Free MapQuest API Announced
MapQuest announced the availibility of a free API for use in non-commercial applications at the O’Reilly Emerging Technologies Conference beginning today in San Diego. The company also announced a contest for the “best mashup” using the API; the winner gets $1000 and a free pass to another conference.
Realistically one must ask:
Why’d it take so long? MapQuest is far, far behind Google, Yahoo and Microsoft in opening its API.
Why’s it better? The press release says very little about what’s available but does note it includes “a core set of mapping, geocoding and routing tools.”
Why announce at the Emerging Tech Conference? My immediate response is that this is NOT emerging technology; rather its “old hat.” My second thought is that announcing that at Emerging Tech and not a geo-focussed conference suggests how “mainstream” it is. And, of course, you can’t give a free pass to a geo conference as a contest prize if you announce the technology to be used in the contest at the geo event…
