With many of us using smartphones with GPS now, we’re starting to take for granted applications like Google Maps being able to pinpoint us. But using computer is a different story. Sure, there have been plugins, and things like Google Toolbar, but those are things that most people aren’t going to bother to install. But starting today, location is now built in to Google Maps in the browser — provided you’re using the right browser.
If you are using either Google Chrome 2.0+ or Mozilla FireFox 3.5+, you’ll now notice a little dot in the upper left-hand corner of Maps, just above the Street View guy. If you click that dot, Google Maps will show you your location on the map. It does this using the W3C Geolocation API standard, according to Google.
So how well does it work? Pretty well. It got my location slightly wrong, but only by about a block. That’s not as good as it is on mobile devices, but remember, many of those have GPS, which is more accurate. Google Maps location is pulling from WiFi access points or, if none of those are around, your IP address.
This is an important step for Google. If it wants services like Google Latitude to take off, there needs to be ubiquitous location information no matter if you’re on your phone or your laptop. Location is also potentially huge for Google if it can use it to start serving up localized ads based on your current location. It of course already does this somewhat, but being able to exactly pinpoint you will work better.
Of course, there are privacy implications with that. And Google devotes a whole paragraph to that in its announcement:
Google takes privacy very seriously, so your location will never be used without your permission. The first time you use My Location on Google Maps, you’ll be asked to confirm that you’re happy to share your location with Google Maps, and you can always undo your decision. See the help center article on Privacy and My Location for more information about how your location is used.
If you don’t have these latest versions of Chrome or Firefox (the two browsers currently supporting the Geolocation standard), you can still get your location if you install Gears. Google says support for more browser is coming soon, and notes that if you’re using a browser that doesn’t currently support it, you won’t see the location dot.
Update: Lots of commenters are pointing out that Maps is placing them at completely wrong locations — sometimes in wrong countries.
Very cool. I love it.
Cool feature. Now you can locate user’s location from your website / blog too.
Check this out- http://bit.ly/Yj6wt
Cool, so now we can build this into our web based ride share network under development, meaning it will function like our app on the iPhone.
Now if laptops could ship with Skyhook Wireless & GPS built in, like the iPhone, that would even be better.
Who needs Skyhook.. bring on Skynet!
This is functional in Safari 4 w/ Gears as well. Just verified it.
Yep, any browser with Gears installed will work as well.
Hmmm…. it thinks I am somewhere in Texas. Strange since I am in Florida. Well, if Google says so I must be in Texas and am just confused.
Same here…It thinks i’m in Austin, TX. I live in Virginia. Could google be getting incorrect data based on use of OpenDNS?
It seems to think I am in Chicago. I am actually in Toronto. So… fail?
Yes, that would be a fail
Keep in mind that location determination is via IP address lookup, which is a good first cut estimation. However, it is not fool proof.
The iPhone uses Skyhook Wireless using wifi IP addresses lookup and cell tower triangulation. Not having a cell connection on a laptop/desktops will location awareness on those platforms lacking compared to mobile platforms for quite some time.
Well, a desktop could allow you just to enter your location in the browser settings.
Does anyone know how you could improve a laptop’s location awareness?
Er… Firefox 3.5 also uses wifi access point lookups – that’s the point.
Are you using a proxy?
Nope, and doing a whois lookup on my IP places me in Toronto. I get placed in Chicago when using both Chrome and Firefox.
Maybe your wireless card was in Chicago when Skyhook added your Mac address to their database. Do you travel often to Chicago? Did you buy it new or used? Where in Chicago did it pinpoint you? Does it look like a residential area or commercial area? I think that I laptop on display in a best-buy (turned on) would be added to that city’s database until the purchaser takes it home and skyhook wardirve near his house/work. I wonder how often Skyhook updates its database tough.
To note, if you’re running chrome 2.0+ without gears installed, you don’t see the “My Location” button…or at least I don’t. Seems Gears is crucial.
Interesting, according to Google you should. I do see it in the new Firefox without Gears.
Actually, I even just looked and I do have gears installed. I’m going to have to investigate this further.
I tested with Chrome 2.0+, and the Gears window poped up asking for permission.
I though Gears was built into Chrome, so not sure how you could have Chrome without Gears.
You’re right. I was unaware it was auto installed. I just knew that I had not installed it on its own so I assumed it was not installed. I went to gears.google.com and it alerted me that gears was already installed.
Running FF3.5, it thinks I’m in SF when I’m in Fresno.
Pretty nifty, can’t wait for the bugs to be worked out though. I’m getting a difference from my actual location by about 1.2 miles, not bad at all really.
Just wish there was a way for you to like, pull up the actual address of where it thinks you are so you can use it for directions right from the maps. I can’t find this anywhere.
It tells me that I am supposedly in California. FAIL.
I’m in Tacoma, Washington.
Using Google Chrome 2.0.172.33
I’m in Norwalk, CT and it shows my location as NYC.
I just got: “Your location could not be determined”
I’m in Illinois about 5min from Northern Illinois University. Granted it is in the middle of cornfields, this town is still pretty big.
