# Where's My Friend? A Location-Aware Display with PyPortal and ItsASnap ## Overview ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/698/medium800/adafruit_products_BEE9B909-86F5-4C23-A449-240118CC450A_1_201_a.jpeg?1722954824) _Where's my friend?_ **Build this simple IoT project to display a friend's or loved one's location on an Adafruit PyPortal**.  Using [Adafruit's ItsaSnap iOS app](https://learn.adafruit.com/it-s-a-snap-by-adafruit) and Apple Shortcuts, **you can send a pre-selected GPS location from an iPhone to a shared (private) [Adafruit IO](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-adafruit-io) feed**. **The PyPortal** connects to the internet, fetches a location value of a shared feed, and **displays the location on the screen along with a corresponding icon and text**. ### About this project, your privacy, and Adafruit IO **Adafruit IO's data feeds are_ _private (not viewable by others) _by default_**  **and**   **_secure_**  ([we will never sell or give this data away to another company](https://www.adafruit.com/iotbor/)). This project uses the ItsaSnap iOS App to bridge Adafruit IO and Apple Shortcuts. Apple Shortcuts utilizes your iPhone's GPS (with permission) to write a string of text (i.e.: "park" or "work") to identify where a friend is. It does not send specific GPS location data to the Adafruit IO servers. The data sent by the Shortcuts app is stored on a _private_ Adafruit IO data feed, only viewable by you and the friend sharing their location with you.  ### ItsaSnap for iOS It's a Snap (ItsaSnap) is a simple iOS app designed for exploring [Adafruit IO](https://io.adafruit.com/). It allows you to send data to your [Adafruit IO feeds](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-io-basics-feeds). You can also link it to control or monitor your internet-connected projects. This lets you control and check Adafruit devices from your phone, anywhere.  It also allows us to use Apple's Shortcuts app to create a code-free automation from your iOS device. ![adafruit_products_adafruit_io_ezgif.com-optijpeg.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/683/medium640/adafruit_products_adafruit_io_ezgif.com-optijpeg.png?1722626934) ## Parts The following products and parts are required to complete this project: **Note:** The code in this guide is designed for the _original_ Adafruit PyPortal. If you have the [PyPortal Pynt](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4465) or [PyPortal Titano](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4444), you can still complete this project, but you will need to adjust some of the code to accommodate the Titano/Pynt's different display sizes. Featured ### Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display [Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) **PyPortal** , our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Make custom touch screen interface GUIs, all open-source, and Python-powered using tinyJSON / APIs to get news, stock, weather, cat photos,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4116/guides) ![Front view of a Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display with a pyportal logo image on the display. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4116-00.jpeg) ### USB cable - USB A to Micro-B [USB cable - USB A to Micro-B](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) This here is your standard A to micro-B USB cable, for USB 1.1 or 2.0. Perfect for connecting a PC to your Metro, Feather, Raspberry Pi or other dev-board or microcontroller Approximately 3 feet / 1 meter long In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ![USB cable - USB A to Micro-B - 3 foot long](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/592-01.jpg) The following parts are not required to complete this project but are nice to have. Featured ### Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit [Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) PyPortal is our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Create little pocket universes of joy that connect to something good. And now that you've made a cool internet-connected project... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4146/guides) ![Demo Shot of the Assembled Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4146-03.jpg) ### Adafruit IO+ Subscription Pass – One Year [Adafruit IO+ Subscription Pass – One Year](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3792) The all-in-one Internet of Things service from Adafruit you know and love is now _even better_ with IO+. The 'plus' stands for MORE STUFF! More feeds, dashboards, storage, speed. Power up your [Adafruit IO](https://io.adafruit.com/) with the $99 pass for 1 year of the... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3792) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3792/guides) ![Text image that reads "IO+"](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3792-01.jpg) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/where-s-my-friend-a-location-display-frame-with-pyportal/getting-started-with-adafruit-io.md) ## Guide Products ### Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display [Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) **PyPortal** , our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Make custom touch screen interface GUIs, all open-source, and Python-powered using tinyJSON / APIs to get news, stock, weather, cat photos,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4116/guides) ### USB cable - USB A to Micro-B [USB cable - USB A to Micro-B](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) This here is your standard A to micro-B USB cable, for USB 1.1 or 2.0. Perfect for connecting a PC to your Metro, Feather, Raspberry Pi or other dev-board or microcontroller Approximately 3 feet / 1 meter long In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ### Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit [Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) PyPortal is our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Create little pocket universes of joy that connect to something good. And now that you've made a cool internet-connected project... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4146/guides) ### Adafruit IO+ Subscription Pass – One Year [Adafruit IO+ Subscription Pass – One Year](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3792) The all-in-one Internet of Things service from Adafruit you know and love is now _even better_ with IO+. The 'plus' stands for MORE STUFF! More feeds, dashboards, storage, speed. Power up your [Adafruit IO](https://io.adafruit.com/) with the $99 pass for 1 year of the... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3792) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3792/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit PyPortal - IoT for CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pyportal.md) - [Desktop Dumpster Fire](https://learn.adafruit.com/desktop-dumpster-fire.md) - [NeoTrellis Tabletop RPG Soundboard](https://learn.adafruit.com/neotrellis-dungeon-crawl-soundboard.md) - [CircuitPython Your Own Adventure](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-python-your-own-adventure.md) - [Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-audio-fx-sound-board.md) - [CLUE Custom CircuitPython Badge](https://learn.adafruit.com/clue-custom-circuit-python-badge.md) - [Magical Cardboard Craft Obsidian Sword](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-obsidian-sword.md) - [PyPortal Alarm Clock](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-alarm-clock.md) - [PyPortal Weekly Countdown Clock](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-countdown-clock.md) - [Robotic Xylophone with Adafruit Grand Central](https://learn.adafruit.com/robotic-xylophone-with-circuit-python.md) - [PyPortal Halloween Countdown](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-halloween-countdown.md) - [NeoTrellis M4 Arpeggiator Synth](https://learn.adafruit.com/neotrellis-arpeggiator-synth.md) - [Crickit Powered Holiday Diorama](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-powered-holiday-diorama.md) - [Christmas Soundboard with NeoTrellis M4](https://learn.adafruit.com/xmas-sound-board.md) - [The Tilt Trumpet](https://learn.adafruit.com/the-tilt-trumpet.md) - [Pathfinder Robot Companion](https://learn.adafruit.com/pathfinder.md)