There's a BigApp for that
January 8, 2010 9:32 AM Subscribe
Voting has now closed in the NYC BigApps Challenge, a $20,000 contest to produce amusing, interesting, or even useful apps using the information in the NYC DataMine. Browse the eligible submissions here. Some highlights:
Taxihack: collects e-mailed and tweeted comments on NYC cabs, by medallion or license number.
Clean.ly: Did the restaurant across the street pass its last health inspection?
Walkshed: You tell Walkshed what kind of amenities you'd like to be within walking distance of, and the app makes you a heat map showing your most walkable neighborhoods.
SmartPark: Locates nearby garages and collects social information about available street parking. Buzzes you when it's time to move your car.
Trees Near You: Does what it says on the box.
(via Indirect Collaboration.)
There was a great MeFi project that ranked NYC schools with public data.
posted by mathowie at 9:49 AM on January 8, 2010
posted by mathowie at 9:49 AM on January 8, 2010
I had to check the Clean.ly link. I had to check on a few of my favorite places. I just had to, didn't I? Well money is tight. No need to go out to eat...
Right?
Right?
posted by Splunge at 10:03 AM on January 8, 2010
Right?
Right?
posted by Splunge at 10:03 AM on January 8, 2010
rentsleuth is a good idea, though the execution needs work.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 10:05 AM on January 8, 2010
posted by fuzzypantalones at 10:05 AM on January 8, 2010
There was a great MeFi project that ranked NYC schools with public data.
posted by mathowie at 9:49 AM on January 8
BigAppleEd, by MeFi's own soma lkzx.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 10:44 AM on January 8, 2010
posted by mathowie at 9:49 AM on January 8
BigAppleEd, by MeFi's own soma lkzx.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 10:44 AM on January 8, 2010
Some things should not be looked at too closely, else madness will result.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:50 AM on January 8, 2010
posted by blue_beetle at 10:50 AM on January 8, 2010
There was a great MeFi project that ranked NYC schools with public data.
BigAppleEd, by MeFi's own soma lkzx.
Hey thanks! We'd have maps and charts and laser beams, too, if they hadn't made us freeze the code during the voting period.
How about something that tells me when the next train is arriving? MTA? Anybody home? McFly?
Trains are late 80% of the time anyway, so even if the MTA did release their iron grip on the data you'd just end up more depressed.
posted by soma lkzx at 11:13 AM on January 8, 2010
BigAppleEd, by MeFi's own soma lkzx.
Hey thanks! We'd have maps and charts and laser beams, too, if they hadn't made us freeze the code during the voting period.
How about something that tells me when the next train is arriving? MTA? Anybody home? McFly?
Trains are late 80% of the time anyway, so even if the MTA did release their iron grip on the data you'd just end up more depressed.
posted by soma lkzx at 11:13 AM on January 8, 2010
Walkshed is fun, but really no matter what values you set, downtown is where it's at. I challenge anyone to provide values that make the back end of Staten Island green. (and BTW why the hell isn't it a part of NJ?)
posted by Meatbomb at 12:08 PM on January 8, 2010
posted by Meatbomb at 12:08 PM on January 8, 2010
Perhaps once we find some trees, we can get to the root of these wistful thoughts..
posted by kuatto at 4:54 PM on January 8, 2010
posted by kuatto at 4:54 PM on January 8, 2010
But they got all those...uh... minerals and stuff.
posted by tastydonuts at 8:22 PM on January 8, 2010
posted by tastydonuts at 8:22 PM on January 8, 2010
Oh shit.
posted by tastydonuts at 8:23 PM on January 8, 2010
posted by tastydonuts at 8:23 PM on January 8, 2010
How about something that tells me when the next train is arriving? MTA? Anybody home? McFly?
They're testing it on the Canarsie (L) line now, and the IRT lines (123456) might get them in 2011.
I had to check the Clean.ly link. I had to check on a few of my favorite places.
I'm surprised to see so many restaurant inspection apps. The city's restaurant inspections have been online for a few years now.
TaxiHacks and WalkShed seemed to me to be the only apps to actually put that data to real use, as opposed to yet another google map layer for your iPhone (what do you DO with the data?)
(maybe it's time I dug out my group-centric restaurant recommendation project that I needed seed establishment data for...)
posted by joshwa at 8:42 PM on January 8, 2010
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posted by jckll at 9:36 AM on January 8, 2010