Google is now integrating Dodgeball, a mobile social networking service, into thier other services. Google acquired Dodgeball in May 2005 but waited until recently to link the service to its other offerings by asking new members to access the site through Google accounts.

According to Techweb contributor, the service, is available in 22 cities, recently added Google mapping tools, but Crowley was reticent about what the future holds. Keeping with Google’s tradition of remaining tight-lipped about it operations, he declined to say how many users Dodgeball has attracted.

Dodgeball essentially relays text messages announcing users’ locations to their friends and friends of friends. It combines that information with maps, reviews, comments, profiles and photographs. Until last month, users could sign up for the service without a Google account. New members are asked to sign on through Google.

Users choose which friends will receive their information. Then, they notify Dodgeball when they are at a specific club, library, park or wherever. The free service relays the information, with an address, to friends. Friends of friends are notified when they are within 10 blocks of each other and told which friend they share in common.

Dodgeball encourages members to create “crush lists” with up to five people. The service explains the limit by stating it “isn’t a brothel.” The service notifies people when one of their crushes is within 10 blocks, but it does not identify which crush or the person’s location. Dodgeball notifies the crush where their admirer is located and sends a picture. “Who knows — if they think you’re cute, maybe your crush will stop by,” Dodgeball states on its Web site. If no one has a crush on the user, Dodgeball offers reassurance. “We still love you though,” the user’s sign-on page will read.

Users can stop specific members from learning their whereabouts, by discretely placing them in a separate column on their list or by deleting them. People receive notice when they have been “deleted.”

Crowley said the project is not currently bringing in revenue and did not hint how Google would go about incorporating ads or other revenue-generating features. He also declined to say how many people are working on Dodgeball.

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