Google Latitude: Big Brother is tracking me!

Big brother, wifey, buddy, mistress, whoever… they can all track your movements as you can track theirs, thanks to Google Latitude. Latitude is a GPS based tracking system which runs on Google Maps on Blackberry and other Windows based handheld devices.

Every length you take, every move you make… (with apologies to the Police)

When you download the app, you need to give the device permission to track your movements, then add others who also have Latitude installed on their handhelds (and have given you permission to track them!).

Not me, you aint!

It’s seems quite cool, but I still haven’t been able to convince anyone else to let me track them. Perhaps my 9 year old daughter will – if I first give her a cellphone! And this brings me to the real benefit/practicality of using something like this.

It is a great tool for parents, clingy spouses, and nutty buddies. Has great novelty value, but can be quite disconcerting to on a day to day basis… “oh look honey, I know you are at the office… or baby, don’t tell me you are in the loo, i know you are in the kitchen!”. Those of you who allow friends to ‘see your location’ in Second Life will know what I mean.

Money talks, when you walk!

From the commercial angle, it can make a great tool to know who is where, and then throw relevant offers to him or her via sms or whatever… “oh, so you are at Landmark, eh? why not step across to the new KFC next door? We’ll even throw on a chicken leg free if you grab a breast..” um. maybe something like that.

You can run, but you can’t hide!

As far as corporates go, it makes a cool tracking device for employees – couriers, sushi delivery, travelling salespersons, etc. While it works quite like other GPS tracking devices, this one is free. Only you need a high-end handheld with an unlimited data-transfer package to use it to the max.

And as I write this I am even more convinced it only has novelty value, and nothing commercial. Not surprising therefore, its predecessors like loopt and where are still to grab public imagination on a large scale.

Someday maybe

Maybe they will one day become popular. Maybe we will let ourselves be tracked and commercially violated for that free chicken leg, or the lure of 3-drinks-for-the-price-of-1 at 4 in the afternoon.

Until then apps like this will remain a closely guarded secret between the makers and the few takers. Quite like my current location.