Hitting the "Local" tab on a mobile Google page on iPhones, Android, or Palm Pre models now brings up a refined search results or category listing page, similar to the look and use of the Android Places app. What's more useful, though, is that you can search out spots in a desktop browser on Google Maps, add stars to things you might want to visit, and then see those same stars when you perform a Local search on your phone.
That feature and a few others are explained, of course, in a Google video:
In a related mobile search addition, those who have turned on Web History from their Google account settings can see those same searches performed on desktops pop up when searching on the go. Look for "best coffee seattle" from your laptop, in other words, and you'll see it pop up when you start typing "b-e-s ..." on your mobile phone.
Handy stuff for travelers, we'd think. Tell us how you might use, or never use, these new mobile search features in the comments.
Your mobile and desktop search history now in sync [Official Google Mobile Blog]
