Google’s new mobile maps upgrade includes a cell phone tracker that lets you follow your friends’ or families’ locations in real-time. The cell phone tracker is called “Latitude.” It plots a user’s location using cell phone towers, GPS or Wi-Fi connections. Users’ pictures show up on the corresponding location on a Google map.
Google is initially releasing Latitude for phones running on Symbian and Windows Mobile. There’s a limited release for Android phones; Apple products are next. Google has also offered a version of the tracker for PCs.
Google can plot a person’s location within a few yards if it’s using GPS or might be off by several miles if it’s relying on transmission from cell phone towers. People who don’t want to be precise about their whereabouts can choose to display just the city instead of a specific neighborhood.
There are no current plans to sell any advertising alongside Google’s tracking service, although analysts believe knowing a person’s location eventually will unleash new marketing opportunities. Google has been investing heavily in the mobile market during the past two years in an attempt to make its services more useful to people when they’re away from their office or home computers.
I hope that Google Latitude opens doors for more successful targeted advertising efforts. I’m as tired as the next person of seeing Internet ads, but if Google’s cell phone tracker enables advertisers to put forth something useful on your cell phone–like coupons for the ice cream store you’re standing next to–that could be a benefit for everyone.
This is terrifying. It’s right out of Orwell’s 1984. I’m sorry that you decided to do this. You have changed the course of history with this move and not for the better.
wow, this is a scary thought. I can’t believe we have come to this day where you cannot go anywhere without being tracked.
Think about keeping your kids safe! And as for yourselves, just turn your cell phone off or… don’t go where you’re not supposed to!
Its a great tool for keeping up with you teenager kids. You as the parent can actually ensure they are where the claim they are supposed to be. Now as for adults turn it off or don’t go where you shouldn’t.
Its a great tool since i at times would find it difficult to find people that im looking for. How can i have access to it
Helpful! Don’t go where your not supposed to!!! It’s terrifying how naive people can be. Yes you can track your kids SO CAN OTHERS!! Who controls the information controls the power. Please, we have to stop this insanity, Facebook, Twitter, now realtime tracking, be afraid, be very afraid!
thats sucks now we cant let the cops get our simcards
did anyone else win up there?
does the phone owner get a say ?or can any phone be tracked regardless?does it need to be turned off?do i need to leave it at home if i want to visit my floozy?protest meeting,etc.
Wow that’s truly scary,to think that know anyone can track you at anytime is ridiculous. Man kind is supposed to have privacy that’s why we sleep behind doors ,live in houses and why their called CAVE Man.In this day and age this is a terrible idea and any sane man would shut down this project immediately. People are dangerous People with the ability to find you anytime are more so.
That’s Weird. Who Would Wanna Know Where Someone Else Is. That’s Creepers.
i would be caue this girl took my cellphone phone and i cant get it back. but if you want to stop this befor it happens swich up numbers and text trust me it works i do it al the time and im untraceabul.
Not to mention unintelligable.
Alright,people,calm down!
In order to track somebody using latitude,you MUST ask for their permission and they must confirm that they have allowed you to track them. Besides,you are also able to choose ‘hide location’ from latitude’s interface. Eventually someone will figure out a workaround. But right now,you can’t be tracked that easily unless a law enforcement agency is after you,that’s another story.
This is exactly what parents need so that they can track the location of their kids and make sure they are safe and where they are supposed to be and when they are supposed to be!
I belive this is a good idea not only to keep track of your kids but also our elderly if the get lost , those scard of the cops shouldnt be doing it then if there afriad of getting tracked down, and I belive it will help in locateing alot more of these ID theft people as well we got to do something or none of use will ever have any good creidt at the rate its going. If you think this is bad think of what the gov is already doing , most of this five our ten years old from what they are already using.
well ive read enough. for those who fear this, your on the right track. for you unethicals, you should be glad to know there is a stealth program that not only does track your phone but listens in, copies texts oh and even scans your address book and yes its all in real time, so for you crack dealers who think you get by with texts, keep goin your doin a great job…guess what, it works great on anything wireless… so ive been told
haha i think this is soo fun! yet scary and sort of thrilling!! ya know??
music=life=cretin!! ya know??