Where am I? With Google latitude now everyone knows
As many of you know, I worked in the mobile location (LBS) space for nearly 4 years while GM of Seeker Wireless, and as such I still have a real passion for the LBS space.
I have been following closely what Google have been doing with Google Mobile Maps, Google latitude, and now the Google latitude API.
Today I read on the Google latitude site that they now have the ability to allow a badge or application to display your current location – as detected by Google mobile maps (GMM).
This is significant, because now bloggers and developers can use the power of Google’s massive location platform (with a user’s permission) to start to do some really smart things with location and LBS. In just 5 minutes, I was able to knock up a page with a google map of my current location using the code on the latitude API apps site (see an example above).
One question remains – why would I want my public location available to everyone? Well firstly I have nothing to hide, and I also have complete control at both the GMM mobile application level as well as the latitude API website level to set what level of detail I share about my current location (accurate street address, suburb, city, state or country level).
Also, as an LBS advocate, I am keen to promote discussion around the valuable uses of live and historic location. It is a pity that the Google API does not integrate with Yahoo! Fire eagle but perhaps that will come in the future.
Previously, I was using blogloc, a very cool java app that takes your current GPS location and publishes it to fire eagle as well as a blog badge via Google maps. The problem was however that the blogloc java app required me to manually fire it up, and sync my location each time – and then only when I had a GPS fix.
The brilliance of the Google mobile application with latitude is that because of their massive Cell-ID and WiFi database, even if I am inside Google returns a location fix of reasonable accuracy.
Also you can run GMM in the background and have it update my location while on the move.
I’ve set up a page at lc.tl/loc8 which redirects to the page showing my current location and it is also mobile friendly – delivering a mobile sized map if it detects you are on a mobile browser.
So…have a look at my current location if you need to know where I am before you call me or contact me and let’s see if this extension to Google latitude helps drive the adoption of always on/auto location LBS services.
Well done Google team – once again you have introduced a step-change to the mobile location space. Now it is over to the mobile developers to harness this significant resource for mobile advertising and mobile social networking.
About Andrew Grill
Futurist Keynote Speaker and former IBM Global Managing Partner, Andrew is a popular and sought-after presenter and commentator on issues around digital disruption and emerging technologies. He is a multiple TEDx & International Keynote Speaker. Watch his speaking showreel here, enquire about availability & fees here.
