Google launches mobile tracking service

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 4 Feb 2009 at 09:38

Google has launched a new service that will allow you to track the location of friends and family via their mobile phone.

Dubbed Latitude, the service is an add-on to the latest version of the Google Maps mobile software.

The service automatically detects your location - either via mobile base station triangulation or the vastly more accurate GPS (if available on your smartphone) - and then broadcasts your position to people on your Google contacts list.

In a careful attempt to avoid the mother of all privacy rows, Latitude is opt-in and you can chooose which friends you wish to share your location with.

It's also possible to tell a little white lie and manually set your location to elsewhere: handy if a spouse decides to check whether you're actually stuck on the train or getting stuck in at the bar.

Latitude works with a decent range of smartphones, including Blackberry, Symbian S60, and Windows Mobile devices, although the Apple iPhone and Google's own Android OS are notable absentees - Google says both will be supported soon.

Latitude is also available as an iGoogle Gadget on the PC, so you can set your location from your computer as well as keep an eye on the location of your friends.

Find out how to become a DIY spy in this month's issue of PC Pro, on sale now