Google Gears, a browser extension that empowers web applications by giving them offline capabilities and more, can now tell websites where you are -- or at least, where your laptop is. The new version of the Gears Geolocation API uses your laptop's WiFi signal to pinpoint your location within 200 meters.
Previously, Google says the Geolocation API just worked with mobile phones, but now any website can take advantage of the API to add location-based functions. Basically, this could eventually bring an end to ever manually entering your location onto websites.
Instead, when you want to see local news stories on ITN or nearby hotels on lastminute.com, you just go to the site and it knows where you are. For this to work, users must have the Gears plugin installed on their browsers. (It's automatically installed on Google's Chrome browser and the Android mobile operating system.)
Expect to see many more websites taking advantage of geolocation, and not just due to Google's announcement. Mozilla previously launched a geolocation plugin called Geode, and added similar capabilities to the latest version of its Firefox browser, which is currently in beta testing.
Privacy advocates who think Google already has too much information about us probably won't be happy. In its announcement, Google says it doesn't store your location information, but other websites might. Since sites have to ask for permission before getting your location, Google advises only saying yes to sites you trust.