Location in GMail Signature

GMail (including Google Apps) has a Labs feature that enables the addition of location to email signatures:

Enable Location in Signature

As with other location-based services from Google, it relies on IP address as well as Google Gears. When this Labs feature is enabled, it adds a new setting to the Signature settings (look under General settings):

Append location

Once this is done, whenever a new email is composed, a line is appended to the signature with the location.

Seems like Google’s going overboard with location-in-everything (including offerings like Google Latitude). Weren’t web-based email services supposed to offer location privacy (since originating IP in mail headers was restricted to the IP address of the email provider)?

Comments

Rainman said…

This Labs feature was launched a few weeks ago itself, wasn't it? Everything these days seems to be moving towards integration with Location Based Services - third party Twitter apps, Facebook (rumored?), etc. It looks like its only a matter of time before location features become mainstream with e-mail as well ( I have disabled this Labs feature for now ;-)).

March 11, 2009 at 1:39 PM

Anonymous said…

What, you're not sharing your location?! I'm shocked! ;-)

March 12, 2009 at 8:03 PM

Anonymous said…

... and yes, it came a few weeks ago. I'm behind the times.

March 12, 2009 at 8:17 PM

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