TechTool of the Day: Mashup

Nope, no potatoes, just GoogleMaps. The word 'mashup' applies to using Web 2.0 and Google maps to create a location mashup, or map that locates certain information. Realtors and home builders have used these liberally to indicate where the homes for sale are located. If you do Mapquest, you will see little pointers that you can click on to tell you where the nearest hotels or restaurants are located. They are not done with a lot of coding, since they are assemblages of existing data and services, and are like interactive pushpins in a map. Click on the little house, and see general information about price, size, address etc. You can get an example of one at the top of this page: the map telling you where this site has been accessed. These are even used for keeping track of celebrity sightings... such as http://www.gawker.com/stalker. Big Brother is there, and he is not only looking over your shoulder, he's telling EVERYbody where you are. TMI...TOO much information!