Posted a long time ago by RJ Saftescu

Snappy reporter: So what's LockOnMe?

Thrilled developer: One of the coolest apps around!

Hmm, sure... but what does it do?

Well, it's a location sharing app; it displays the positions of targets and/or associated Points Of Interest (or POIs ), either relative to you, like on a radar, or on a map, like on a map...

Targets?   What's going on?

Ah, yes, targets. I didn't say friends nor contacts to highlight the fact that you don't need to become mutual friends with the people you are tracking, or conversely with the ones you wish to have as sort of genuine "followers". Actually you don't even have to know the people tracking you: you could just put your target ID and Tracking Code out there, on your social media.

Oh, so anybody could find me?!!

You could just show off some of your best spots on Earth, but you do have the option of sharing your live location, yes, if you're a mobile ice cream van driver and want people to follow your rounds, or...

What if I want to keep these things private?

... doing a marathon. Otherwise, you can just give your tracking details to the people you're about to meet, or to your family. Or choose to have different Target IDs and/or Tracking Codes for various purposes. It's really up to you, and you can have as many of these as you want, so it's quite flexible, really.

Is it safe then?

Yes; LockOnMe was designed to ensure flexibility and privacy from the ground up, replacing user accounts with a system of Target ID & Tracking Code pairs, so your name and personal details, email, etc. are not needed. The Target IDs are taken on a first-come, first-served basis, and the Tracking Codes are also chosen by users. It's up to them who they want to share those with. There's a sort of non-reciprocal, anonymous tracking capability going on here, with also the...

Ok, alright. . maybe. But, what's the point of all this for the casual user? I mean, not everyone wants to be "tracked", right?

Well, the mobile graphics are kind of fun, to begin with. Imagine you're meeting with a group of friends, and you see them approaching on a radar screen, or a sort of "Motion Tracker" display, like in the Aliens movie...

Hmm, very useful............................... NOT!

LockOnMe can be useful for setting up Points Of Interest (POIs) on a map, for example if the person you're meeting with doesn't know the location, or if you both want to see your live positions to get to each other faster. It can also help if you're part of a group and you don't want to get lost in a crowded place like at a festival – or in an empty space. .

Hold on a sec; I could just call the guy, no?

Of course, but sometimes it's hard to explain where you are, and a clear position on a map is worth a thousand words.
And if it's just you and you want to get back to your car, you can't quite call it, can you? With LockOnMe you could mark its location as a POI, just for yourself – so you can use the app on your own by the way, just to mark things. To plan a trip for instance.
Also with LockOnMe you can send your fixed position or target details by SMS, email, WhatsApp, etc. with a URL which your recipient can open in-app or on the web for quick and convenient display.

Well I don't travel so often, but, yeah.. Now, what makes LockOnMe stand out among the other location-sharing apps out there?

What's truly unique and sets LockOnMe apart is the elegant way of sharing and entering the tracking details: with Target IDs and Tracking Codes. It's simple yet very flexible.
You may have targets just listing POIs on the map, so people or entities could map out exhibitions spread across multiple sites, show a city's highlights to new freshers, etc. There is a wide selection of icons to represent those POIs, and you can add notes and image URLs.
Another big plus is the Web Tracking Console, at lockon.me; there you can set up fixed positions on the fly, or connect to your target and manage its POIs. There are more than 80 map styles to choose from, so knock yourself out! When you're done, save the URL for yourself or share it with others.
And again the mobile app is kind of fun, with a radar display acquiring targets, a "Motion Tracker", etc..

Hmm, interesting; can I take a look?

Sure, here are some screenshots:

Looks OK I suppose. Can we see it in action though?

We're in the process of making a video showcasing the app; it will be available soon. (edit: the video is now available here !)
But the Android & Wear OS apps are free to download from the Play Store .
Or head to the Web Tracking Console (WTC) — as a demo you can track MeganB / treadstone : lockon.me/?map=Decimal&track=(MeganB/treadstone) .

Free? Means there's gonna be ads all over the place, right?

Nope, not a single ad.

Many ads then?

No ad at all, I promise! It's relying on people's generosity, you know, donations.

Oh, good luck with that... Ok, I might try it. Bye now.

Bye, have fun with it. Don't break it!

last edited: 4 February 2022

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