Gmail Your Location

Google just released a location aware application called Google Latitude a few days ago.  Following up on that, the Gmail team just announced on their blog that you can now add your location to your signature in Gmail.  The way Google determines your location is based on your IP address, but this can be a little inaccurate.  If you have Google Gears, this method can be much more accurate.  This is how you enable the new feature.

To enable this feature in your Gmail account you need to do two things.  First go to Settings, and then the Labs tab (You can also click the Green flask in the upper right corner of your main Gmail screen).  Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll see a Lab called “Location in Signature.”  Select Enable then click Save Changes on the bottom of the page. 

Now you need to go back to your Settings and in the General tab, scroll down to the Signature section.  Make sure “Append your location to the signature” is checked.  Save changes again and it should take you back to your inbox.  Now when you compose a new email or reply to one, it will add the city that you are sending the email from.

Here is an example of what it looks like in action:

This obviously raises the privacy issue again and it’s a completely opt-in feature.  Some people will also not want to share where they are all the time.  I enabled the feature but my locations mostly consist of Chicago and a few suburbs (not very exciting).  Let us know why you are or are not enabling this new feature in your Gmail account.