Thursday, March 13. 2008

Intel Mashup Maker

Technology Review explores Intel's Mash Maker.

Mash Maker differs [from PopFly, Yahoo! Pipes, etc.] mainly in its attempt to use the browser itself as mashup-making tool. Mash Maker is a downloadable program that integrates itself into the Firefox browser (versions for other browsers are planned for the future).

The app has different "levels." Beginners and non-programmers are offered suggested pre-made mashups when they visit sites like Facebook. The next level of user takes advantage of widgets to tie together data from different sites. The apps can then be saved to a repository for others to use. At the "deepest" level, those most familiar with Web data can direct widgets to specific data to mash. A this point Intel does not expect the project to become a product.