I checked out Google Latitude yesterday, pretty cool, kinda a mobile extension of google maps that allows you to see where your friends are and interact with them. When I logged in i already had a request from my friend David Petherick, in the UK, he is contributing editor to the Next Web Blog. I was able to see him take a stroll thru his town today, and had I been in his ‘hood we could of met up for coffee or something.
David wrote a pretty comprehensive analysis on Google Latitude that you should check out, it’s “ten reasons why I think it will succeed”
One interesting item I noticed was that Google also has a status update field, hmmm wonder where they are going with that 🙂
- 1. It’s Google.
- 2. It’s Viral.
- 3. Everything is local.
- 4. It’s Desktop and Mobile.
- 5: I am the most important person in the world. You come second.
- 6. Everyone understands Maps.
- 7. Uncomplicated sharing.
- 8. That’s not Latitude. That’s just an upgrade…
- 9. They still don’t get it. But they will.
- 10. And What’s next?
2 comments
Avanta meeting rooms
I totally agree with you.More over,It would be kind of cool for figuring out where your friends are at. How cool would it be to be taking a taxi in NYC, check your phone and see your friends are in a bar just up the street, stop in and join them! Sweet
I think you can cloak your location if you do not want others to see your location, i.e.. if you are studying for an exam or on a date with someone else! Bad!
Digital Biographer
Hey – thanks for the link Bryan – saw a trackback on the blog comments.
I saw a lot of coverage about Latitude from peopel who really ought to know better, with titles along the lines of 'privacy fears as Google tracks your every move' .
But hey they sell those newspapers better with lots of bad things to warn us about. I discovered one nice feature on my walkabout – I could update my status, sure, but also update my picture with any on my phone.
“Here's where I am, and this is what I see” may seem kinda cutesy, but likely to get pretty viral among your friends, especially when you are out of your normal territory.
However, I feel Google missed an income opportunity already – I know a lot of people who would pay to have the ability to 'point and lie' about their location and 'fix' Latitude so they appear to still be in, say, the office, but are in fact sinking a beer or two with the boys at the bar round the corner. 😉
Regards, David