Google Mobile Search Shows What's 'Near You Now'

Whether for finding the nearest Starbucks or just figuring out where the hell you are, location-based services are awesome.

Usually you need an app for that, but Google just added location awareness to mobile search. Specifically, owners of Android phones and iPhones can point their browsers to Google.com, click Near me now, and instantly find nearby ATMs, restaurants, gas stations, and the like.

As you can see in the above video, this new capability is also intended to help you find out more about where you are -- like if the restaurant you're about to try is any good.

On my iPhone, I had to dip into the Google.com settings (within Safari) to enable device location (guess it's off by default), then refresh the location. After that, "Near me now" worked like a charm. Not a bad alternative to the likes of AroundMe, Urbanspoon, and other apps I routinely use to get the local scoop. [via Google Mobile Blog]