Mashups and APIs

Mashups are web applications that combine data and / or functionality from more than one source into an entirely new application. The content used in mashups generally comes from a third party through a public interface, known as an application programming interface, or API.

An example of a mashup that could be applied in a medical library is HubMed (www.hubmed.org), an alternative search interface to the PubMed database of biomedical literature. HubMed incorporates external web services and provides functions to improve the efficiency of literature searching, browsing and retrieval. Users can create and visualize clusters of related articles, export citation data in multiple formats, receive daily updates of publications in their area of interest, navigate links to full text and other related resources, retrieve data from formatted bibliography lists, navigate citation links and store annotated metadata for articles of interest.

Another interesting mashup is Vimo (www.vimo.com), which allows consumers to research, rate and purchase health insurance and health savings accounts, and select physician profiles from across the U.S. Vimo brings together a variety of private and public data sources so that health consumers can find physicians while comparing prices for procedures at each hospital. Using the Google Maps application programming interface technology, Vimo searches for the exact location of a health professional's office when users click names on the Google Map. Using RSS feeds, Vimo automatically updates users about changes affecting physicians, including reviews, licenses, malpractice awards and disciplinary actions.

At: http://programmableweb.com/, I found many interesting mashups. I like a mashup called: Explore the World Map. This mashup integrates YouTube video location footage with Google Maps. One can click on the map marker to see a video from that location. Another interesting mashup is called: 50 Top U.S. Medical Schools. There is a map of the top U.S. medical schools, as reported by U.S. News. Pop-up markers show MCAT scores and average tuition. I also want to mention a mashup called: CityCribs.com. Since its launch in 2004, CityCribs.com has established itself as the leading, trusted authority on real estate rentals and sales in New York City, and now growing nationally. CityCribs.com focuses on all consumer housing needs including sales, rentals & furnished properties.

CityCribs.com has become the select choice for the housing of thousands of NYC residents in just over 3 years. CityCribs markets and streams listings to consumers and distributes them to associated partners. CityCribs is designed to provide unparalleled exposure to your listings, with a homepage designed around your featured ads and easy to navigate search results for your potential customer

For consumers, CityCribs provides quick and easy tools to finding the best available homes and services. Whether you're looking for the ultimate penthouse or an affordable studio you can find your new home here. As a user of CityCribs, you can communicate directly with realtors to schedule a viewing of your desired property. Finding a property is free and no sign up is required to find fee or no fee apartments. New properties are added daily, so visit often or opt-in for email alert's and your new home will find you.

For realtors, CityCribs provides powerful marketing solutions. Create and manage your property listings with full descriptions, photos , corporate branding and much more in real time. Our advanced marketing technologies increase your exposure to the local and global market and provide a unique easy to use platform which can be used in support of or instead of a website. Monitor your success through detailed reporting. CityCribs is not a brokerage, we do not collect a commision.

I explored Rollyo (www.rollyo.com) and I searched for the term "privacy". On a searchroll called: Internet Safety, I found a website called: GetNetWise, which provides tops for parents who have young, or older, children searching the Web. It encourages parents to make an Internet Use Agreement with their children. Many families have found that hammering out online "rules of the road" together goes a long way toward helping kids have constructive experences on the Net. One approach is to have a family policy discussion, drafting an Internet Use Agreement, Contract, or Policy as you go along. Some families print and post the contract by the computer, while others elect to have both parents and kids sign the document.