• October 1, 2009

Google has relaunched local search for mobile, adding categories that let users search without typing and the ability to sync with Google Maps on the computer.

Joshua Siegel, product manager for Google's Mobile Local Search Team, explained in a blog post how he used the new features during a trip to Hawaii.

Before leaving, he "starred" the places he wanted to visit on Google Maps and when he arrived in Hawaii he was able to see the places he selected on his mobile phone using local search on Google.

Further, "The new category browse feature made it easy to find a place to rent bicycles for a quick tour of the coastline. I just tapped on "Entertainment & Recreation" and then "Bicycles" to execute a search -- no typing necessary. When it was time for scuba diving, I didn't see an appropriate category, so I started typing "SCUBA" in the search box and clicked on a suggestion for "Scuba Tour Agency."

Google's redesigned local search for mobile www.google.com/m/local has been rolled out first in the U.S. and China before being expanded to other regions.

--Mark Walsh