Earlier this week Google launched an exciting product called Google Latitude. What is Google Latitude? Before that let us see Google Map “my location”. Couple of months back Google introduced a feature in Google Map for mobile called “My Location”. Selecting that option will pin point your exact location(Your mobile) in Google Map. If your mobile is GPS (Global Positioning System) enabled it will show your  exact location in map. If your mobile is not GPS enables still they were able to point you in map with blue circle around for 5KM for your approximate location.

It really helped me many times when I go to other towns. I used it to find where I am , the places near by and the way to reach my target place. Now coming to Google Latitude. When we are able to find our exact location in Google map would not it be cool if we could track the location of friends and family in Google maps. Yes what is impossible for Google? They named it as Google latitude and launched the revolutionary thought.  Look at the below demonstration video for Google Latitude.

What do I need to activate Google Latitude?

A high end Mobile with latest Google Maps installed on it and of course data connection on it. By this way you share your location with your friends. If you are on a computer you can add igoogle widget and still  follow your friends who are all on mobile. Additionally you can share your desktop/laptop location if you have installed Google Gears.

I’ve tried this Google Latitude with our friend circle and I was able to track the location of one my friend in minute by minute when he was traveling long distance in car. Though his mobile does not have GPS, Google was able to track his latitude using the cellphone tower range and pointed his move in Google Map.

We can also see that Google take care of the privacy very well. You can share or disable the contacts  who can see your Geo location. You can also select city level location option if you just want to share your current city and not the exact place on that city. Interestingly you can also chose the locational manually so you can be in Mumbai and show your friends as you are in Chennai.

Another important thing we should think about  is, Google the internet legend already collected the data of what we search, what we do on internet. Each and every thing we do in the internet is being collected by Google. The  next, they started collecting the sensitive data like where we go and what we do physically!. Already there are lot of  hot discussions  going in internet regarding the privacy issue. People say that you can be spied if some one installs this software in your mobile. Does Google have to answer for this?