Google Latitude as a desktop app – OS X Lion

Using nothing but OS X Lion’s built in ‘Automater’ you can create your very own desktop based ‘Web App’ for Google’s Latitude service (or any other URL for that matter)

The process is really simple, and only required 2 ‘Automater Methods’

  1. Launch Apple’s Automator application, from the applications folder
  2. Chose Application from the document type menu
  3. Add the ‘Get Specified URLs’ action from the actions list
  4. Add the address “https://www.google.co.uk/latitude/b/0/” (or any of your choosing) to the ‘Specified URLs’ action
  5. Add the ‘Website Popup’ action from the actions list
  6. Specify the screen size and user agent you prefer – you may be best adjusting these settings and running the Automator script a few times to see which works best.
Once you are happy with your settings, and URL specified then you can save this as an Application, now when you want to launch the new desktop web app all you have to do is double click on your new Automator Application!
Simple really!

Mike Hudson

Mike Hudson is a Lead Cyber Security Analyst living and working in Kingston Upon Hull. With extensive experience in Microsoft and Apple technologies, ranging from desktop OS’s to Server OS’s and hardware. By day working as part of an infrastructure team, and by night ridding the world of IT issues through blog posts..

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