Why should I use Cactus™?
First and foremost, Cactus™ offers you reassurance about the safety and security of loved ones. You gain the peace of mind of being able to quickly and easily locate those you care about most as they go about their daily lives.
And in the unlikely event that a parent, child or spouse is involved in an accident or other situation that keeps them from contacting you, Cactus can instantly reconstruct the trail to their last known location information that could save a life.
Beyond the benefits of enhanced personal and family security, Cactus also offers major advantages to employers or volunteer organizations who need a fast, efficient way to locate and dispatch a mobile staff to best meet the needs of clients or respond to fast-changing conditions.
How do I begin using Cactus?
Follow these three steps to get Cactus working for you:
- Purchase a supported GPS-enabled phone.
- Register your phone with Cactus.
- Download the Cactus software onto your phone.
Simple instructions will be given to you when you sign up for an account with us.
Once you have successfully installed the software, you are ready to log in to the Cactus website and begin monitoring your phone.
Can I access my Cactus account from any computer with an Internet connection?
Any PC or Macintosh computer with Internet access can be used to log in to the Cactus site. The service works best using Firefox on PCs and Safari on Macintosh computers.
What is GPS and how does it work?
The Global Positioning System consists of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. They send out signals that your GPS-enabled phone uses to figure out its location, direction and speed.
What kind of phones can I monitor with Cactus?
Currently, the following phones can be located:
- Any RIM BlackBerry with built-in GPS, including the BlackBerry 8800 series.
More GPS-enabled models will be added to our service soon.
What is the most recent version of the Cactus mobile software?
The most recent version is v1.0.5. It can be downloaded by visiting http://www.cactuslocate.com/bb8800/cactusberry.jad via the browser on your phone.
What is the coverage area?
Cellular coverage varies by carrier. Your carrier likely includes a coverage map on their web site.
How accurate are the locations reported for my phone?
Locations reported by the BlackBerry 8800 are accurate to about 100 feet.
Can I locate my phone in all environments?
For best results in locating your phone, you should have a clear view of the sky. Also, your phone must be in an area covered by a cellular network in order to send its location to the website.
You may experience difficulty getting an exact location in the following situations:
- When surrounded by tall buildings
- In a heavily wooded area
- Indoors
- Underground (subway, parking structure, etc.)
- In a moving vehicle
- In extreme weather conditions
- Near towers that block the signals (cellular, radio, television, power, etc.)
Why does the website sometimes display an address different from my actual phone location?
The address displayed on the Cactus website is based on the longitude and latitude reported by your phone. The map software does its best to determine an exact address but sometimes must choose between two possible addresses. For example, if your phone is in the middle of a parking lot between two streets, the map software must decide which street address to use. In addition, the GPS system is accurate to about 100 feet and that can produce slight differences in address.
How do I send the phone application to the background so it is not always on the screen and I can make calls?
To free up the phone to make calls or for other tasks while keeping the Cactus software running in the background and sending updates, press the button marked 'Sleep'. Please note that your phone will not send updates when being used for a call.
Can I see a recent history of my phone locations?
The Cactus website map displays your most recent location information. In addition, the site can display a list of all the location reports for your phone - choose 'History' from the menu. The list can be printed like any document.
Is my information secure?
YES. All Cactus account information, including phone location data, can only be accessed through our secure server with your user name and password. In addition, our system automatically disconnects you after a period of inactivity to guard against unauthorized access.
How often is the map on the website updated?
The map refreshes every 30 seconds.
How does Cactus know what time zone to use for phone location reports?
You choose the time zone in the Preferences section of the website.
Why does the website say that my phone cannot be located?
Please check the following:
- Make sure that the Cactus™ software has been downloaded to and installed correctly on your phone.
- Make sure the phone is powered up.
- If there is more than one phone on the account, please make sure the correct phone has been selected.
- The phone may be out of cellular range.
Why does the mobile site look strange on my BlackBerry?
For the best mobile browsing experience on BlackBerry, be sure to enable 'HTML Table Support' in the Browser Options section of its configuration.
What browsers are supported?
Due to the heavy use of AJAX technologies in the Cactus system, we recommend using modern browsers such as Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2 or Safari 3. Earlier versions may not offer the same level of performance.
|
