Mad About Mash-Ups

One of the most intriguing technologies this year is mash-ups -- the blending of two types of information to create a new service. The most popular application getting mashed is Google Maps, which is being used by ChicagoCrime.org, to show where crimes are committed in the windy city.

RentSlicer.com shows the average price of available apartments in the Los Angeles area, and today they added the San Francisco Bay area (Seattle and San Diego are also in the works). This is an invaluable service that lets you see the proximity of the available apartments in an area and compare the prices of different neighborhoods.

The company also offers email or text messaging alerts about new properties becoming available, which would be well worth paying for in competitive areas. Realtors like ReMax and Century 21 should be all over this.

Even the Washington Post is on to mash-ups, creating a page to highlight some of the more interesting things folks are doing with their data. For example, you can see all of political books mentioned on the WaPo, or track the voting record of every member of Congress.

Marketers should let their imaginations run wild with the possibilities of how to mix and match data, and to quote Dr. Frank.N. Furter, "Don't dream it, be it."