On June 21st, Google released a new app, called Google Maps Coordinate, which signifies their first significant investment in the same location and mapping technology that Google Earth functions off of. It appears to be marketed towards large and small companies who want to more effectively manage and communicate with their employees, especially ones who are mobile and working out of the office. Google cites the research firm IDC when figuring that by 2015 there will be over 1.3 billion mobile workers around the globe. Such an app would track employee locations in real time, allowing instant instructions and other communications to mitigate potential losses in productivity. In essence, it provides a mobile resource to serve as a centralized digital office for employees in the field. Another feature that could prove to be useful is the ability to have records of all past tasks easily accessible, letting a company analyze its own trends and allocate their resources accordingly. For only $15.00 a month per user (for the time being), this could very well be a service worth utilizing for a variety of businesses who want to improve their efficiency and productivity.
