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Google Launches Friend-Tracking Feature
February 4, 2009
Google has launched Google Latitude, a feature in Google Maps for mobile that allows users to share their approximate location with friends and family. In the United States, the feature is also available for iGoogle.
Using a Google account, users can opt into the feature, and then invite others to join Google Latitude. Once they accept, their profile pictures will appear on a map through the user's mobile device or desktop PC. Using Latitude, users can click on a friend's icon to call, text, IM, or e-mail them, as well as get directions to their location.
Privacy settings enable users to share as much or as little information about their location as they desire. Users can hide their location from individual friends or all friends at once, or can turn off Latitude completely. According to Google, only the last location sent to Latitude — either automatically updated or manually entered — is stored in the company's servers. If users turn off Latitude or hide their location, no location is stored by Google.
Google Latitude is available in 27 countries, and across a variety of devices, including:
- Android-powered devices, such as the T-Mobile G1
- most color BlackBerry devices
- most Windows Mobile 5.0+ devices
- most Symbian S60 devices (Nokia smartphones)
- Google.com users of iGoogle.
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