Make maps in your area
The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that Map My Tracks Mobile uses map data supplied by Open Street Map. We use OSM maps as the background on the handset to show where you are right now.
One of the interesting things about Open Street Map is that it is a community of members that all contribute GPS data to help build a detailed street-level map of their area. The fact that a street or building is displayed is a direct result of members submitting GPS data and marking up any key features or road names. As more data is submitted the better the maps become adding greater detail and coverage around the world.
The detail displayed on the maps used within Map My Tracks Mobile depends on where you live. For example, the UK has considerable coverage and is nearly fully mapped. In other areas the detail is not as comprehensive but one of the great things about Open Street Map is that they regularly hold mapping parties for members to come together and concentrate their efforts to track specific locations in one go. The results of each mapping party is added into the mix of data and ends up on display in maps.
Contributing tracks to OSM
Given that Map My Tracks generates GPS data we would encourage all our users to get involved and start submitting their tracks to Open Street Map. Doing so is simple: after making a tracking use the export as GPX option on the track page and submit the data at Open Street Map. Having added your data you’ll need to edit and mark up the information before it can be used in the maps. One of the benefits of submitting tracks from your area is that you’ll begin to see the results of your efforts within Map My Tracks Mobile.
If you’re interested in Open Street Map and getting starting have a look at the OSM wiki.
LIVE event and race GPS tracking from Map My Tracks
Bring a new dimension to your event or race with Map My Tracks event tracking. Map My Tracks' event services can entertain your spectators, impress your sponsors and inform your competitors with LIVE event tracking.
Using Map My Tracks GPS tracking at events is an ideal way of bringing race action alive back at race HQ on a big screen or over the web to those that couldn't make. It's ideal for sailing regattas, running and bike races or just about any outdoor race or event. Spectators can watch live action and races are available on the web in real-time or to replay at any time.
Map My Tracks provides a complete event and race tracking service. We provide technical support at the venue, GPS tracking handsets, and projector/screens to make it easy and fun to track your event. We can even build your event website and integrate live tracks for online viewers.
If you are a race director or organiser contact the for more information and a quote to track your event.
New feature - GPS track comparison
Two tracks on one screen, replayed together. Well that's what you asked for so we built it. Track comparison lets you choose any two tracks to replay together and compare their performance. For the first time, this new feature allows you to compare against your own earlier activity or better still have a virtual race against someone else! It's a great way of seeing if you've improved or just to compare against a buddy's tracks.
All the usual speed, distance, course and position are displayed for both tracks with the option to synchronise the starting positions so that you can get an accurate comparison.
Comparing GPS tracks is simple
First choose the two tracks to compare from the explore page and click ‘Compare tracks’ at the top and bottom of the list of tracks. The track comparison page overlays both tracks on one map. Synchronise the starting positions of each tracks by sliding the player controls for both tracks in position. Once synchronised, press play and watch both tracks replay together. As with all the tracks you can speed up the action.
GPS track comparison was a feature request from our users. Keep the requests coming so that we can make Map My Tracks even better.
Map My Tracks at the Dinghy Show
Wow what a weekend at The Dinghy Show. Thanks to all the visitors and exhibitors for taking the time to visit our stand at the show. It was great fun demonstrating what can be done with Map My Tracks.
The Dinghy Show was our first public showing of what Map My Tracks is all about and I’m pleased to say that the response was tremendous. There was a real buzz around the stand that kept Rob, Joe and myself quite busy for the two days demonstrating live tracks at the venue.
With the show now all packed up we are back at base working out how we can get all the great ideas suggested by visitors into the next release! Roll on the next road show!
Version 1.1 released
To celebrate our attendance at the Dinghy Show this weekend we have rolled out another release of Map My Tracks Mobile that improves our support for many Windows Mobile handsets.
This release, v1.1, helps to extend the range of compatible handsets that Map My Tracks supports. One of the key features added on this occasion is the addition of an onscreen QWERTY keyboard.
This provides an alternative way of entering text using an onscreen keypad instead of the handset’s numeric buttons. This is especially useful for users whose phones have QWERTY keypads. To launch the onscreen keypad, simply click the select button when highlighting a text field.
To further extend the range of phones that we can support a manual GPS setup has been added. On some phones, the Java is unable to connect to internal GPS hardware or external Bluetooth devices. This is most common on some Windows Mobile devices whose Java does not support the required APIs. To accommodate this we have introduces a manual setup within the GPS settings page that allows you to choose the COM port that the internal or Bluetooth GPS device is associated with.
Also in this version are a suite of improvements to the accuracy of information and data and a couple of bug fixes.
To make the most of these features grab the latest version from http://www.mapmytracks.com/install.
Enjoy.
Dinghy Sailing Show
The Dinghy Sailing Show at Alexendra Palace in London will see our first road trip to demo Map My Tracks and we're really looking forward to it.
With the show just around the corner (March 1 & 2) our preparations are in full swing. We’re aiming to make quite a splash (no pun intended) and have just received our new tee shirts for the show. How exciting!
We’re really looking forward to showcasing Map My Tracks to all the visiting sailors at the show. We’ll have a number of different phones on hand to demonstrate how Map My Tracks works. If you are attending the show or are able to visit please come by to stand C18 and say hello.
Featured track
First in a line of featured tracks we take you to Budapest with what looks like a glorious bike ride along the river Danube.
Out of beta and into our first release
We're very excited to move out of beta and launch Map My Tracks Mobile v1. Our thanks go to all the beta users for taking the time to register and try out Map My Tracks. Your help has been invaluable.
In this release we have extended the range of phones that Map My Tracks supports. At present Nokia, Sony Ericsson and some Samsung, Motorola, Siemens, Pansonic, Lenovo, HTC and LG phones are supported. Map My Tracks also works with Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 but at present phones with QWERTY keypads are not fully supported. We are working on a release for these handsets. Watch this space.
We have also introduced some significant new features that include:
- Enhanced tracking interface
- Onscreen display includes: current speed, average speed, top speed, distance, pace (both fastest and average), direction, current position (latitude & longitude)
- Track summary including split time analysis
- Various other user improvements
If you’d like to give it a go sign up FREE and start tracking in five minutes.
Map My Tracks in motion
First in a series of videos that we plan to produce is this introduction to Map My Tracks.
It’s often easier to understand something by seeing it in action so we have put together a short video that we’ll also be using on our stand at the The Dinghy Show in March. Enjoy.
New feature - track preferences
Different sports require different statistics, which is why we have added the ability for you to set your default map type and distance units for viewing tracks. Now you have the choice to set street, terrain or satellite maps as your standard view together with the option to view your tracks using imperial, metric or nautical distance units.
As before, these options can also be changed as you view a track so you can still adjust the way in which track data is presented should you decide that nautical miles don’t really apply when you have just completed a bike ride!
Preferences are set on the ‘my profile’ page.
