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An app to log GPS usage?

I used to like keeping gps on even if I'm not using it, so that in case my phone gets lost or stolen, I can track it down. But sometimes I check my home screen and see that gps is active (the icon in the notification bar) although I'm not running any apps (even in the background) that would require a gps fix.
So my question is, is there an app out there (or is it possible to develop such an app) that would keep logs of what apps or services are using the gps, so that I can track down the app using it?
It would also be useful to find out if there are any apps 'calling home' without my knowledge, and draining my battery in the process.
So..any suggestions???

Just a shameless bump...come on, no one has heard of such an app or thinks it would be useful??

gps turns off when screen locked

just out of curiosity, is it possible to set the GPS to stay "on/locked" with the screen off? Thats a big complaint i have about using some of the fitness tracking apps that track a route/distance via GPS.

Lucke said:
just out of curiosity, is it possible to set the GPS to stay "on/locked" with the screen off? Thats a big complaint i have about using some of the fitness tracking apps that track a route/distance via GPS.
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I think you can work around that by using the "Get Postion Test" feature in LBSTestMode. Open LBSTestMode and start Get Position Test, then once you have a lock, hit the home button rather than the back button to return to the home screen and start you other app. This will keep Get Postion Test running in the background, and should keep the GPS on/locked. This works for me with mytracks, maps, etc.
You can start LBSTestMode several ways: an app from the market, or use anycut and set a shortcut to the Activity LBSTestMode, or there are different keypad combinations for both 2.1 and 2.2 roms. You should be able to serach these things out on XDA.

Or use tracker booster from the market
Other apps such as nav and tracks also keep gps on when they are in use
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Or you can use the Google's My Track app. It will keep the GPS on while recording tracks.
Ultimately, it is app's responsibility to keep the GPS on.

foxbat121 said:
Or you can use the Google's My Track app. It will keep the GPS on while recording tracks.
Ultimately, it is app's responsibility to keep the GPS on.
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I mentioned that one but tracker booster is really the best solution as it only requests constant gps positioning so it is very light, resource wise
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How can I get the GPS to run even in background?

I purchased a Mileage tracker App that does everything I need, but it likes to stop and start the GPS randomly causing delays in the Time stamps it creates. If I run Latitude (default app) along with the program GPS is always on and it functions correctly. If I am in Latitude and click the Home button, it exits and I lose GPS. Is there an App that will run in the background that uses GPS and will leave it on? ChronoLog is the Tracking Program i use and like.
Any suggestions?

tucker1003 said:
I purchased a Mileage tracker App that does everything I need, but it likes to stop and start the GPS randomly causing delays in the Time stamps it creates. If I run Latitude (default app) along with the program GPS is always on and it functions correctly. If I am in Latitude and click the Home button, it exits and I lose GPS. Is there an App that will run in the background that uses GPS and will leave it on? ChronoLog is the Tracking Program i use and like.
Any suggestions?
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I dont know if this helps but, Google Nav doesn't cut off if you hit the home screen. The Icon is always on unless you tell it to exit.

[REQ] GPS on/off apps

Gingerbread doesn't allow apps to turn on/off GPS anymore (CM still does but it's missing some features for my device that I can't live without). Only system apps can do this these days.
As I use Tasker to automate a lot of stuff this quite sucks. I tried making Tasker a system app but the latest version still refuses to toggle GPS.
Thus my request: Could someone please create 2 tiny apps that just turn GPS on/off that can be moved to system and used by other apps to toggle that setting?

