Google Latitude is a new feature for Google Maps on your mobile device. It is also an iGoogle gadget on your computer. It allows you to share your location with familiy and friends and to see their approximate locations, if they choose to share them with you.

You can use your Google account to sign in and easily invite friends to Latitude from your existing contact list or by entering their email addresses on your mobile phone. Google Talk is integrated with Latitude, so you and your friends can update status messages and profile photos on the go. You can even call, SMS, IM, or email each other within the application.

On your desktop computer, if you have Google Gears installed in your browser you can manually or automatically share your location.

Key features of Google Latitude include:

Share locations- Location sharing starts only when both you and a friend agree. Invite friends via email or easily add them from your Gmail contacts.
Control privacy- You can share, set, or hide your location - or turn off Google Latitude - from the privacy menu. You can also hide your location or share only a city-level location with certain friends.
Share status- Create a status message and upload your photo within Latitude. It also syncs directly with Google Talk. Check your friends’ status messages to see what your friends are up to.
Contact your friends- Quickly contact your friends with an SMS, IM, or phone call. You can also get directions to lead you to your friends.

Latitude is available in 27 countries. To download the latest version of Google Maps for mobile with Latitude, visit google.com/latitude from your mobile phone browser. Latitude is available on Blackberry, S60, and Windows Mobile, and will be available on Android and iPhone in the next few days.