SynchroSpot User Guide

Version 1.0 — February 2009

SynchroSpot provides you with a whole new class of location-based mobile software. It's a personal assistant that always knows where you are. The main feature is location-based reminders. This capability allows you to input reminders into your phone and the phone will automatically alert you with your reminder whenever you are near the specified location.

The examples are endless:

• Pick up milk the next time you're at the supermarket.

• Don't forget to stop by the post office on the way home.

• Don't leave home tomorrow morning without the DVD rentals to be returned.

Reminders can be configured to go off only during certain hours of the day and/or date ranges so you are not alerted with unnecessarily . Since inputting this information on a phone can be tedious there is a companion website that allows you to enter all the same data you can on the phone. The handset performs a bi-directional sync between itself and the web site so you are free to enter information into either.

Application Features

Reminders: are intended to be entered for arbitrary locations and will automatically appear whenever you are near that location (nearness is configurable to specific ranges — either walking range or driving range, or a custom user-specified range). Reminders can be recorded as text, picture or audio. There is a rich location annotation capability that could be used in both a personal and professional setting. For example, you can set a reminder to buy shampoo the next time you're near the drug store. Or to remember to stop and visit a client the next time you're in their city.

Missed Connection: This is a variation of the common "missed connection" functionality available on a variety of web sites such as Craigslist. The idea is you can record a missed connection ("I chatted with this really interesting person downtown but never got their number" which will be uploaded to your server account. If the other party is also using this service and enters a missed connection for a similar location and time they will be matched on the server and both parties will be anonymously notified via the website; then you both can chat anonymously via the website afterwards before deciding to meet in real life or not.

Drop A Note: This is meant to be a fun feature where you can leave a note for one of your SychroSpot-enabled friends and that note would only be delivered when the friend was near the target location (e.g. "If you're at this restaurant you have to try the ribs").

Notes can also be left for the public at large (other SynchroSpot users). And the public has the option to block all such notes or block specific senders.

Privacy

Clearly privacy is a huge issue regarding anything in the location-based space. SynchroSpot makes every effort to assure you that you are not being individually tracked. Signup for the service can be done completely anonymously. In fact, it is possible to use the service without signing up at all so you can get a feel for it (though in this case functionality is limited).

Your device's phone number is not used as an identifier and is never delivered to the server. Only the user's chosen ID is used. Cleartext passwords likewise are never sent to the server — only hashed (encrypted) passwords are transmitted from the client to server for authentication purposes.

You also have the option to completely shut off all communications with the server.

Setting up SynchroSpot

When you start up the app for the first time it will create an empty database. You are free to use the reminder functonality by creating locations and reminders without signing up. If an when you are ready, signup via your mobile device (the signup icon is on the second screen of the main menu). Once you have signed up your device and will automatically synchronize all your data with you web-based account. Login to your account at http://www.synchrospot.com to view your synchronized data. Any change you make via the web site will automatically synchronized back down to your mobile device.

Signup is required in order to use the Missed Connection and Drop A Note features.

After signup you will receive an email at the address you supplied.

Interacting with SynchroSpot

The application is fully touch-enabled and you can use the D-Pad keys (the physical up/down/left/right keys) as well. On most screens you can utilize a finger fling gesture (press down your finger on the screen and slide in any direction) to return to the previous screen.
Press the MENU button on any screen for a complete list of options.

The main screens:

Save Current Location

This screen scans for your current location (this can take up to 4 minutes). Once your location has been determined you can view it on a map and save it as a new named location.

Activated Reminders

This screen shows all recently triggered reminders and all recently received location-based notes. Press on a reminder to permanently cancel it or to put it to sleep for a pre-defined period of time.

Manage Locations

This screen is used to review, edit and delete all your previously saved locations.

Manage Reminders

This screen allows you to enter new reminders or edit/delete previously entered reminders. Press the tab at the top as desired.

Reminders can be configured to be within your preferred walking or driving distance (see Preferences below).

Missed Connection

This screen allows you to enter new missed connections or edit/delete previously entered missed connections. Press the tab at the top of the screen as required. Click on a stored missed connection to see its details and to see where on the map you originally entered it.

Drop A Note

This is just be a fun activity that allows you to leave a note for a friend or a colleague at a previously saved location. You can target the note at any other SynchroSpot user in your phone contact list or direct the note to the general public (you can block all public notes from others in your preferences).

The note will be delivered only when the target person is in the vicinity of the location. Press the icon to enter a new note. The "New" option will show you a list of contacts in your handheld's contact list.

Force Reminders

By pressing this icon you can activate your reminders for any given location; simply select the location from a list. Your reminders will appear in your phones alert bar at the top just as they would if you were at the selected location. This features lets you still use SynchroSpot's reminders if you have disabled GPS.

Preferences

This screen shows you all the configurable application preferences.