I asked Google Latitude...

Vic Gundotra, vice president of engineering.

Do you often wonder where your friends are and what they do? . To help answer this question, Google launched a new Google Latitude (Google Latitude).

Google Latitude - a new service of Google Maps for mobile devices, although it is also available as a gadget. iGoogle. on a standard PC. Once connected to it, you can see the approximate location of your friends and girlfriends (who wanted you to do is open ) and, conversely, will be able to let them know which themselves are currently. It is very easy, because many of today's mobile devices allow a varying degree of accuracy to calculate your position using the technology GPS, GSM or Wi-Fi.

So, now you can see that right now your spouse is stuck in a traffic jam on the way home, to see what your classmate returned from abroad, or stop worrying to hear that your girl landed safely, despite bad weather.

And besides, with Latitude not only will you see your friends on a map, but also be able to keep in touch with them via SMS, Google Talk, Gmail, or simply displaying their status: ... So you can feel a little closer to loved ones, and so fun!.

But seriously, we are well aware of all the fears about the safety of personal data and therefore have built a system of fine tuning of access. In Latitude, all optional: you can not only specify exactly who can see your point on the map, but also determine where this point is. Say you 're at Moscow, in Pushkin. You can allow Latitude to calculate your position automatically, and can set it manually in any other place in the world, such as if you are in Yalta. Since you do not necessarily want everyone to see you equally well, Latitude has individual settings for each of your friends: some may see the most accurate information about your location, other - only the city but from the third, you can completely hide. Everything is under your control, and, of course, you can unsubscribe at any time Latitude.

Finally, we would like for you to use with Latitude. any. of your friends, so we really tried to make it accessible to the greatest possible number of people. Now Google Latitude works in 27 countries, and we hope that soon they will become even more.

Are you ready to share their coordinates? . google. ru / latitude. and download the latest version of Google Maps for mobile. Currently working on Latitude BlackBerry, S60 and Windows Mobile, and a few days and earn Android'e. We expect that the iPhone version will appear soon (via the Google Mobile App).

It's okay if you do not have a smartphone. You can go to. google. ru / latitude. with a standard PC or laptop to install the. iGoogle. Gadget Locator (Latitude), and set your location right from your computer. If your browser is set to. Google Gears. (and this is certainly so if you have. Google Chrome. ), The coordinates of your laptop will be automatically detected. Or, you can define and set the position manually to your friends know where you are.

Watch the video to see for myself how this service.