PlayerGPS Beta Impressions

A newly launched poker buddy list with a unique twist has entered the poker industry and is quickly gaining notoriety for offering a service that is unavailable elsewhere.  PlayerGPS gives poker players the ability to find out when specific players sit down at a cash game table and be alerted via text message or email.  The web-based system notifies subscribers via SMS text message (on your cell phone) or by e-mail message when selected players log in.  The service is aimed at helping people look after friends, assist in keeping tabs on a horse (a player that you stake), or just being alerted when your favorite poker player sits down at the tables so you can watch them play.

Top internet pros such as Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad and Alex “AJKHoosier1” Kamberis have signed up with the site, which is similar in some respects to Smart Buddy, and have been part of the extensive testing experience.  Currently, PlayerGPS is in public beta and is free to try until June 1st, when the pricing structure for the subscription-based site takes over.

Features include PokerStars support for:

· No Limit Hold'em for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $200-$400 tables
· Limit Hold'em for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $1,000-$2,000 tables
· Omaha High for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $200-$400 tables
· Omaha High-Low for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $200-$400 tables
· HORSE for limits $0.25-$0.50 through $1,000-$2,000 tables
· Eight Game for limits $0.20-$0.40 through $400-$800 tables

Full Tilt Poker support for:

· No Limit Hold'em for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $500-$1,000 tables
· Limit Hold'em for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $2,000-$4,000 tables
· Omaha High for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $500-$1,000 tables
· Omaha High-Low for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $2,000-$4,000 tables
· Mixed Games for limits of $0.25-$0.50 through $500-$1,000 tables

During the free trial period, users are encouraged to use the software freely, as there is no maximum number of players you can store in your PlayerGPS database to receive alerts on.  The pricing structure for the site after the beta period expires was posted as the following on April 12th:

Grinder ($0.25-$0.50 through $1-$2 tables): This level covers the specific limits listed and the fee per month is $17.99.

Shark ($0.25-$0.50 through $10-$20 tables): Fee for this level will be $39.99 per month.

Balla' ($0.25-$0.50 through unlimited): This covers all cash game levels for all games and will cost $124.99 per month.

However since that date, site management has retracted that pricing structure and has stated that the pricing structure has yet to be determined.

Signing up for PlayerGPS.com is a very easy process.  Simply visit the site and click the "Register" button in the top right corner.  You are prompted for your e-mail address, a user password, and your cell phone number and carrier.  Once you have filled out the short form, you will receive both a notification e-mail and SMS text message that you have signed up at PlayerGPS.com.  You'll also receive a text with a validation code, which will be needed in the Account Settings in order to confirm your SMS subscription.

Once the sign-up process is completed, users are taken to the Alert List page, where you see categories for each display list you build.  By default, the "PlayerGPS Pros" are listed; to add new players to your list, simply enter in the player's user name, define which poker site the user name is for, and what display list you wish for the player to be categorized within.  The default categories include Family, Friends, Players, and PlayerGPS Pros.  If there are other categories you would like to set up, from the Alert List page, there is a small bucket for "Add Player Category.”



While using the site during this beta period, adding friends and even creating a new category (such as "Dead Money") took only seconds.  There are three buttons next to each player in your Alert List: SMS On/Off, Email On/Off, and Remove.  By default, both SMS and e-mail alerts are turned off and can be activated with one click.  Users will receive a new SMS or e-mail alerts for every 60 minutes that a tracked player remains online.

If you spot a player as "((( CURRENTLY ONLINE )))" in your Alert List, you can then click on the "Now Playing" tab, which brings up a list of all the players that are currently online.  This well-designed page lists your tracked players and gives a detailed list of all of the tables they are sitting at including the stakes and table name.



Upon first impression, PlayerGPS is a very easy-to-use niche product that makes tracking your friends, horses, or even dead money a very easy experience.  Being able to get SMS text messages and e-mail alerts is really the selling feature for higher limit players that need to know when players sit down so they don't miss out on the action.  According to the software's liaison, there are upcoming features for the site including:

· System supporting all major poker room sites
· Alerts to AIM, MSN, and Skype
· Player Notes
· Possible desktop application where you will find the same content as on the website
· Possible tournament features

For the next few weeks, there is plenty of reason to try out the site's system for free until the pricing structure is implemented.  It's easy-to-use, fun, and extremely user-friendly, making PlayerGPS a valuable poker resource.