FindPenguins: tracker or not?

[AJGuillaume]

We'll be walking soon and we are going to use both Polarsteps and FindPenguins.

We have used Polarsteps in the past with its tracker on. It uses very little battery, and it's nice to be able to see where we've walked. In addition, family members following us can see where we are between start and end of stages.

We haven't used FindPenguins before, and there is an option to use the tracker. We noticed that the Forum FindPenguins users currently on the Camino mostly just post end of stage photos and text.

Has anyone used the FindPenguins tracker?

 

[peregrina2000]

I never knew anything about it! So I will have to give it a try. For anyone else who might want to try this, go to “feed” in the app. Up in the top left corner, there’s a little compass like thing. Click on it and it will give you the instructions to start tracking. Thanks AJ, I’ll let you know what I think. I’m assuming I will see some things differently but I’m not sure.

 

[OzAnnie]

Not long to go for both of you AJ. I’ll be following. (Both this thread and your camino ).
Ps. I’ve made contact with Mercedes (president ) of assoc in Almería.
I’m blown away by her/their kindness and support.

 

[ypsituckian]

We'll be walking soon and we are going to use both Polarsteps and FindPenguins.

We have used Polarsteps in the past with its tracker on. It uses very little battery, and it's nice to be able to see where we've walked. In addition, family members following us can see where we are between start and end of stages.

We haven't used FindPenguins before, and there is an option to use the tracker. We noticed that the Forum FindPenguins users currently on the Camino mostly just post end of stage photos and text.

Has anyone used the FindPenguins tracker?

We followed a relative on their Camino with FindPenguins. She was posting details and photos daily. Seemed to work well as far as us enjoying her Camino, not sure on her end but never heard any complaints.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

I had the tracker turned on and found that my followers could not only see where I'd been, but could expand the screen to see the actual street my albergue was on! And in creating a private FP of my trip to Ireland, I was able to locate places to mark where I'd been when I created a post after the fact.
I don't know if all apps of this type will do that as I've only used FP but I'm very happy with it.

 

[KellyCR]

I loved FindPenguins. Very easy, and a nice way to share with friends and family, and remember afterward!

 

[JimG59]

Do you know if these are point to point only, or do they track your actual route ?

 

[trecile]

Do you know if these are point to point only, or do they track your actual route ?

This is a screenshot from my FindPenguins app for Camino this year.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Do you know if these are point to point only, or do they track your actual route ?

With Polarsteps, points are taken roughly every 10 to 30 minutes, if I recall, depending on how quickly you walk. It does not track your route as Wikiloc does, but it does give a rough track, rather than a start point and an end point.

If I look at @peregrina2000 's current track with Findpenguins, before she has written anything about her day, I can see, as I write, that she walked through Gallegos de Argañán, La Alameda de Gardón, Aldea del Obispo.

 

[WayWalker]

We'll be walking soon and we are going to use both Polarsteps and FindPenguins.

We have used Polarsteps in the past with its tracker on. It uses very little battery, and it's nice to be able to see where we've walked. In addition, family members following us can see where we are between start and end of stages.

We haven't used FindPenguins before, and there is an option to use the tracker. We noticed that the Forum FindPenguins users currently on the Camino mostly just post end of stage photos and text.

Has anyone used the FindPenguins tracker?

And it tells you latitude, longitude and weather on that particular day. With the push of a button you can have your blog in a nice book form waiting for you when you return home! I love it!!!

 

[Sandra Wolf]

I am finding Find Penguin difficult to allow friends and family to follow and have all the settings allowing public viewing. Do people who want to follow have to download the app?

 

[AJGuillaume]

I am finding Find Penguin difficult to allow friends and family to follow and have all the settings allowing public viewing. Do people who want to follow have to download the app?

I haven't tried FindPenguins yet, but if it's anything like Polarsteps, friends can follow you on the website without having to download the app.

 

[Sandra Wolf]

Thanks I think I should have used Polarsteps sounds far more intuitive.

