A new age of business web applications has arrived. These are kinds of web application hybrids that use information from multiple sources to form a whole new application with a different use. This kind of web application hybrid is called a Mashup.

Mash-up is a term that originally came from the music world where music from completely different styles is combined to form a new song. This became popular in the mid 90’s was most notable in hip-hop music.

By using existing web applications through an API (Application Programming Interface), a web developer can combine the mapping data from Google Maps, Yahoo Maps or AOL MapQuest along with address data to visually show maps with homes for sale, store locations for chains, competitor locations or even delivery maps for drivers. Combine weather data with a mapping API and you have national weather maps with temperature highs and lows.

Videos and photo sites such as Flickr and YouTube have API’s that can be used to add photos and videos into a mashup. Combine Google Earth and YouTube and you have a World Map with video segments from around the world. Combine photos with output from a news site and automatically bring in relevant photos.

Combine search and shopping API’s to not only find the cheapest prices, but now combine with mapping API’s to show store locations and get driving directions.

There are a tremendous range of data sources and API’s available. Web applications can now integrate real time up to date information from multiple sources.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 10th, 2007 at 4:29 am and is filed under Internet Marketing, PHP Database Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.