 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi going to the dolomites in december kronplatz, with a group of family/friends . I was wondering if the skibeep app was usefull for knowing were others in the group were on the mountain were using( gps) with out having to make phone calls text etc...... would be great to know if anyone has used this app or any other app which might be useful.????? many thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Check how much you pay for mobile data when you're out there. It could be a bit expensive to run, depending on your contract.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Free wifi at lots of the lifts now in the Dolomiti Superski area. And in some gondolas too.
I used the app, but only to see if the suggested routes etc. were what I expected. Not sure I'd rely on it for tracking whereabouts of others.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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omas brumm,
Yes used it and there is a buddy beacon type of thing which lets you see where your buddies are. As Andy says the whole area is covered by free wifi at lift statoins and refugios.
Also tells you your mileage, based on lifts used.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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thanks for the reply ..its the buddy beacon it was interested in to track the group ... was it reasonably effective????
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| omas brumm wrote: |
| ... was it reasonably effective???? |
Yes, but only if you have data roaming on. i.e. the free wifi is only in refugios and lift stations, therefore you need 3g coverage to track buddies on piste.
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Yup. So it does. Takes you to the top of Ortisei.
Canazei - San Cassiano is missing a section in the middle so you couldn't follow that either. It's fine up to Sass Bece chair (can ski down to Arabba from there), but then skips to the Cherz chair, and doesn't mention that you need to do the Burz and Le Pale chairs to get there. Arabba-San Cassiano takes you a more scenic way. Arabba-Lagazuoi takes you to Selva.
So... fun app, but I wouldn't trust it. Might be worth filing some bug reports!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'd stick with the paper map. edit: but if you go in to the San Cassiano / Alta Badia sector, I recommend picking up the Alta Badia map if you see one at a lift/rifugio, since the pistes in that sector are difficult to work out from an Arabba or Canazei map.
Know my way around anyway, and the orange/green loops are straightforward and used for getting around the different areas. The paper map is just for when I really need it, or if people have tagged along (cos I know the way), then I'll get it out over coffee and make them tell me where we have been, and tell me how to get back.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hyst, the paper maps are useful to have (you'll soon end up with a pocket full if you pick one up in each sector), but if you are actually trying to get somewhere rather than just mucking about in one area, the signposts are the best thing to follow. The maps are ok for finding your location, but not so much for navigation.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Didn't see a ski map in the app. If you select a place (eg a lift, in the route list), then it takes you to a real map (mapquest or osm or something), but rather inconveniently they chose a map that doesn't show ski lifts. OpenStreetMap has had lifts marked for ages. Google has recently been adding them.
In theory, you could probably get away with WiFi on, data and GPS off, and it'll pick up your location at lift stations where you could use a "proper" mapping tool (although it wouldn't be able to route via pistes/lifts). Probably more use for Foursquare or some social network thing. And for the OP - if foursquare or similar does autocheckin every time you pass a lift that's in the database, then I suspect that may be more reliable at knowing where your friends were last seen. Or something like Endomondo, with wifi on, gps on, data off, and it'll upload your track when you pass a lift with wifi, and you can view other people's locations "live". GPS may kill the battery though, and then you can't call each other (which is more important imho).
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You know it makes sense.
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IME the only thing you can rely on these kind of apps for is that they won't work quite right when you need them. You'll be out of range, they'll be out of range, someone will run out of battery. Best thing is to use the old-school tricks of planned regroup points and scheduled check-ins. Keep the phone for texts and calls.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FAQ
Yes, I agree - not that usefull for my use! 
