Can your iPhone keep you safe?
08. Feb, 2010 | by Amanda Dellario
2 Comments
You are getting out of work later than you wanted to, and it’s now dark. As you round a corner, you hear footsteps behind you. You quicken your pace, and the footsteps pick up as well. All you have with you is keys, a laptop and your trusty iPhone. You don’t want to make a call to draw attention to yourself. What if you could just push one button on that device to let a friend know you might be in trouble? While there are a slew of apps specifically designed to track a lost or stolen iPhone, like iHound or iScrut , there are relatively few made for tracking a lost or “in trouble” person.
This amazing piece of tech with its GPS could surely be counted on to serve as one’s personal geo-locator to alert someone WHEN you’re in trouble, and more importantly, let people know WHERE to find you. I have found a few apps designed to alert friends or authorities when you can’t make a phone call. While I don’t want to encourage paranoia, if there’s even a chance you or a loved one could ever need it, it is absolutely worth the download and peace of mind. In a few short years, my daughter Hazel will be out with friends or alone. I would want her to have her iPhone and one of these apps handy for mom’s peace of mind.
Panic Alarm
This app boasts a loud alarm to deter an attacker. You simply press the aptly named panic button, or shake your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you don’t deactivate the alarm after a short time, the app calls a designated SOS number for help. A loud alarm alone may often be a good enough deterrent, but only if your attacker is worried about other people hearing it. That’s why I like the “calling home” feature. The PIN code is another solid idea that offers an extra layer of security — if you activate it, only you can deactivate it using your code. Sorry, no geo-location with this one, folks, but that does open it up for iPod Touch users. Of course, the calling feature won’t work for them, but they can take advantage of the alarm. I was a little disappointed at the 2 star rating in the App Store, but it looks as if the developers addressed the complaints in later updates, so feel free to check it out.
$0.99, Adduce AB, compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch.
Link to app (clicking launches iTunes)
.
My Panic
MyPanic will send your current GPS location to a list of your selected contacts and update your Facebook and Twitter status with a one-button touch. It will also contact emergency services for you. It’s a nice touch that it adds Facebook and Twitter for more visibility in the event of an emergency. The option of calling EMS is an added bonus. Now don’t be deterred by the 2 1/2 star rating in the App Store. While that’s better than Panic Alarm, I do think some errant reviewers mistakenly hit 1 star instead of 5, so take it with a grain of salt. (Note: On the DevToaster website, the support page for MyPanic could not be located. That made me wonder if they are not supporting the app anymore or planning more updates for it. I hope that’s not the case. I think this app deserves some support and continued development.)
$4.99, DevToaster, LLC , Compatible with iPhone.
Link to app (clicking launch iTunes)
Silent Body Guard
When you activate Silent Bodyguard, it generates texts and emails that contain your current location with a link to a map. Those messages are then sent to a list of your previously selected contacts. The real bonus here is the continuous GPS updating until you close the app — that is pretty slick and makes sense — especially in the event of an abduction. Obviously, people are usually relocated after they are taken. I would have liked an EMS option with this one, though, but overall, nice functionality.
$3.99, Fun At Work, LLC, iPhone and iPod Touch.
Link to app (clicking launches iTunes)
While all aim to do the same thing — protect you in an emergency by alerting a designated party — the benefits of the geo-locating feature in the latter two items really can’t be overstated. I hope you never need an app like these, but with the most pricy one here being $4.99, can you afford not to have one when you need it most?
Related Posts:
Author Info
![iPhone OS 4.0.1 (with “bars” fix) – available for download [UPDATE]](http://www.todaysiphone.com/wp-content/themes/headlines/thumb.php?src=http://www.todaysiphone.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Picture-25.png&w=48&h=48&zc=1&q=90){kind=small}
Great post. It is clear You have a great deal of unused capacity, which you have not turned to your advantage.
The way you write shows you have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself.
It seems to me that while While you have some personal weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them.
Forecast Capture,
Ummm, thanks, I think… Glad you liked the post, and I hope the info was helpful.