For safety, fun and convenience, mobile phones help people stay connected while outdoors. Here I will discuss enhancing your connectivity with family and friends through location sharing on your mobile phone.  

The application is called Google Latitude.  It works with Google Maps on the mobile platform, and it uses either GPS or cellular signal tower triangulation to show your position in real time, and share it with those you have on your Latitude share list.  I've been testing Google Latitude for over a month now and I like it.

How does Google Latitude help you stay connected with family and friends? Well, have you ever needed to know how close to home your spouse is after leaving work so you can get the kids ready to leave for soccer? Have you ever wanted to make your friends at work jealous, while you are out fishing on opening day?  Have you ever waited for a family member at a BBQ, wondering where they are with the potato salad?  If so, then Google Latitude may be what you're looking for.

To get started, download Google Maps 3.x by visiting http://m.google.com/latitude on your mobile phone .  It's easy to install, simply download it and follow directions.  Once the application has been installed, run it.  Press the menu button on your handset, and select "join latitude" from the menu.  You should carefully read the terms and conditions to fully understand your rights in using Latitude.  If you choose to accept the terms and conditions, you can start using Latitude by signing into your Google Account.  The Latitude setup will prompt you to sign in, then friends can be added to your Latitude share list.  Your friends will receive an email on their Google account email address, and they will have to confirm your share invitation.
 
After installing the application, signing in and sharing with friends, you're ready to go.  Your Latitude Share friends can view your location by signing into iGoogle (and installing the Latitude Gadget), or on Latitude on their mobile phones.

Privacy is maintained as you have control over what people can see and when.  Your location can be hidden, or just shown at a city level, and you can stop sharing your location with individual people or everyone.
 
When the applicaiton is exited, a prompt appears asking if you want to exit and continue sharing your location, or exit and suspend sharing your location.  The choice is up to you, and it should depend on your sharing intent at the time.  Please note that if you exit and continue to share, the application will burn through your mobile phone battery.  That is, if you go to bed and leave on 'sharing your location' or you forget to exit the application, expect a drained or dead battery in the morning.

After weighing the benefits and privacy concerns, Google Latitude may just be the tool you're looking for to stay connected with family and friends when you're enjoying the outdoors!

Google Latitude Benefits
1) Its easy to use and configure.

2) I can turn it on, and I don't need to place or receive calls from family or friends asking where I am.  This is a great safety feature as in Ontario talking on a mobile phone while driving is now against the law.  Yes, I realize the law allows hands free calls but if I turn on Latitude before leaving, people can see my location without phoning me.

3) Better commutes.  Because I leave the phone on while driving, Google Maps can inform me of traffic on my route home from work, or when going outdoors, it allows me to make route-altering decisions to save time.

4) When outdoors camping, or at a large or crowded area with my family, it's easier to meet up with people.  Of course, you have to have cellular coverage to use Latitude.

Privacy Concerns To Be Aware Of
1) If you're not very tech savvy, someone with malicious or mischevious intent can take your phone and install Latitude, set themselves up as a sharing friend, then exit the application but continue to share your location.  All this can be done in a few minutes.  Now this person can track your movements without you knowing.  If you see Google Maps installed on your phone and you didn't install it, either remove the application, or run the application and check the share and privacy settings.

2) If you knowingly install Latitude, but forget to turn it off when you want privacy, others can still see where you are.  This would be awkward if you broke a date with a friend because you said you were sick, and they see you on a jogging trail.  Even worse, if you tell your spouse you're working late, they can clearly see that you're out fishing instead.  I can't help you out of that one.

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