Google Maps launches location-sensitive Latitude interface

This morning, Google announced the availability of Latitude, a social location tool for Google Maps accessible through BlackBerry, Windows Mobile 5.0+, and Symbian S60 devices or the corresponding iGoogle gadget.

Users with Latitude turned on show up as an icon on their buddies' Map, which acts as an interface to launch SMS, Google Talk, or GMail communications. Similar to mobile social network Brightkite, Google Latitude's locations are granular and can be as specific as a user's GPS coordinates, or as vague as his hemisphere.

Google has made Latitude available in 27 countries through iGoogle, or for BlackBerry, S60, and Windows Mobile 5.0+ devices. Unfortunately, Google really had it in for Betanews this morning, as none of our current tester devices were supported. Android support will not be around until some time "in the next few days," iPhone support is currently nonexistent, and of the BlackBerrys, the Storm is not among those that works. To add insult to that, our region is not supported by the iGoogle gadget.

Oh well...Google knows where it can find me anyway.