Crime Maps
The Guardian have teamed up with SpatialKey to create a great Google Maps application that allows you to compare crime statistics in two different UK locations or compare two different crime statistics at the same location.
The application places two Google Maps side by side. You can enter two different locations and compare December's crime statistics as a heat map at each location. You can select from a number of crime categories and can even compare the statistics for two different categories at the same location.
The crime is displayed in the form of a heat map. If you roll-over either map the total crime at the specific location is shown in figures. If you click on the map an information window opens displaying the designated location from which the crime statistics were collected.
Egypt in Tweets
This great application for viewing Tweets related to the Egyptian protests was released at the height of the crisis at the beginning of last week. Unfortunately, I spent last week incommunicado (I had a great week skiing in the French Alps, thanks for asking) so I'm posting this a little late. However now that Mubarak has resigned it is a great resource for keeping up-to-date with the emerging new political forces and new government.
The application shows geo-coded Tweets related to Egypt on a Google Map. The Tweets are colour-coded by hashtag, for example #tahrir, #cairo and #freedom. The latest Tweets are also streamed across the bottom of the map, which means you can read the latest news from the Twittersphere in real-time directly from the map.
YourTour
YourTour aims to be your personal digital travel agent by helping you create personalised travel itineraries in France, Spain and Florida, in just 15 seconds!
After answering a few basic questions about your trip (like when and where you want to go), you will receive a recommended tour proposal. The proposal includes a detailed itinerary of tourist attractions and hotel accommodations, all displayed on Google Maps.
You can specify your preferences (budget, activity types, specific attractions or hotels, etc.) and receive an updated, more personalised tour proposal. Once you are happy with your tour you can even book all of the hotels in a single click.
