Google Latitude location finder launched

Google has launched a new service on Google Maps that lets mobile surfers share their location with other users.

Called Google Latitude, it is an opt-in feature in Google Maps for Mobile.

"What Google Latitude does is allow you to share that location with friends and family members, and likewise be able to see friends and family members' locations," said Steve Lee, product manager for Google Latitude.



Using GPS (global positioning system) technology it lets people who are signed up to the service to get a precise location of other members of their network.

Google has also included a number of privacy protection settings so people can share their precise location, a more general description, such as the town or city they're in, or nothing at all.

The company envisions two groups of people who might be interested in Latitude: friends and family with whom individuals would be happy to share precise information, and larger groups where less specific data is shared.

Google Latitude is available in 27 countries, and works on most colour-screen BlackBerry phones as well handsets running Windows Mobile 5.0 and Symbian S60 devices, such as Nokia phones.

The service will soon be made available for both the Android operating system and the iPhone.

http://google.co.uk/latitude