Why do you need to do that?
Just keep gps on, it doesn't do anything while it's not in use by some app. In particular, it doesn't contribute to battery drain while inactive.

some apps use GPS while in background, e.g. Google Maps. So having GPS enabled does drain the battery

XlAfbk said:
some apps use GPS while in background, e.g. Google Maps. So having GPS enabled does drain the battery
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Strange, I don't think I've ever seen that happen. The only time I see the GPS in use indicator on my notification bar is when an app like maps, my tracks etc is in the foreground. Just checked that as soon as I switch away from maps by hitting the home button, the GPS indicator vanishes.
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XlAfbk said:
some apps use GPS while in background, e.g. Google Maps. So having GPS enabled does drain the battery
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drbobb is right. Having GPS enabled does not mean that the actual hardware is on all the time. It merely means that android will allow apps to use it, at which point the GPS hardware will become active. So having it "ON" is just a permission thing.
If you are worried about GPS background apps (really Maps does that? I will surely test this), then I would highly recommend LBE Privacy Guard. Set the app up in such a way that Maps will need to ask you for permission to switch on GPS hardware. I tried this with the android browser because it uses GPS when you start it at google.com. Works like a charm!

well, it is as it is. this thread is not intended as a discussion thread about whether someone thinks disabling GPS is unneccessary. it's a request for an app that just turns on GPS and quits.

[Q] Mod or kernel hack to force GPS to stay on?

I would like to disable the ability to disable the GPS in the phones for use with an "invisible fence" app.
I don't care if the toggle in the notification area goes off or on, but I would like the phone to enable GPS on bootup, and just keep it on regardless.
Any ideas?

Why would you want it to stay on? It is a huge battery hog.

voldomart13 said:
Why would you want it to stay on? It is a huge battery hog.
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mrcpu said:
I would like to disable the ability to disable the GPS in the phones for use with an "invisible fence" app.
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I think I was pretty clear in the original post.

WTF is an invisible fence app??
and any app that requires GPS, will use GPS as needed. OLD Facebook app version for example, as long as it was on your screen, GPS was constantly locking. But it would kill the battery in less than 2 hours from full charge. so the facebook app changed the gps to lock once every so often, while the app is open on screen.
Other apps run a background service to access GPS at a set or random interval. Google Latitude for example. Not on screen, but will check-in or update location when-ever.
As you see the APP needs to have the set permissions, and options selected.
and in the end. your battery is dead in 2 hours with what you *think* you want

TRusselo said:
WTF is an invisible fence app??
and any app that requires GPS, will use GPS as needed. OLD Facebook app version for example, as long as it was on your screen, GPS was constantly locking. But it would kill the battery in less than 2 hours from full charge. so the facebook app changed the gps to lock once every so often, while the app is open on screen.
Other apps run a background service to access GPS at a set or random interval. Google Latitude for example. Not on screen, but will check-in or update location when-ever.
As you see the APP needs to have the set permissions, and options selected.
and in the end. your battery is dead in 2 hours with what you *think* you want
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This is not correct. (at least on the apex rom I'm running).
If you turn off the GPS in settings (not using the toggle on the notification bar), then fire up google maps, the first thing it does is tell you that not all the options for locating the user are turned on, and to go to settings and turn on GPS.
I recall reading somewhere that Google disabled the ability for apps to turn the GPS on and off. They could query it if it was enabled, but couldn't turn it on if it was off.
If the user can turn it off in settings, then that defeats the purpose. I want the GPS on all the time, regardless of settings.
I don't care about battery life, I have 4 captivates in this house, I am well aware of their capabilities and limitations. And I don't really care if you think it's a good idea or not, all I'm asking is if anybody knows of a way.

there is a difference between switching GPS "on" and having GPS activated or locking signal.
in the android settings or with any toogle app, you can turn GPS on or off.
I have it ON 24/7, I bet you do too.
you turn GPS "on", so apps CAN use/activate it if they try to.
you turn GPS "off" to prevent apps from using it, thus reducing battery drain and increasing security.
having GPS on 24/7 doesn't do crap to battery, it depends on the apps, and how they are programmed to use GPS, and if they were programmed to work like you want, they would work like I SAID.
there have been apps that used GPS like you suggested. THEY GOT FIXED. you really dont understand how fast it drains the battery.
and i dont mean to offend, but you also dont understand how the apps interact with the GPS.
Originally Posted by mrcpu
I would like to disable the ability to disable the GPS in the phones for use with an "invisible fence" app.
I think I was pretty clear in the original post.
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No. You weren't, WHAT THE FRICK an invisible fence app? and how does using the LARGE font help?
house full of captivates? did your dad get a family plan?