Google has updated its mobile maps app and this time the main goody on offer is the fact that you and your friends can see exactly where you are on a map. Yep, get the app going and your friends who are logged into the app at the same time will pop up all over the map, avatars, status messages and all.

The app, in best, Google tradition, remains free and can be downloaded by pointing your phone’s browser to http://google.com/latitude. Of course, it is not available on all phones so do check out if your device is compatible here before getting into download mode. Nope, it ain’t available for the iPhone yet, so we already know at least one thing that’s going to be in the next firmware update.

We are reviewing the app in detail for the magazine so we cannot really reveal too much here. But we will deign to unseal our lips to say that it actually works, and in case you are the paranoid types, you can even manually set your location on the map. You can also hide from certain friends. 

Mind you, there’s no way you are going to be hiding from Google. The company that is dedicated to fighting evil will know exactly where you are every time you log into Google Maps. Now, was that a chill running down our spines?