 

[CWBuff]

I LOVE FindPenguins and have used it for all my trips (even some local small outings - sort of "for training purposes") in the last couple of years
I make sure my tracker always stays on, however i disable it until the actual time when i am at the given airport and that's when i turn it on to start tracking (Consequently i turn it off once i arrive at the airport).
Else it will start tracking on the morning of the start day and stop at 11:59pm of the End day and as such will track from\to my house (and Lord only Knows none of us want that!)
The above is very much due to the fact that if you do want lots of people to see your trip without any undue burden to them then you DO have to make the trip public and as such anyone can view it

that said - nobody has to become a FP member to do so. Once you create your trip you can copy the link to it and then share it with all your friends, relatives, coworkers, neighbors etc. they can click on it at their whim any given time.
Also - re:download the app. No - this is accessible via any regular internet browser either straight to the trip (with afore-mentioned link) or perhaps to a site 'home' page where you can look for members and their trips provided you know who\what to look for

Hence the only difference I see is that if one DOES sign up and becomes a member then they might as well request to FOLLOW you and by doing so they will get notifications every time you upload a new post\waypoint. Actually works very nice (I had folks who told me they were eagerly spending the time waiting for these notifications so they could see what new stuff I was up to that day)
My MO was to use FP throughout the day, pin any given waypoint I wanted and basically do a combo of take an immediate photo(s) and\or video(s) or take some with the camera and attach to waypoint later (just do not forget to create a waypoint). I also found out that you can reasonably move a little from created waypoint and still attach a photo to it (provided you 'moved' probably something like less than 2km)
In any case - once in albergue and settled in for the evening I would capitalize on having a better WiFi connection as well as the plug-in power to edit my waypoints for the day, perhaps add comments and then post them. worked like a charmer
(BTW while I walked the phone was on airplane mode and the tracker still tracked)
IMHO its a pretty cool app...and you can play with some stuff before you go off on the actual Camino

Good luck

 

[SF Walker]

I am testing out Find Penguins for our training hikes to learn how to use it before we walk the Camino. What I'm learning about the tracking: You can edit the tracking lines after the fact if it's putting too much detail in. For example, if you wander in circles and don't want everyone to know, you can delete it. I'm still getting the hand of the tracking...I usually turn it off because I don't want to be tracked between hikes. Then I have to remember to turn it on. I usually take photos and create draft footprints for the hike as we go and then upload all the drafts at the end of the day. Then people can see what we saw at various points in our hike in the order we saw them.

As for sharing, there are 2 ways to share: With a link or have people Follow you. The FAQs on the Find Penguins web site explain all this but in a nutshell--for people who hate to set up new accounts in new apps, give them the link. They can see everything without logging in BUT they will not get automatic notifications of updates and they will not be able to comment. They can always send you email if they have comments or questions. For those who want push notifications and to comment, they will need to set up an account and then they need your FOLLOW link to make it easy for them to find you and follow you. You do not have to make your trip Public to everyone if you don't want to. You can keep it private and share the private link and/or request that people Follow you.

 

[trecile]

BUT they will not get automatic notifications of updates and they will not be able to comment.

They can comment (at least they could in the past) but their name will not automatically attach to the comment, so they should add their name to any comments that they make.

 

[KCP]

We'll be walking soon and we are going to use both Polarsteps and FindPenguins.

We have used Polarsteps in the past with its tracker on. It uses very little battery, and it's nice to be able to see where we've walked. In addition, family members following us can see where we are between start and end of stages.

We haven't used FindPenguins before, and there is an option to use the tracker. We noticed that the Forum FindPenguins users currently on the Camino mostly just post end of stage photos and text.

Has anyone used the FindPenguins tracker?

I used the tracker. It uses very little battery and I like how FP uses your trip information in the book they put together for you.

 

[SF Walker]

They can comment (at least they could in the past) but their name will not automatically attach to the comment, so they should add their name to any comments that they make.

Thanks. I didn’t know that.

 

[Calimocho]

This is a screenshot from my FindPenguins app for Camino this year.

View attachment 132857

Looking at your route, it seems like sometimes FP shows a straight line between photos and other times it shows a curvy, more true-to-reality route. I’m wondering if that’s because sometimes tracking was on and sometimes it was off, or because there were more or less checkpoints. Can anyone explain this?

 

[trecile]

Looking at your route, it seems like sometimes FP shows a straight line between photos and other times it shows a curvy, more true-to-reality route. I’m wondering if that’s because sometimes tracking was on and sometimes it was off, or because there were more or less checkpoints. Can anyone explain this?

