points-of-interest (PoI) content from their Smartphones and automatically upload it their myGeoDiary account over the mobile network.   Since the launch in late May, we have received some great feedback (happy and angry) from our user community and we are constantly striving to address them.   Outlined below is some basic help guide on the application: 1. We have noticed that some of you are having problems with the application when the phone does not get a GPS fix OR a good cellular signal.   The Android application does not get a GPS fix and creates a track with zero points.   This could be due to the Android phone's GPS not being turned ON or poor GPS reception (Android phones do not have their GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth turned on by default).    Solution:  Users have to go into settings and manually turn on the GPS satellite option (See attached screen shots).   We have fixed this problem such that no tracks with zero points are now being created.   In case you have an old track with zero points, please delete them. 2. The Android application loses some GPS points.   This is due to the application losing the points when there is cellular coverage to upload the GPS points.   Solution: We have fixed this problem such that the phone will store your location data and periodically upload them to the server when a cell coverage is available (instead of losing them).

myGeodiary supports Facebook Connect

myGeoDiary now supports Facebook Connect!

 

With the Facebook Connect, myGeoDiary now enables users to easily share their content & activity on myGeoDiary with their friends on Facebook. Users are able to log into myGeoDiary using their Facebook credentials (name / password), share their content & activity with their friends on Facebook (by publishing myGeoDiary track links) and maintain similarities in their profile information between myGeoDiary and Facebook.

* Identity: A user can Login to myGeoDiary using their Facebook credentials

* Profile: A user's name, photos, and more are now consistent with their profile on Facebook.

In the near future, Abaq.us will further enhance myGeoDiary by extending its Facebook integration to include:

* Friends: A myGeoDiary user will be able to choose to easily share their content & activity with their friends on Facebook.

*Social: User's activities on myGeoDiary will integrate with all of the integration points within Facebook, like Facebook widget application, stream stories and notifications.

Abaqus Inc. http://www.abaq.us +1-801-231-9076 (mobile) +1-800-507-1673 (fax)

Setting up your myGeoDiary recorder on the Android phone

How to setup your Android phone to connect to myGeoDiary on the web? http://www.myGeoDiary.com/oeg/images/site/arrow_top.gif

Thank you for downloading the myGeoDiary recorder for Android. If you have not downloaded the application yet, please visit the Google Android app store on your Android phone and click on http://www.android.com/market/free-lifestyle.html.

Here are basic instructions on how to setup your myGeoDiary recorder application on your phone:

1. When you first launch your Android myGeoDiary application, it will prompt you to set up your account at www.myGeoDiary.com on the web.

2. If you already have the account created, please enter your user credentials and configure other parameters such as recording frequency etc.

3. If you have do not have an account on myGeoDiary yet, please sign up for an account at http://www.mygeodiary.com/geo/si/signup

4. Once you have confirmed your registration, your name / password can now be used to securely upload your gps tracks from your smart phone directly to your account on myGeoDiary.

5. Also ensure that the Android phone's location manager is setup to work with GPS.

6. Once the setup is complete, you are now able to record your GPS tracks or a single point of interest using your GPS enabled phone.

_______________________________________________________________________

Shailendra Jain

Abaqus Inc.

http://www.abaq.us

+1-801-231-9076 (mobile)

+1-800-507-1673 (fax)

myGeoDiary on Android Phones

Abaq.us Announces Support for myGeoDiary on Android-Powered Devices myGeoDiary Service Now Integrated with GeoMob Application from Orange R&D Labs

-- Abaqus, Inc. today announced the availability of a new myGeoDiary Recorder for Android-powered devices, enabling individuals with Android-platform, GPS-enabled phones to record their geo-social tracks and directly upload them to the free myGeoDiary service on the web. The on-device myGeoDiary Recorder application has been specifically designed for use and branding by mobile operators to quickly and affordably provide location-based social networking services to their mobile phone customers. Towards this, Abaqus, Inc. today also announced that myGeoDiary will integrate with the GeoMob application by Orange R&D Labs and will be available on the Android Market under 'myGeoDiary for GeoMob'.

Using myGeoDiary (http://www.myGeoDiary.com), individuals can organize, personalize and share their tracks with friends and family or the entire community. They can also share their tracks with any site on the web as myGeoDiary is integrated with a suite of web 2.0 applications, including popular social networking sites, such as Blogspot, Flickr and YouTube.

