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Comments (4)
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Save/ShareToday Google launched a free new application called Latitude, which shows you the real-time location of your friends on a map—as long as they've agreed to broadcast their location with you via their cell phone.
If you volunteer to use the service, which you can shut off at any time, you allow your phone to use GPS satellites and cell-phone tower triangulation to determine your location and broadcast it to the people you select. Your cell phone's location can be determined within roughly 10 to 500 meters, depending on factors such as whether you're indoors or in a rural area.
The service works in 27 countries and can be downloaded to your phone at google.com/latitude. It works on most color-screen BlackBerries, most phones with Windows Mobile 5.0 or later, most Nokia smartphones, and T-Mobile G1 phones. A version for iPhone and iPod Touch users is coming shortly. See a video explaining the service below.
Google's Latitude is part of a trend in location-aware applications for cell phones. Journalist Mat Honan recently tested a bunch of these applications for Wired ("I Am Here"). Here are a few he liked most for travelers:
• WikiMe (note: link opens in iTunes for downloading)
Displays Wikipedia entries about local points of interest you're passing in front of. ("Did you know that San Francisco's Marina District exists largely because a land speculator built a seawall in the 1890s?")
• GasBag (link opens in iTunes)
Posts gas station locations with current prices, so you can find the best deal.
• Locale
"Kicks in when you enter certain zones," letting you automatically set your ringer to go silent when you arrive at work, a movie theater, or your hotel room.
Other applications for cell-phones of note are:
Cab4me which helps you find a cab based on your location.
Are there any apps that you recommend? Post a comment below.
And here's a video of Google's Latitude app:
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It's awesome what they're doing with GPS technology now. I recently read about a new Nikon camera that tags GPS locations as you take photos. You really have to try to get lost these days!
Posted By Irv on February 4, 2009, 1:02 PM
Hi,
How about using it on boats whose offshore tracks can be displayed .. for boats without GPS or navigation tracking systems. A poor man's SATNAV.
Aloha,
Wikihenry
Honolulu
8089236167
Posted By Wiki Henry on February 6, 2009, 1:51 AM
I would like to have video capture on the G1. Will that be available soon?
Posted By Oldfolks on February 18, 2009, 9:29 AM
G1 really needs a flash player
Posted By flo evangelista on March 1, 2009, 8:09 PM