Geofencing range?

[SpaceyO]

Thia may be for Talderon's team, I'm not sure...

What is the range of Cortana's geofencing? Like, if I have my home set to a certain spot on the map, how big is the imaginary fence around that spot that will trigger an alert? 10 feet, 100 feet?

It's just that some of the stores I go to are part of a larger strip mall, and the entrance to the mall (and the store itself) may be nowhere near the address that Cortana has. Example:



The grocery store is about 1/2 a kilometer away from both the entrance and the street address. I know for a fact that the street address doesn't kick off a location based reminder (I come from the north). How close do I need to be to the store to set the place for Cortana?

BTW, when I ask Cortana "where am I" from the store's parking lot, she tells me I'm in the middle of the highway :grin:

 

[Rasetech]

I have the exactly same problem but with my home address. Maybe talderon could answer this in appropriate way. As me and others around the forum think there is actual NO range. You must hit the point exactly. As you could see in my image I am in the same building but not on the exact same position and I never get a reminder...

 

[Talderon]

Interesting freaking question... I am going to have to ask and get to the bottom of this.

Knowing my luck there will be some complex algorithm rather than a simple answer, but I will come back with something as soon as I have something. :grin:

 

[Rasetech]

Thx Talderon, if you talk to them you can also tell em the difference of favorite places address between searching them in maps (Adds only the street and number) and using actual position (adds street, number, zip code and country)

 

[Talderon]

Thx Talderon, if you talk to them you can also tell em the difference of favorite places address between searching them in maps (Adds only the street and number) and using actual position (adds street, number, zip code and country)

I'll start a new thread on that one. I have already send the other question up. Not sure about an answer today (being Sat), but you never know. I have not worked as many hours this week as the Dev's, but after me putting in 60 hours so far and then doing this, people are getting tired.

 

[tomcox76]

Very good question.. Waiting for an update.

 

[DaT Franchise]

I've noticed it varies, from the start of my subdivision to my house is about 1/4 mile, and ill get the reminders sometimes right as I pull into the subdivision and sometimes when I walk in the door, my work is different, its always when im in work not pulling up or in the parking lot but always 1-10 minutes after I've walked into the building.

 

[Alex Rodriguez Jr.]

I think it varies on whether your phone has immediate access to gps or triangulation. Obviously the latter will be a bit less accurate, but they're both fairly accurate.

 

[Guzzler3]

I too have issues. My house address (set as a favorite place) is 1042, but when I use the map app, and have it show where I'm at, it says I'm at 1099 (street name),

Yesterday I had a reminder to pick something up at Lowe's when I got near. It never kicked off, even when I was standing in the middle of the store.

I have a feeling that the map address data isn't right, and is messing up the geolocation reminders. It might be time for Nokia to re-survey the area.

 

[DaT Franchise]

I think it varies on whether your phone has immediate access to gps or triangulation. Obviously the latter will be a bit less accurate, but they're both fairly accurate.

I have very good cell signal and clear GPS view at both locations, more so at my work. I have also tried here maps and the MS maps app.

 

[SpaceyO]

Interesting freaking question... I am going to have to ask and get to the bottom of this.

Knowing my luck there will be some complex algorithm rather than a simple answer, but I will come back with something as soon as I have something. :grin:

Thanks again...you should ask for a raise or somethin'...you've been invaluable to us lately!

 

[Talderon]

I too have issues. My house address (set as a favorite place) is 1042, but when I use the map app, and have it show where I'm at, it says I'm at 1099 (street name),

Yesterday I had a reminder to pick something up at Lowe's when I got near. It never kicked off, even when I was standing in the middle of the store.

I have a feeling that the map address data isn't right, and is messing up the geolocation reminders. It might be time for Nokia to re-survey the area.

Ok, this issue where you only get a street name is a known issue and is actually being worked on currently. It will go out as a hotfix, I hope, next week.

 

[Guzzler3]

Ok, this issue where you only get a street name is a known issue and is actually being worked on currently. It will go out as a hotfix, I hope, next week.

Oh. It knows what street I'm on. I was just trying not to show everyone my address.

So an example would be:
My actual address: "1024 N. Main St., Anytown, State, USA 12345"
What the map app shows if I'm actually at my home using it's GPS info and tap on the current location circle: "1086 N. Main St., Anytown, State, USA 12345"

It was the same thing when I was at Lowe's. It's actual address was "777 W. Baseline Ave." But when I zoomed in and pressed the current location circle on the map app, it showed "645 W. Baseline Ave.".

Now for something really different. Just using the Microsoft Map App, asking for directions to Lowe's from current location, it looks up the correct address (777 W. Baseline), but when it routes, it takes you someone's house on a residential street south of Lowe's. Hahahahaha. Nokia Here Maps, and Here Drive+, find it and route properly.

This, is my hunch why Cortana is having issues with geofencing on the phone. It's using Microsoft's Map data, which is messed up. I just tried the above using the Microsoft Map App in Windows 8.1 and it replicated the same issue on the phone.

 

[Rasetech]

I think talderons answer was a reply to my earlier post.

 

[anon(8555314)]

My bakery vends at two Farmers Markets. One is in the DMV parking lot 100 yards from nearest bldg. The other is in the terrace on a street corner 30 feet from a condo entrance. I go to both every Sat and often need reminders. Being able to cast a net wider than the typical home situation would be helpful for slightly more vague situations such as this.

 

[c0wb0ycliche]

I did some experimenting with this to try and figure out what was going on, and I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but it seems to be an issue with Windows Phone Maps and not neccesarily with Cortana.

At my job, the address is for the whole mall. The address that Maps shows me when I am at work is actually an address on the side street nearest my store.

Similarly at home it has the numbering for my (admittedly huge) apartment development completely out of whack so it shows me in the 5000s not the 3000s.

By comparison, when I look to see where I am on Google maps, it has my exact unit correct (via GPS) and identifies my job as Best Buy (with the correct street address.)

So it would seem to be something that needs to be fixed with Maps not Cortana, although I wonder if you could add a feature where we could correct address on Maps by providing the correct street address for certain GPS coordinates.

 

[DaT Franchise]

Ok so the question is use here maps or MS maps?

 

[c0wb0ycliche]

Ok so the question is use here maps or MS maps?

I'm almost positive it uses the new "Maps" application, which is connected to Bing Maps. They must share data sets though because they both show me at the same wrong home address.

 

[b23h]

That question is one that I am curious about as well. I would estimate it is around 500 feet or so most of the time. My wi-fi is set to turn on near a favorite location and it usually does so at the end of the driveway of the apartment building. I live in a rural area and it is a LONG driveway. That's an estimation of the distance of course and I can't say that it is exact. I know that it is at least 400 ft though because we cannot get terrestrial cable at the apartments because the setback is over 400 ft from the drop at the end of the driveway.

 

[SpaceyO]

Ok so the question is use here maps or MS maps?

From what I understand, Cortana will always use the Microsoft (Bing) Maps...when you tell her to open your vocie nav, then you can switch to HERE Drive, or Waze, or Microsoft Maps...but until then, you're stuck with Microsoft Maps.