See where your friends are with Google Latitude

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/see-where-your-friends-are-with-google.html

by mqt • 17 years ago

37 36 17 years ago

googleblog.blogspot.com

RiderOfGiraffes• 17 years ago

Already posted:

Here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=465458

Here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=465359

Oddly, they're both by the same person.

jacquesm2• 17 years ago

and here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=465494

almost2• 17 years ago

This kind of stuff makes me a little uncomfortable. I can imagine someone being in a situation (abusive relationship maybe?) where they are compelled to share this information. Even under normal circumstances it seems a little creepy, but maybe that's just me.

Not saying it's wrong to provide the service or anything like that, just wondering about how it could effect things.

snprbob862• 17 years ago

Why not include a cloaking/misdirection feature?

alexandros2• 17 years ago

I believe I read something about manual entry of location

gravitycop• 17 years ago

I can imagine someone being in a situation (abusive relationship maybe?) where they are compelled to share this information.

Did you see this part?:

Instead of having your approximate location detected and shared automatically, you can manually set your location for elsewhere

almost2• 17 years ago

No, I didn't. And that kind of eliminates those concerns a bit.

Apologies for my lack of reading-all-the-way-throughness

michaelneale• 17 years ago

Am I the only one who started reading and was confused as to what the use was of only knowing someones lattitude? (other them perhaps getting a feel for the expected climate to aid in small talk about the weather).

alexandros2• 17 years ago

While this may sound scary at first, I suspect it could mature, with people finding the appropriate social norms around this new technology, and slowly integrating into their daily lives. In this sense it could resemble the social network or the mobile phone, where even luddites eventually cave in, as it eventually becomes a no-brainer, benefits greatly outweighing drawbacks.

That said, there is still a long way to go and this technology still has not found a compelling application. The only reason I would consider using it is to be one of the first people to actually figure it out on the ground and potentially find those compelling uses, if they exist.

axod2• 17 years ago

I think there's a pretty solid trail of startups who have tried and failed to make a compelling use case for it so far.

riklomas• 17 years ago

Yahoo has also tried too, not to much success though: http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/

ajju2• 17 years ago

Sharing your location is, at least right now, more of a feature than a product in users minds. If you have a google maps client on your phone already, you'll probably try it. Users probably won't download an app that does just that as readily.

Google has the classic big company/large install base edge in this area.

brlewis• 17 years ago

Live journalism is one use case: http://friendfeed.com/scobleizer?service=feed&servic...

buro9• 17 years ago

Oh well, there goes Bright Kite.

volida3• 17 years ago

what makes you think Google Latitude wont meet the same barrier to reach critical mass for this application?

For example as it is, it would be useless for ages 13-25.

agotterer3• 17 years ago

There are a lot more people with google accounts then the competition. People seem to also trust google more then a random startup.

physcab• 17 years ago

And Loopt.

Which makes me wonder, how does everyone deal with the prospect of competition from Google?

I had an awesome idea for a startup, worked on it for a few months during graduate school...and then Google announced they were getting into the space. I just about crapped myself.

jacquesm2• 17 years ago

I seriously wouldn't worry about it too much. They either do or they don't it's a bit like the weather, it will influence you but since you can't control it you might as well simply adapt to it.

If it wouldn't be for that then you could never do anything at all for fear of some 'force of nature' coming along and destroying it.

And who knows, maybe you'll be better at it than they ever will be simply because you are focusing on just one thing instead of on 50.

froo• 17 years ago

With Google's Latitude, I might finally learn where on earth Carmen Sandiego is.

This might make http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/ redundant, if you know where he is all the time.

Mixed feelings about this Google, mixed feelings indeed.

brkumar• 17 years ago

Seems like google has done a good job on privacy. From Mashable "When it comes to privacy, Google seems to have done it right, since absolutely everything about Latitude is opt-in...you can set it up so that your wife always sees you at work. Why you’d want to do that, we leave to your imagination." http://mashable.com/2009/02/04/google-latitude/

redorb• 17 years ago

I think this is direct competitor to Twitter; as it includes not only location but a spot for 'Im at starbucks' too; you can also have followers etc...

- just seems to be a competitor; and not many people are seeing that I think.

bkudria• 17 years ago

BrightKite does this too, including photo updates.

anuraggoel• 17 years ago

It's interesting that Google chose to build this out on their own instead of acquiring Loopt (or someone else). Was Loopt even open to an acquisition?

dc2k08• 17 years ago

Surprising that Ireland where their European headquarters are located is not among countries where latitude can be used, though it is the same way with twitter. I don't suppose anyone knows the reason?

schoudha• 17 years ago

Loopt needs to look to be acquired or abandon the idea of a mobile only social network and focus on leveraging services like Facebook connect. Although there level of funding might make it difficult, I also think they're a great target for Facebook.

In any case, this will be a large space and there is room for multiple players.

volida3• 17 years ago

"large space and there is room for multiple players"

apart from that being true, I believe Google's approach to location leaves open other opportunities.

See where your friends are with Google Latitude

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