Mozilla Firefox goes local with new Geode location plugin
Mozilla is pushing ahead with some unique browser innovations in Firefox, and Geode is no exception. It provides a key piece of information, your exact location. This Geolocation specification is one of many new standards from the W3C that Firefox is poised to embrace, and that may help it survive the incoming storm of browser competition between Google, Microsoft and Mozilla.
Mozilla has always focused on pushing the innovative envelope when it comes to browsing the web, but that may be more important than ever, given the release of Google Chrome and the upcoming release of Internet Explorer 8. The company needs to find ways to keep its customer base interested and intrigued with what’s coming next.
And besides Geocode’s bump in functionality, building buzz along with innovation seems to be part of the goal. Essentially the plugin works by interfacing with a third party system that locates a device accessing the Internet through a series of routing calculations and can be accurate to within 20 meters, according to Mozilla.
Users are able to choose how much location information they want to provide on a page-by-page basis so they’re still in control of private information.
It’s interesting that in business, location was traditionally the emphasized piece for new ventures because it meant a certain level of foot traffic in a store. Now location is once again at the top of people’s minds as they search for local work and entertainment through the Internet.
The difference perhaps, is that local always changes for mobile workers who are on the move.
Mozilla may be on to something:
The potential here is for more than just restaurant lookups. For example, imagine an RSS reader that knows the difference between home and work and automatically changes its behavior appropriately. Or a news site whose local section is, in fact, actually local. Or Web site authentication that only allows you to login from certain physical locations, like your house.
The noteworthy piece of this technology is how much more accurate it can be than the typical “enter your zip code to see local content” approach. It’s also right on trend with companies looking to know more and more details about how you’re interacting with their brand online, and now where you’re sitting.
As users continue to access the Internet more and more from mobile devices, the demand for content about their immediate surroundings will skyrocket. After all, why make a new friend just to find out about local hot spots when the Internet is just a tap away.
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