For those of you that ride motorcycles, or take trips solo or whatever and want to use your Android phone as a SPOT type device -


Install InstaMapper's GPS Tracker, and sign up for an account at InstaMapper.com. From there, you can have your phone upload your position to the site, and can share the link so people can see where you're at, and track your progress. Great for us motorcyclists while taking long trips. Devices like the SPOT have saved at least a few lives. With InstaMapper, you can save the several hundred dollars you'd spend on a SPOT, and only use it when you need to. You can easily enable/disable sharing from the site.

The only limitation is that you need to have a data connection for the app to upload to the site, so if you're going to be going out into the boonies, a SPOT may still be a good idea for you.  The app also uses a lot of data, updating every few seconds, so it's best to have an unlimited data plan.   You can tweak the upload frequency, tho.  


There is an iPhone app, but it will not run in the background.

MyLookout has similar functionality as well, but connection from the website to your phone is spotty. You can make it trigger a siren from the website though.


Also, theres google latitude, but it doesn't update fast enough to be useful.

I might be able to use this on my next long road trip

Had it running while I was riding home from work this morning.  Works pretty well.   The tracking screen shows all of the position points, and each point if you click on it will show position, altitude and speed.  


I think this app and page are great for people that like to roam or take trips.  Send the link to the wifey or family, and they can track you.


Of course, you can always turn it off and disable sharing if you're paranoid.