GeoMob, from Orange R&D Labs, puts user-generated content on the map on the phone. Individuals can use their personal touchscreens to zoom into location-centric content such as events, weather, news, and local business reviews while myGeoDiary provides tracks based on their location. Users can also scroll through 'Geochannels' with location-specific content automatically updated for them. The timeline displays content on a historical basis. According to ABI Research, location-based mobile social networking revenues are expected to reach $3.3 billion by 2013. Forward-thinking mobile operators are embracing this fast-growing market category.

New Community Features for tracking your Geo-Social Life

myGeoDiary Adds New Features for Adventurers Tracking their Geo-Social Lives Spring has sprung, and people all over the world are dusting off their bikes, hiking gear and fitness equipment in preparation for new adventures. To help individuals more fully capture their outdoor activities this year, myGeoDiary (http://www.mygeodiary.com) today added new features, including advanced activity-based search, community tags highlighting popular geo-social activities, and private and community track access differentiation, as well as an easier to use web interface for its growing service.

Key features:

* Organize and record it in one place. Tracks are automatically geo-tagged for review and comparison, enabling users to gain insight into their own and other's activities, such as fitness goals. Additionally, users can now search tracks by user activities and tags, and soon search by location, by full text and by person.

* Personalize their geo-data by pin-pointing maps and uploading photos, video and audio with specific annotations to show where they have been. Users can also set access and privacy limits for viewing personal stored content on the free service.

* Share their experiences via the web with family, friends and other community enthusiasts. Using the service, now users can publish personalized tracks to any website on the Internet, including popular social media and networking sites, such as Blogspot, Flickr, Google Earth, and mash-ups with Microsoft Virtual Earth, YouTube and more.

Troubleshooting Blackberry GeoRecorder Application

We have recently been getting some feedback on our blackberry GeoRecorder app. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

1. Please ensure that the user / pwd credentials for myGeoDiary are properly set on your phone app

2. Please check to ensure that the Abaqus server URL points to www.mygeodiary.com/geo/upl/uploadskychunk

3. At times, the mobile network may drop your connection while trying to upload your recorded geotrack to myGeoDiary. Please retry a few times. Our next version (1.4.1.8) will handle this more gracefully.

4. At times, the application may not properly record your tracks due to interruptions such as loss of battery power, no available storage etc. The KMZ file in such a situation will likely be corrupted. We are working to fix this problem.

5. At times, the phone is unable to get a GPS fix. To verify that your phone GPS is working properly, please go to Blackberry advanced setup options and click on GPS. Choose 'Refresh GPS' and see if you are able to get a new GPS fix. You can also go to Google Maps and check whether your location is cell-tower based or GPS based. Following these steps, launch Abaqus GeoRecorder app again and start tracking. It may take upto 2 minutes to get the initial fix.

Please send us your feed at support@abaq.us for any questions you may have on the service.

_______________________________________________________________________

Shailendra Jain

Abaqus Inc.

http://www.abaqus.net

+1-801-231-9076 (mobile)

+1-800-507-1673 (fax)

January: myGeoDiary News

Greetings! Hope that your new year has been off to a great start. In this month's newsletter, we will highlight some of the new features at myGeoDiary and also recap some of its existing powerful features.

Basic Features

1. You can upload your GPS tracks through a PC or via a direct connection with your Garmin.

2. For users with a GPS enabled Blackberry and Windows Mobile phones, we provide a GeoRecorder application which can be downloaded from here

for $4. We also have an application on the Where.com platform which runs on Java phones, Nokia smart phones etc. on networks such as Sprint, Helio, ATT et al. You can access Abaqus widget on the WHERE platform here for FREE !!

3. Uploading pictures to creating a geotagged slide show is easy! * Use a phone (e.g. BB), take photos, record tracks, upload to myGeoDiary. The service will geotag the photos and directly post to any photo service (e.g. Flickr)

• Geotag photos with PND: Use a PND (e.g. garmin) to record tracks, use a camera to take photos, upload separately to myGeoDiary. The service will automatically geotag the photos, and directly post the original photos to Flickr!  

4. As a user of myGeoDiary, you have a personalized 'myGeoDiary' page where your fiends and family can see your Public tracks. e.g. Steve's Page:http://www.mygeodiary.com/geo/pub/glog/sbursley.

5. You can also create a public page for any single tracks e.g. Ridges on a Muir Trail.  All of these public pages allow your friends and family to comment on your tracks.

