Behind the "My Location" Errors In Google Maps 78
waderoush writes "Ever since Google added the 'My Location' feature this week to the desktop and laptop versions of Google Maps, allowing Firefox and Chrome users to see their current location on a map, people have been reporting bizarre location errors — Manhattanites, for example, are being told by Google that they're in Austin, TX. Ted Morgan, the CEO of Boston-based location software provider Skyhook Wireless, talked about the problems in an interview Friday. Skyhook's Wi-Fi-based location-finding technology was passed over when Mozilla adopted Google's own location services toolkit for Firefox 3.5 in April; Morgan says that was unfortunate for Web app developers, because Google's 'crowdsourced' database of Wi-Fi access point locations is far less reliable than Skyhook's."
Google Groups Suffering A Similar Issue (Score:2, Informative)
I think that Google needs to look into its error management systems, as this isn't the only Google system to have trouble lately. Google Groups is having some major issues with the search engine- it's next to impossible to find things right now. Searches that should find information find nothing, and the advanced search is especially broken.
Google Groups search was especially useful in finding helpful information on older usenet posts, so it's unfortunate that this is the case. While I'm not saying the problems are related, I do feel that it speaks to a systemic issue that needs to be addressed- if both Google Maps and Google Groups are buggy, then what is being done to ensure this doesn't happen?
Re:Can't find My Location (Score:3, Informative)
Right above the zoom buttons, you have a street view icon. Between the street view icon and the scroll buttons, you may see a small circle. Click there.
Unfortunately, Google has horrible user agent sniffing. I'm on Firefox on Linux, and I need to spoof myself as a Windows user to get that button.
Re:Can't find My Location (Score:2, Informative)
It's just above the zoom in and out slider, a little round circle in a square (with cut off corners). Or just below the hand with the four arrows.
Click that and a bar will appear at the top of firefox and ask if it's ok to share your location.
Hope this helps.
Re:Can't find My Location (Score:3, Informative)
It's the little circle thing by the panning and zooming and street view controls.
When I click it it takes me to Austin, TX, which is over 1500 miles from where I actually am. And where I actually am isn't even Manhattan, but New Jersey. Google says it's because laneline-based connections are probably going to show erroneous results based on ISP, except that Verizon is based in Viriginia according to whois, not Texas!
Re:Remind me not to use Firefox 3.5! (Score:5, Informative)
As any sane person would expect, and thirty seconds on Google would confirm, the browser asks permission before sending the location data. Screenshot. [howtogeek.com] No privacy is being taken away.
Lesson of the day: don't make nutty assumptions, and don't post knee-jerk reactions based on them.
Re:I hate this 'location-based' crap (Score:4, Informative)
Language switching based on guessed location is evil. That's what the accept-language HTTP header is for!
Re:Google Groups Suffering A Similar Issue (Score:3, Informative)
This has nothing to do with "error management". Geolocation by IP is based off a combination of who leased the IP and where the packets are routed. If you are working through a dedicated T3 in Orange County, you're likely to resolve to Seattle. This is a persistent problem for geolocation services, not specifically Google. I'm not sure the point of the article, when anyone who's used commercial and free lookups, knows this is par.
In other news, they probably heard that Vista is a next generation OS.