Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions here is where to start.
Q: If the device is off or has a dead battery will the app still work?
A: No, it's impossible for an app to run without the device being on. For example, your computer can't conduct a virus scan if it's turned off.
Q: Can you make the app turn GPS on if it is off?
A: Yes and no. The app will try to enable GPS anytime that it needs it. On some newer phones Google has removed the ability for us to enable GPS for you.
Q: The app does not enable GPS for me, why?
A: While the app does try to enable GPS on all devices it may not be able to for your device. In this case we recommend leaving GPS on if you want to be able to use the feature.
Q: But doesn't leaving GPS on drain my devices battery power?
A: A lot of people think that leaving the Use GPS and WiFi Location boxes unchecked will result in better battery life. This is not true and here is why.
The "Use Wireless Networks" and "Use GPS Satellites" are permission settings. These settings ONLY allow/disallow applications to either use wireless networks and/or GPS to get the device location. These settings do not actually turn on or off any hardware, therefore is does not save any battery. Applications actually turn on/off the GPS when they are using it, and you can tell when this is happening because a GPS icon will appear by the clock. So leaving "Use Wireless Networks" and "Use GPS Satellites" on does not affect battery life, it is just permission for apps to get your location. If you are experiencing power drain when GPS is enabled you may have an app that is running in the background using the GPS. You should find that app and change its settings or remove it so it stops using GPS.
Q: I used the GPS function and the location is way off, why?
A: GPS can fail to find the exact location of a device if too many material obstructions are in the way of the satellite signal. The most common places for GPS to fail are in hospitals or metal roofed office buildings. When the GPS application fails to get a clear reading of the latitude and longitude, the app will then send the user the network based location of their device. The network based location is the location of the closest cell tower to the device and could be several miles away from the the actual location. Satellite locations are constantly changing because of the curvature of the Earth so if the GPS fails to get the exact location try again at a different time during the day.
Q: If a thief found my device they could just uninstall the app, can you make the app need a password to uninstall it?
A: No, for user security Google does not allow android apps to password protect their uninstallment. Google does this to protect users from vicious apps that could harm the users device and not allow the user to remove them.
Q: Does this work with Google Voice? I don't have regular texting.
A: No, Google Voice does not use the native SMS of the device and therefor can not be read by the app.
Q: Is there a way to make the SMS attention word covert, or hide or delete the SMS messages so the thief does not know they are being GPS tracked?
A: Yes, In version 3.5 you can use stealth mode. Stealth mode can be activated in the 'Advanced Menu'.
Q: I lost my device and can't remember my attention words. What do I do?
A: For user security I do not keep user's changed attention words on file. The defaults are "wmd ring" and "wmd gps". It is recommended that if the user changes their attention words they write down what they changed them in a safe place.