Live Tracking should be done via BT
Planned
Seriously. Live tracking should be done via BT. Let it be through companion app but definitely via BT (notifications work this way anyway). LTE connectivity is fine but I think for vast majority of riders it's out of question as they have their cellphones during a ride anyway. For me WiFi switches off when I start riding (I think default behaviour of K2) - if you forget to switch it on and maybe forget to switch on phone's hot spot - Live Tracking is gone. There is too many marks to switch on when you start your ride - it must go smoothly to just start riding and not remembering about all this stuff. For me Live Tracking is very important as you ride alone.
Are there any plans to introduce sending data to phone via BT?
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It would be lovely to not 'HAVE' to have a sim card for this feature. Different countries have different costs for this, many have a zero cost, but in Canada, you'll pay around $10.00 a month in addition on your monthly plan.
Another disadvantage, personally my phone is a 'work' phone, I don't have the option to add a sim to my plan. Likely, I'm not the only user here who falls into this category. -
Buying another SIM card and data plan is not a problem for me. It is added value. But I simply do not want this to do when I always have the phone with me. Hey - we have probably the most advanced device on the market and cannot do this via BT like all do, especially when notifications are coming from phone via BT anyway.
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@Jeffrey. You don't need a SIM on your Karoo. Make sure you have your phone with you with HotSpot shared for Karoo. It needs WiFi when there is no SIMcard. Anyway - it will be better to make LT work via BT. Now I see this post marked as "Planned" - maybe there is something in the air.
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I agree whole heartedly that Live tracking should not be dependant on having a SIM card onboard, it is not an option for me in the UK with my service provider. It would be fantastic if this became a reality as Live tracking is the single biggest think I miss over my Garmin device that the K2 replaced. Other than that I'm loving the K2, goes well with my K2 Razorback MTB too.
Best wishes,
Paul
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A SIM card in K2 is easy and cheap and untethers my phone from the unit. Exactly as Stephen says battery life is an issue for K2 for many and I dont want Bluetooth anything connected to it, including my phone. I ride with five Ant+ connections to keep things low energy.! And I recommend 1p mobile for UK users!
I do agree however that given I do have a SIM card in my K2 I would like it to send a message - SMS or email when I start a ride to my nominated contact, rather than just this static web link which is too passive and feels like a very incomplete feature. Please Hammerhead!
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Ahh fair enough @Martin B - I'm going to turn livetracking off to see how much this does improve the battery life on my K2. I've already reduced the pages and graphic intensive data fields on my profiles.
Fortunately my ANGI helmets linked to the Specialized Ride app also do the job of tracking which I've added to my "before you leave the house on a ride checklist". The whole tracking thing on the K2 was a fit and forget scenario, as it is just easier for her to receive the notification that i'm riding and also receive crash notifications from that, than have to dig up the email that she's forgotten about to see what's happening. Which links back to why a ride notification is important to make livetracking a completely thought out process.
It would also be good for someone from Hammerhead to explain why live tracking was not possible via BT like my old Garmin 830, if they are monitoring this active conversation... My understanding, and i'm not sure where i read it, is that the K2 is effectively like an Android phone in itself and there is an issue data tethering via BT.
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+1. I was accustomed to sharing live tracking link from my Wahoo's companion app on my phone. It connects to the head unit via BLE to give you messages, calls, and pull the GPS location of the device to share via the phone's data connection. I now find myself using the Strava mobile app's beacon function and not saving the activity so I don't get double postings on Strava. I really don't want to go through the hassle and extra cost of getting a SIM just for this. Too much friction until there are more compelling reasons to get a SIM.
I wouldn't be adverse to having a super simple companion app on my phone for the Hammerhead if this was the only way to pair in such a way to utilize my phone's data connection. It could be a set it and forget it kind of thing that just works in the background and offers a couple creature comforts like making it easy to pull contacts off your phone that you'd want to share live tracking with.
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Still an incomplete package. So much attention to new features on the Karoo it's about time some resources worked on improving live tracking. The mobile data Sim is a great solution for some but the tracking page leaves the result of lesser value to their main competitors! I like the Sim but the tracking page is rubbish ! To track someone who may have crashed outside mobile data range is more likely to be successful is you know where they have been before their last contact!
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I change from Garmin to Karoo2 because i have a problem in Garmin unit that only it solve past 3 months and Law. It was time to Change and i know that in Garmin the most important is life and a good way to back to home. I make an oportunity to New Karoo2 and buy to see how this was and probably try to grow up a new GPS in the Market. Now i know that it was a big disappointement because a simple live tracking that is to you and family know here you cycling dont work like is supose work, only starting a Cycling day and the live starting,. There are more things that this unity need to a cyclist be security and happy like Drink, Eat Alerts and others. Probably i back to Garmin because work and work good.
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