I don't know. It's not going to be as exactly accurate as my Google Maps timeline. Maybe if I zoom in more? Or maybe if I had made more "footprints" each day.
I like the mapping feature because it shows the people who are following me my progress. FindPenguins is not a substitute for a mapping app like Maps.me or mapy.cz.

 

[carolynyim]

We'll be walking soon and we are going to use both Polarsteps and FindPenguins.

We have used Polarsteps in the past with its tracker on. It uses very little battery, and it's nice to be able to see where we've walked. In addition, family members following us can see where we are between start and end of stages.

We haven't used FindPenguins before, and there is an option to use the tracker. We noticed that the Forum FindPenguins users currently on the Camino mostly just post end of stage photos and text.

Has anyone used the FindPenguins tracker?

I don't have an answer, but hoping to gain insight from your question! I'm walking next week and have both apps on my phone to try.

 

[trecile]

I'm walking next week and have both apps on my phone to try.

I've only used FindPenguins, but I recommend that you try the app out at home first. You don't even have to go on a hike or walk. Just get used to making a "footprint," uploading pictures and writing your text. You can make a "practice" trip and delete it later.

 

[Rita Flower]

I used PolarStep in the past but am a definite FindPenguins fan now. The app itself seems cleaner and easier to use.
This is a bit off topic so thanks in advance for listening.
I have been travelling for four weeks already - pre Camino- with a family related agenda in the U.K. and Europe. So I have posted two trips - Bumbling around Britain and Lounging in Latvia.
I have the tracker set to 'When I am using the app' as I think that is sufficient information for friends and family. On each trip so far there is a map with straight lines between places posted and number of days spent there and dotted line for a flight. Good enough for now.
I might try having the tracking on all the time once I am on Camino. Will see.
I am using FP primarily as a way to journal my trip for me - there is a private area for each post which is not open to anyone. At least that is my understanding. So you can share and still make some more personal comments for yourself alone.
I was also a bit tired of daily travel updates on Facebook. This way only those who are interested will be plagued by my personal travel dialogue. I am doing a short FB post for those more vaguely interested.
Gratitude to the Forum for introducing me to FP.

 

[CWBuff]

One may consider to attach the FP link to one's FaceBook page\account and this way those who follow you on FB will also have an access

 

[Rita Flower]

One may consider to attach the FP link to one's FaceBook page\account and this way those who follow you on FB will also have an access

And you can also not accept people if they want to 'follow' you but you are not sure who they are.

 

[CWBuff]

Yes @Rita Flower - I had some folks asking if they can follow me while I was walking Camino and posting... I would respectfully ask them to 'tell me something about yourself' . if i got no answer then that cemented it
else - if I saw that its a person who is truly likes traveling and\or interested in Camino - heck why not
Point is - you control the situation!

 

[JCarpenter]

I also enjoyed find penguins, but I have learned that you must have your camera settings so that Google can put a place/time stamp on your phots. If that toggle is off, your photos cannot be loaded after the fact. If the toggle is on, you can go back and upload photos days later and the route will adjust. Essential for those days when one doesn't manage a post in real time.

 

[SF Walker]

I also enjoyed find penguins, but I have learned that you must have your camera settings so that Google can put a place/time stamp on your phots. If that toggle is off, your photos cannot be loaded after the fact. If the toggle is on, you can go back and upload photos days later and the route will adjust. Essential for those days when one doesn't manage a post in real time.

When you say “Google” does that mean you have an Android phone? I have an iPhone and had no problems adding photos at a different time. I create footprints as I go and save them as draft and then add photos at the same time or later.

 

[trecile]

When you say “Google” does that mean you have an Android phone? I have an iPhone and had no problems adding photos at a different time. I create footprints as I go and save them as draft and then add photos at the same time or later.

I think that @JCarpenter probably means that the setting for location data of pictures taken by the phone is needs to be turned on.
I have been able to edit the time and location of my posts after the fact.

 

[Rita Flower]

When you say “Google” does that mean you have an Android phone? I have an iPhone and had no problems adding photos at a different time. I create footprints as I go and save them as draft and then add photos at the same time or later.

Same here. Can add photos or create posts at any time for pervious days on an iPhone. @JCarpenter -Not sure how android works but it would have all the same capacities as iPhone. (some of my best friends have androids )
There is a location tracker box that pops up but I ignore the request and just tap 'continue'.