At least it figured out that i’m in Israel – never mind the city or street.
holy land 1 : 0 google
It knows I’m in the greater Denver Metro area … shows a map +/- 50 miles … not very helpful for an app developer.
From reading all the comments, it looks like they fail … unless you’re the author of this blog post.
It gave an accurate mapping for my address. I am in sunnyvale.
I am in Lakewood, and it showed me in the greater Denver metro as well. I am not on a WIfI connection, just at home on Comcast.
I don’t get a blue dot on the map, Google just takes me to a zoomed out map of Southern Ontario. I am behind a corporate firewall… perhaps that has something to do with it.
On FF I’m getting a map like this but in Chrome I’m seeing the blue dot…. weird.
This also works in safari with gears… new firefox without gears works. It’s interesting.
you shouldn’t need gears in safari 4
Pinpoints me exactly in Toronto. It works in Chrome for Mac as well.
i’m up north, canada eh, and i just tried this and for some reason it’s finding my current location at my exact old home address. i can understand it being a few blocks off or whatever, but why my exact old address, some 4 km’s (2.48548477 miles) away? weird.
Maybe it’s tracking a past life!
I am in NJ and it says I am in NY.
I was planning to go to NY this evening. May be they have artificial intelligence built in to know where I want to be this evening
Doesn’t work with my ATT Laptop Connect Card…could make since…it could do triangulation possibly…but wouldn’t get you too close honestly..I’m using FF 3.5…and OSX 10.5.7
This is scary as hell and no I will not comply
Mine is clear and says I can not be determined.
Your location could not be determined.
FAIL – I am in Boston and it is off by about 5 miles (has me in Quincy)…
I’m in Ottawa, and tried it on maps.google.ca. The dot showed up, so I clicked, but it said my location couldn’t be determined.
So I tried maps.google.com, and it was able to determine my location. Sadly, it claims that I’m in some vague location in New York.
I don’t suppose there’s a way to notify the location provider if it’s wildly wrong? I’m in northern CT, near the Mass. border, and it’s telling me I’m in Austin, TX.
I’m in Brazil. It points to my city (Curitiba) correctly, but only with 50% zoom, and doesn’t put a blue dot on the map.
I’ve got Chrome (which includes Gears) and the feature was rolled out to me. But the best it could do is show me a wide picture of suburban Chicago. Maybe my experience isn’t typical. But if it is, this product needs a lot of work still.
Since when did Google Maps have Live Traffic stuff?
uhm? since feb 2007.
http://googlebl...in-traffic.html
“Your location could not be determined.” Another home run by the geniuses at Google.
Along the lines of webapps on the iPhone being able to use geolocation data… this is interesting.
It thinks I am in Austin, TX but I live and am currently in Portland, Maine. Oh, what’s 2000 miles between us?
Are other laptop manufacturers putting in GPS already? Rumor has it’s coming in Macbooks.
Mine is dead on, likely because our wifi is recognized by Skyhook.
Very funny, Maps tell me that I’m near NY city whereas I’m in Mauritius….
off by a few miles. fail
This is cool. However, if you are looking for local best buy just search best buy at AAfter search and click on the yellow page.
For local news on swineflu, just search swineflu, and click on local news.
It would be nice if I could override the location it thinks I’m at globally within Firefox once for all applications trying to use it.
Granted, that only makes sense if you’re not moving around much with your machine.
I use this feature on my i phone.
Also the app Locly. When i start this I see the local Twitters in my hometown ..
Off by about 45 blocks for me in NYC….running Firefox 3.5 on XP.
Wow, I’m surprised to see it failing on so many people.. It’s got me down to within a 100 *feet* of where I’m literally sitting.
Shows me in So. Cal, but I am in SE Texas. http://www.ip2location.com/ can find me, so I’m not sure how Google can be so wrong.
mine isn’t correct as well. It was pointed to the house in front of me. That’s 5 meter too far
It worked out my location to a few feet!
It got it within about a block of where I am using an IP address, I believe. But they should build in something that allows you to tell it where you actually are, so that it can build up some knowledge of which IP addresses and WiFi hotspots to trust! As it is, don’t see how it will get much better over time.
The source they use has self-improving features.
It didn’t work. When I clicked it said:
“Your location could not be determined”.
Or perhaps I just move in mysterious ways…
I tried using it in Google Chrome and it doesn’t work for now.
It picks the state I live in but doesn’t mark my location on the map.
It was close.
If, by “close”, you mean across the country.
I’m in Richmond, VA. Google “located” me in the Los Angeles metro area.
I’d say this needs work…
It got me to the exact house I’m in right now. How does this work? If they can tell that just by my IP, I’m seriously uncomfortable with this.
no work for me either … “Your location could not be determined” …. love all this stuff that seems to work for reviewers and not many others ….. bit like win 7 r/c !!
Worked like a charm the very first time!
It works A LOT better when you are connected to a WIFI network. It pinpointed my location within 10m.
At home it pointed me within 50 feet (by my Wifi?), in the office it points me in Tokyo (by my IP?), which is correct but no accurate position given, over my cell phone it points me within 500 feet (by the cell tower?). I thinks it’s working as well as it is technically possible.