Patent ID: 8798593

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a server; a database representing an account for a first individual, the account having an associated buddy list that identifies multiple users; and software responsive to a request from the first individual to obtain a map, to obtain a last known position for multiple users identified by the buddy list, and to plot the last known location of at least two of the multiple users on the map, and to transmit the map with plotted locations to the first individual; where the software is to request and store position information associated with cell phones of plural ones of the multiple users and where the software is to permit the first individual to change geography represented by the map and to transmit to the first individual a map representing the changed geography with plotted position of at least one of the multiple users, each in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and wherein the software to obtain the map is to obtain the map in a manner having a default geographic resolution.