Advanced Features

1. Linking your myGeoDiary account with Blogger and Flicker: If you have an existing account at these services, simply click on the activation link in the Profile Tab and follow the steps. Once authenticated, you can directly post your geotagged content to there websites. * tag "Flickr": to post photos to Flickr * tag "blogspot": to post gps tracks to blogspot e.g. Steve's myGeoDiary Blog post

2. Creating your own personal geoRSS feed: Click on the Feed tab and follow the instructions on the panel. You can create a feed and set it to be automatically updated anytime you upload a track with a certain 'tag' to myGeoDiary.

3. Attaching videos to your tracks and use HTML to format your track descriptions: Simply edit an annotation and add a YouTube video embed code in the description box.

4. Adding your Comments to Public Tracks: You can add your own annotation comments on any public track. Simply right click on the track name and choose 'Add Annotation.' The annotations will then be visible to the entire MyGeoDiary community. This forms a great way to collaborate with the community on interesting GPS trip reports.

We appreciate all your feedback on ways to improve the service.  So keep them coming. Also, if you are interested in joining our beta program where you get access to our latest phone applications, Web features & API use, please contact us at support@abaq.us.

Cheers

News from Abaqus Inc.

December 2008

Greetings! We wrap up 2008 with a great deal of excitement about what lies ahead for location-based social networking on the web. We have seen our users start to employ location data in their geodiaries for fitness, adventure travel, biking and other outdoor activities such as hiking & off-road driving. We are thrilled to see some of you use your geodiaries to map the world around you with photos, video and audio clips from your daily lives AND then share your journals with your friends and family. On the technology front, the web continues to innovate despite the current slowdown and we plan to be right there with you, providing the very best capabilities to location-enable your activities online. We are working on providing our geodiary service as the underlying application for some exciting new websites in the coming new year. We are also working to regularly integrate cool new web applications to the geodiary service especially around user-generated content such as Photography, Blogs, RSS feeds, Twitter and Lifestreaming.

Website Update

* Our consumer service, MyGeoDiary which used to be at www.abaq.us has moved to www.mygeodiary.com. Many of your bookmarks will probably still work, but if they don't we are sorry for this temporary inconvenience.

* The www.abaq.us is still there and it now serves as our company website.

* We have a new MyGeoDiary home page! You can see a display of cool new public tracks contributed by our users.

* We have updated our phone applications on blackberry and Windows mobile. On the blackberry, you can now upload large tracks and picture sets directly over the mobile network.

* An increasing number of bike tracks, adventure travel recordings and vacation journals are being posted to the site. In the coming months, we will provide you statistics behind our user generated content

* We have added a 'HELP' presentations to demonstrate how to use various features in the service.

Platform

Update We have recently opened up access to our MyGeoDiary platform for partners and customers to build their own cool LBS applications OR embed location-attributes to their existing online services. We host the web services platform to record-organize-publish geotracks using a wide variety of devices; provide a suite of APIs; and a basic administration service to make this process very simple.

* We have extended our tagging system to give our users additional controls over their geo-content organization, content publishing and community interaction. e.g.

* If you want to publish all tracks under a tag to a geoRSS feed, simply create a feed with the identical name as the tag.

* If you want to publish certain tracks to your blogger account, organize those tracks under a 'blogger' tag

* We have also built a powerful messaging system which allows you to initiate notifications to your social network when certain updates are made to your geodiary e.g. this can be used to build your personal 'beacon' service for your friends & family across multiple social networks.

Please contact us at support@abaq.us if you are interested in using our APIs.

Recording your Tracks with Abaqus' GeoRecorder

You can use our GeoRecorder software on a Blackberry device (with embedded GPS) to record your tracks, take pictures and directly upload the tracks to your MyGeoDiary account. To set this up, pls follow these steps:

• Launch GeoRecorder application
• Click on the menu button and choose Abaqus setup options
• Enter your account name / pwd.
• Pls check to see that the server URL points to: http://www.mygeodiary.com/geo/upl/uploadskychunk . Save these options.
• Configure your Track recording parameters (frequency of recording, photo directory, geotrack directory etc.
• Start your recording (pls make sure that a good GPS signal is available)
• You can take photographs while recroding your tracks. These photos will be geotagged and placed at the right spot on the track.
• The photos will also be directly posted to your Flickr account if you have authorized your account to link to Flickr.
• After you have finished recording, the application will ask you to directly upload the track to your MyGeodiary account.
• You can give the Track a title, tags. 
• You can also choose to directly post the track to your Blogspot blog (if you have authorized MyGeoDiary to link to your Blogspot account).

p.s. Every once in a while, the upload may fail because the mobile operator drops the Internet connection. Please try to upload again and it should work. Good day