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How do location reminders work?
- Thread starter amazingdm
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Gimmick feature. What makes it worse is you have to add locations in your damn contacts. I mean wtf?
Apple really needs to re-think this app. It's sort of a half-baked idea and I don't think it was very well thought out. It needs work. Why they released it with iOS 5 the way it is, I'll never know. Rather "un-Apple-like".
It's got awesome potential, but they really need to go back to the drawing board.
It's got awesome potential, but they really need to go back to the drawing board.
The general consensus seems to be, the time-based reminders work much better than the location-based reminders. The location-based reminders part of the app is what needs to be fixed/re-thought out, etc ....
It's worked pretty well for me when I need it to remind me to do something when I arrive or leave a place that's in my address book. I've used it quite a few times and it's come through for me. But I'm baffled as to why it lacks the power that it needs. For instance, I want it to remind me to run by the Harris Teeter two miles BEFORE I arrive home, not when I pull into the driveway. The potential is there, so I hope it will get some real improvements soon.
Yeah this. So true. I tried to use the app once and it didn't remind me at all when I arrived at my location (that I had to add to contacts, that was annoying)
Add the Target that you go to to your contacts.
tell siri: "when I get to Target, remind me..."
siri: "what do you what me to remind you?"
you: "get dish soap."
confirm reminder.
(target is listed in the business field in contacts).
ETA: I find that breaking up the command in two is more reliable. I use location reminders all the time, it works great.
I use it all the time without any issues.
Yes it would be nice to be integrated with Maps so I don't have to add contact entries, but I've now added the dozen that I use regularly, and the rest I use when I leave my current location more often than not.
It's saved my bacon many times now.
I've never needed a reminder for "2 miles before I get home" as I would use a when I leave here reminder instead.
Yes it would be nice to be integrated with Maps so I don't have to add contact entries, but I've now added the dozen that I use regularly, and the rest I use when I leave my current location more often than not.
It's saved my bacon many times now.
I've never needed a reminder for "2 miles before I get home" as I would use a when I leave here reminder instead.
Might be interesting to do a comparison test with something like Location Alarm from the iTunes store.
That app does the same thing and allows you to add a point on a map and specify a radius too!
That app does the same thing and allows you to add a point on a map and specify a radius too!
there's at least one free app on the store that seems to do the same job, even on the 3GS (what Reminders doesn't even claim to do):
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mapalarm-smart-location-based/id405931556?mt=8
Reviews look kinda promising ...
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mapalarm-smart-location-based/id405931556?mt=8
Reviews look kinda promising ...
Location Reminders Lags
I find that when I set a location based reminder it is extremely slow at going off. For example, I set a reminder to pick something up when I leave work but the reminder doesn't go off until I'm almost home - 15 miles away from work. Why is it so slow in reminding me when I can look up where my iphone is and the GPS will pinpoint my location? Using this on the iPhone 4, anyone else having this problem?
I find that when I set a location based reminder it is extremely slow at going off. For example, I set a reminder to pick something up when I leave work but the reminder doesn't go off until I'm almost home - 15 miles away from work. Why is it so slow in reminding me when I can look up where my iphone is and the GPS will pinpoint my location? Using this on the iPhone 4, anyone else having this problem?
To the OP: Reminders sets up a geo-fence around the location so as soon as you're detected within that geofence your notification will notify you. It works 90% of the time on my 4S.
You don't need siri to use reminders.
Set up the location in contacts.
Set up reminder in reminders app.
Select the reminder you just created.
Select remind me and turn on at location.
Now you can select the location from your address book
It is a nuisance that you have to put addresses into Contacts (so I now have a number of shops, train stations, etc, cluttering up my contacts), but otherwise I love this feature. It was the main reason I upgraded from iPhone 4 to 4S, and I use it pretty much every day.