Windows 7 has a new programming interface designed to make it a whole lot easier for software to figure out where in the world a PC and its user are located.
That should make it easier for a whole new range of location-based services from finding nearby friends to LoJack-like PC tracking programs. Even search could be a whole lot better if the search engine knew where you were. Indeed, searchers often enter their city with their location to try and get just that benefit.
"There's so many times you have to enter in where you are at," said Microsoft program manager Alec Berntson.
At the same time, broader use of location-based services could also open up a range of privacy concerns.
|