Google keeps on getting better and better.
This blog is hosted on a Google service “Blogger” which makes it so easy to start and maintain a blog that no one need be challenged by the technology. Google also offers a service called “Analytics” which enables the user to simply analyse web stats for any site with ease, so I use it for this blog. Each time I log into Analytics I find myself being fascinated by a little Flash application which provides a simple representation of the location of people for example who read the blog this week:
You can gain quite a strong impression from a simple thematic map like this – now the question for today is how do they resolve the IP addresses to cities with such accuracy?
If you are the paranoid type you might be concerned that you are less anonymous when surfing (at least location wise) than you thought you were. Google seems to know where you are, add that to the location awareness that they have within Google Local of what you are interested in i.e. “Bookshops near Muswell Hill” and there must be some very powerful opportunities to profile neighbourhoods, interests, travel patterns and a whole lot more.
I am not sure whether to be worried or in awe
