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There are hundreds of cycle computer style apps for the iPhone, which can log distance and spew out gpx files for post-ride viewing on Google Earth. Some also have live tracking features so friends and family can find out the exact location of riders, out on training rides or doing sportives. But tracking apps which keep the screen on and suck data from internal GPS are notoriously power-hungry and can drain an iPhone within just a couple of hours, so such apps are next to useless on long rides.
Recognising this problem, Tinderhouse of Kent – owner of the Map My Tracks app and coder for the Bike Hub cycle satnav app (which is now less battery sucking) – has created Map My Tracks Endurance, a low-power app that is designed to make live tracking at long distance, mass participation events a viable option for riders and organisers alike.
The app is said to be capable of tracking live for over 24 hours on one charge.
It’s also possible to share group rides. When riders use the same tag all their activities can be followed live on an event hub online that features the progress of everyone using that tag.
One of the first events to benefit from this new app is the Ride Across Britain where a team of riders from Cisco is using the Map My Tracks Endurance app throughout the nine day event. Their progress will be followed live, on the Cisco Riders event hub on MapMyTracks.com, by sponsors, friends and Cisco work colleagues around the world.
Nick Tatt, CEO at Tinderhouse said: “Adding Endurance to our range of apps gives our users a choice of what will work best for them in the events they enter. Our first performance iPhone app, OutFront, works great for live tracking at events of up to five hours but Endurance can go for more than 24 hours which really changes the events that can use our live tracking solutions.”
Map My Tracks Endurance is free to download from the App Store and is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.
