Google FInds Mobiles Without GPS

Written by Adam Gosling

Thursday, 29 November 2007

Google has released version 2.0 of it Google Maps for mobile search application that uses an approximate location based on phone tower location information allowing users without GPS to find their way. The new beta version uses mobile tower ID information gets Google round the stumbling block that only 15 per cent of new phones support GPS and allows the search engine to users with approximate location information for their searches. Google is calling its location technology My Location and it also works with GPS-enabled devices by helping them fix a location faster than GPS and by allowing for coverage inside buildings where GPS signals are often not available. The company also says the technology doesn't drain your phone battery as quickly as GPS. The My Location technology takes information from mobile towers and applies some of Google's secret sauce algorithms. In doing so, the company says it doesn't collect any user identifiable information or associate any location data with personally identifiable information. YUou can also disable the feature if you prefer. My Location works on BlackBerry devices, all Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition devices, most Windows Mobile devices. It also works with newer Sony Ericsson devices, and some Motorola handsets. The application runs on most J2ME-enabled devices which includes Palm devices with Palm OS 5 and above. To download Google Maps for mobile with My Location, point your mobile or desktop web browser to http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html. Newer news items Nokia Finds There's Money In Maps -12/02/2008 Six Month Wait For Garmin nüvifone -03/02/2008 Older news items Garmin Does Phone Nav -04/10/2007 Nokia Buys Map Company For US$8 Billion -02/10/2007 Australia's First Free Mobile Navigation Service -13/09/2007 ASUS A686/696 GPS PDA -23/08/2007 GPS Satellite Cooperation -30/07/2007 Tag This Now: