Nintendo DS doubles as a safety light
New emergency alerts will hit your phone when danger looms
How it works
bSafe works by finding your position via your phone's built-in GPS. If you don't have the GPS feature already on, bSafe will ask you to activate it when you run the app.
The main screen of the app features a big red SOS button, which is fairly self-explanatory. If you're ever in a situation where you need help, you can instantly alert multiple people by pressing one button, without having to call a particular number or scroll through your contacts list.The people you select for bSafe are called guardians. One contact will be your main guardian, though you must also select at least one other person to act as an alternative guardian. It's easy to switch who your main guardian is; all you have to do is touch the phone icon in bSafe contact list.
Once you set up your guardians, the app sends them a text message saying, "I'm using bSafe safety alarm for mobile phones and have made you my guardian," so it would be wise to check with potential guardians before nominating them in bSafe.
Sound the alarm
When the alert is triggered, you'll have five seconds to cancel via a big red countdown. If you don't cancel, bSafe will call your main guardian on the phone. Alternative guardians will receive a text saying, "Attention, I have triggered my bSafe alarm and need assistance," along with a Google Maps link to your location. Once in the map, a circle shows your location and the accuracy of the positioning. A smaller circle is preferable, as this means it's more accurate.
If you set off the alert and then decide everything's okay, bSafe sends another text saying, "I've turned the alarm off and the threat is most likely over. Thanks for being my guardian."
Your location
This button shows where you are on a map, using GPS. During testing, it initially pinpointed my location as being three houses down but then jumped to the correct location and back to three houses down again.
In the location screen is another red "trigger alarm (SOS)" button that does the same thing as the one on the main screen.
The point of the location screen seems to be to help in situations where you're in an unfamiliar area or find yourself in a strange environment. You can also use it to check the accuracy of the positioning, which is constantly being updated.
More features
Another handy feature is the fake call button, which fakes an incoming phone call. Unfortunately, the longest delay is only 30 seconds. The screen stays on the bSafe app while the phone is ringing until you cancel the call.
Other functions like alert and timer modes are coming soon in a premium version.
In alert mode, the app sends a message to your guardians, who can then monitor where you are via the GPS on your phone as you move around. In timer mode, guardians will be alerted automatically after a set time, unless you cancel the alert.
Safety and security
Apart from features that aren't actually active yet (and a few minor user interface annoyances), bSafe is a useful app for those who need an extra bit of security on their journeys. The GPS integration helps make sure that loved ones and close friends can always know where you are, and the alert features add an almost futuristic quality to your well-being. Have a problem? Just press the big red button, and those you trust will know right away. It could only get easier if someone could just beam you up to safety.
Where to get it
bSafe
Price: Free
Download: bSafe for Android
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