How to use Google maps instead of Mircrosoft maps!

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Guest

How to use Google maps instead of Mircrosoft maps!

Post by Guest »

I'm a new user (starter kit) and really impressed with the service and technical support. Awesome info posted here.

I would prefer to use Google maps versus Microsoft maps. Simply because Microsoft's satellite map is to dark for my area where Google's are clear.

Can I change which mapping service I use or view on the Accutracking website?

If so, How do I do it?

If not, How do some of you get your info to show up on Google maps.

Thx,

PS: I've notice some posters have links to their locations and it always appears to be a Google map.
ATSupport
AccuTracking Staff
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:36 pm
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Post by ATSupport »

The reason why our paid service is using MSN maps while the free service is using Google maps, and why some members' "web sticker" links are Google maps, is because Google map's terms of use on commercial websites.

To use Google maps on a commercial site, the site needs to be "generally accessible to consumers without charge". Our free service and web sticker maps are within this scope, therefore using Google maps.

For our paid service, we have to go with MSN maps, which offers commercial licenses.

To workaround the dark satellite image problem in your area, you can click the "Map" link for each record in the tracking history page, which redirects to the Google Map website. I know this is not as nice as an embedded map but better than nothing.

Another option is to embed your "web sticker" into your own web page, just like other AccuTracking members do. The sticker is using Google map.
AccuTracking Support
support(at)accutracking.com
Guest

Post by Guest »

Once again.....customer support is outstanding.

I'll look around and see I can can locate a prior post that discusses embedding. I do have a website through my ISP so it's just a matter of figuring out how to do the embedding which I gather is written in html.
ATSupport
AccuTracking Staff
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:36 pm
Contact:

Post by ATSupport »

The instructions for adding web location sticker is available at http://support.accutracking.com/kb/article/000021
And thank you for using AccuTracking!
AccuTracking Support
support(at)accutracking.com
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thank you again.

While logged in I went to 'Manage Units' and underneath 'Sticker' was 'Show' and when I clicked on 'Show' it generated all the links needed.

Now that was awesome.

I just got to say it again. Customer support is the best I've seen to date.
Guest

Post by Guest »

If possible, it would be nice if the sticker showed the battery level.

I could not get the 1st example to work:

This is what was generated: XXXXX's have been substituted.

<img src="http://www.accutracking.com/websticker. ... XXXXXXXXxx" alt="AccuTracking Phone Location" width="250" height="90" border="0" usemap="#AccuTracking_####">
<map name="AccuTracking_####">
<area shape="rect" coords="8,0,73,17" href="http://www.accutracking.com">
<area shape="rect" coords="85,40,115,60" href="http://www.accutracking.com/webloc.php? ... ###&type=1">
<area shape="rect" coords="131,40,167,60" href="http://www.accutracking.com/webloc.php? ... ###&type=2">
<area shape="rect" coords="181,40,213,60" href="http://www.accutracking.com/webloc.php? ... ###&type=3">
</map>
Guest

Post by Guest »

Scratch the last post:

What was missing was the <html> in the beginning and the </html> at the end.
ATSupport
AccuTracking Staff
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:36 pm
Contact:

Post by ATSupport »

Putting battery or signal level is not hard but we got to think how to make it fit into that small sticker. :)
AccuTracking Support
support(at)accutracking.com
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hmmm!

Color is what comes to mind. Green border on sticker for battery 70% or better, Yellow (Orange is better to not conflict with Yellow used on major roadways) for 30% to 69.9%, and Red for below 30%.

I'm not a programmer so not sure how hard that would be to program, but the colors are universally understood.

Wait, the pin on the maps is color coded (red) Hmmmm! Whether it is the pin or sticker doesn't matter to me personally.
ATSupport
AccuTracking Staff
Posts: 1906
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:36 pm
Contact:

Post by ATSupport »

The icons for battery, GPS, cell signal have been added to the websticker maps. They are not added to the websticker image due to the limited spaces.
AccuTracking Support
support(at)accutracking.com
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