Fwix, the local information provider, has released its Fwix Location API at this week’s Where 2.0 conference. But the company isn’t looking to become just another source of location data in developers’ toolboxes. Fwix founder Darian Shirazi explained to us that he hopes to “establish [Fwix] as the underlying platform for geodata” by providing rich, high-quality place information that meets a broad range of developer needs.
TribeHR, a software-as-a-service human resources solution, is bringing powerful API integration into the HR industry on multiple fronts. TribeHR co-founder Joseph Fung explained to us at SWSXi how APIs fit into the company’s overall strategy:
Gowalla, the location-based social network, is beginning to establish itself as the most generously interoperable of its check-in–offering peers. At a SWSX panel last week about integrated location data, Gowalla co-founder and CTO Scott Raymond indicated that developers would soon even be able to download data en masse from Gowalla for their own manipulation and analysis. When asked by the moderator, Programmable Web Executive Editor Adam DuVander, “Can I download Gowalla’s data,” Raymond responded that providing the option was “definitely on the roadmap.”
Foursquare, the leading location-based social tool, announced a major new initiative last week to expand its location database to include cross-references to corresponding venue listings from other services. As characterized in the announcement post on the company blog, the goal is to make Foursquare the missing “Rosetta Stone for location, allowing you to link information about a real-world place from one database to any other.” Now it’s not just about using Foursquare, but connecting it to other services.
Appcelerator, a company focused on cross-platform development tools, has started extending itself into the world of APIs by offering mobile developers drop-in tools for integrating their applications with popular web services. Appcelerator recently announced a new offering called Titanium+Plus, a set of premium modules that developers can purchase to incorporate into applications built using Titanium Mobile, Appcelerator’s open source mobile development platform. Rather than mainly providing new or deeper access to the core functions of devices, the new Titanium+Plus modules are focused outward—or maybe upward—towards the cloud. In fact, the announcement came with a new tagline: “The cloud starts here™”.
The popular location-based social service Foursquare hosted its first hackathon on saturday at the tech incubator General Assembly in New York City. The event attracted over a hundred developers who used the Foursquare API to produce almost 40 apps to show off and enter into competition.
Topsy, a search tool based on real-time social media activity, has unveiled a new service called Topsy Social Analytics that tracks the rise and fall in popularity of specific pieces of online content as well as broader trends in online discussion. The analytics tool, like the Topsy API, uses publicly available data from Twitter to rank content and identify trends.
After beta testing for almost a year, the Facebook Credits API is finally being opened to all developers. Before beta testing the service had been in very limited alpha testing for over six months before that. On July 1st, more than two years after the social networking site started working on the system, all Facebook-based games that process payments will be required to use only Facebook Credits. The 350 applications granted early access already account for 70% of such transactions. Facebook credits can be purchased by users at a rate of $0.10 each (with an additional 10 free when buying 100) and redeemed by application developers for $0.07, leaving Facebook with the balance.
CityGrid Media, the company behind local mainstay CitySearch, has announced a new version of its CityGrid API. The service offers developers new access to content, as well as new ways to monetize whatever integrations they might build. The new API provides features now synonymous with local services, such as business listings and coupons. And CityGrid is sharing revenues with developers.
The Facebook API saw huge changes in 2010 that moved the service away from being a closed network and towards being a more open community. The leading social network site must be doing something right on that front. Facebook was the third most popular service for use in new mashups last year, nearly doubling its total number in our directory.
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