Geo Location-aware Browser
Years ago web sites started to providing geo personalized content based on the geo location of the users IP. While it works fine for countries and big cities (try your IP it here) - it fails to be precise enough to provide distinguished local services - like mapping, directions and local search.
After having experimented with IP based look-up on local.ch (and decided not to go on with it for now), we started another experiment: Extending the browser to know the exact position and providing this information to the site. Opt-in of course - always with the users permission.
Christian Stocker from Liip developed a Firefox extension called "WhereAmI" to do following:
The final solution should be a core extension to the browser, that provides a standard API for web sites to access the geo location of the user. The browser then having plug-ins that allows location providers/sources to hook-in and provide the necessary data. Others have been discussing about that - e.g. here and here.
The guys from Loki are developing a similar solution like the WhereAmI extension - based on their proprietary WiFi positioning system. Right now it only works in large cities in US - I have been told last week at the Where 2.0 conference that they are starting to cover Europe as well this year. I'm looking forward to test it as soon as it's available in my region.
We need to find a standard way of doing geo location API in browsers - and then move on and adapt it for mobile browsers too. And yes.. the user should always be in control and opt-in to provide his location. For now, an browser extension is the right way to show people the possibilities. I welcome everybody to join the experiment and drive the idea.
Update June 7th: There is a working group that has been setup recently that focuses on creating a standard API for geo location in the browser - join at locationaware.org
After having experimented with IP based look-up on local.ch (and decided not to go on with it for now), we started another experiment: Extending the browser to know the exact position and providing this information to the site. Opt-in of course - always with the users permission.
Christian Stocker from Liip developed a Firefox extension called "WhereAmI" to do following:
- get the exact user location via location sources (plazes.com, connected GPS or manually by provided an address)
- provide the location to configured web sites (google maps, yahoo maps, flickr, local.ch)
- it should be possible to add further sites - like user scripts for the greasemonkey extension
The final solution should be a core extension to the browser, that provides a standard API for web sites to access the geo location of the user. The browser then having plug-ins that allows location providers/sources to hook-in and provide the necessary data. Others have been discussing about that - e.g. here and here.
The guys from Loki are developing a similar solution like the WhereAmI extension - based on their proprietary WiFi positioning system. Right now it only works in large cities in US - I have been told last week at the Where 2.0 conference that they are starting to cover Europe as well this year. I'm looking forward to test it as soon as it's available in my region.
We need to find a standard way of doing geo location API in browsers - and then move on and adapt it for mobile browsers too. And yes.. the user should always be in control and opt-in to provide his location. For now, an browser extension is the right way to show people the possibilities. I welcome everybody to join the experiment and drive the idea.
Update June 7th: There is a working group that has been setup recently that focuses on creating a standard API for geo location in the browser - join at locationaware.org
Cedric,
I am the guy who posted on the WHATWG list and I am the Product Manager for Loki as well.
I am also chairing a new working group called the LocationAware Working Group that is focusing on standardizing the way that geolocation is exposed through the browser. You can check out the website and join the mailing list if you're interested -- locationaware.org
Hopefully we'll see you on there.
Posted by
Ryan Sarver |
June 6, 2007 4:19 PM
Have you looked into Plazes much? Seems like they provide a simple client-side method for locating oneself -- what one does with that information is of course yet to be seen, but Plazes is well on their way to having a great user-centric geo-location service.
Posted by
Factory Joe |
June 10, 2007 8:22 AM
@ryan sarver: thanks for the link - too bad I missed the BoF session at where 2.0
@factory joe: yes - long time plazes user - and the plazes api was the first location source the WhereAmI extension supported. Feel free to check it out on: https://fosswiki.liip.ch/display/WHE/Home
Posted by
Cedric |
June 10, 2007 9:35 AM
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