To pop or not to pop; that is the question!
Popfly is a new web-based only product created by Microsoft (currently in its prelaunch test phase) that allows users to use a simple drag-drop surface to create original applications, called mashups. Popfly’s incredibly friendly interface allows users to join together “blocks” of data from different web services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Virtual Earth, and create unique content with myriad functions that can be customised at will. The most exciting aspect of Popfly is that it requires no knowledge of HTML or Java!
Hence, an application that once took hours of toil and technical expertise to write can now be ‘mashed up’ using Popfly in seconds. Its simplicity and versatility make this promising new Silverlight related application ideal for governments to employ. (See here for our previous posting explining Silverlight.) For instance, one could use Popfly to create a map showing all schools in the UK. The Virtual Earth and Live Search blocks just need to be dragged and dropped into the canvas and joined together. Then, the search terms (e.g. “UK schools”) can be entered in the Live Search block and the map display details entered in Virtual Earth. Finally, with a simple click of the “Preview” button, you can see your custom application!
Yet this is just a rudimentary example of Popfly’s capabilities. In addition to the basic blocks, it will let you bring in personalised content created by more advanced software such as .NET. Experienced users can even use Popfly to write their own codes and create highly complex websites and widgets!
One significant example of Popfly’s benefits in the corporate sector is BP’s new enterprise mashup. BP – who have around 100,000 employees worldwide— wanted to create a new system of aggregating weather data in order to speed up response times in case of a natural disaster. These mechanisms are critical to helping BP protect their staff and assets in case of an emergency weather event. Prior to the introduction of Popfly, data was collected manually, “war room” fashion with maps and paper based information. Popfly allows them to get real-time insight, so that they can monitor events in real-time as they unfold. This gives BP the ability to make faster and more informed decisions, and ultimately save lives and valuable assets in the event of a natural disaster.
Popfly clearly has a lot of potential to do many great mashups. With the option of sharing mashups and customised information blocks Popfly has the added potential to become a community on the cutting edge of technological innovation. I highly recommend playing around with Popfly to see what innovative mashups can be produced, click here to visit the Popfly website where you can get more information and register to use it as part of our prelaunch testing process.
Posted by Sandeep