NewsIsFree Makes More News In Big Maps

NewsIsFree has teamed up with the Hive Group to present news in visual maps. If you liked the app I talked about last May ( http://www.researchbuzz.org/archives/001653.shtml ) you'll like this, as it offers even more control. It uses Java, though.

When you go to http://www.newsisfree.com/newsmap/ you'll see a list of available categories. I chose Science and got a both a map of current news but many controls as well. From a series of pulldown menus I can group items different ways (by source, popularity, both, or neither), specify what size means (age or popularity) and specify what the color means (age or popularity).

On the right of the map I have more options. I can set an age range for the displayed items. I can set a popularity range. I can choose what sources I want to include in my map. And I can do a keyword search and eliminate all items from the map that don't contain the specified keyword.

Once you've noodled around with the map and have it the way you like, you can run your mouse over the different blocks on the map. Holding your mouse over a story block will give you the article headline and description, the source, popularity, and age. Clicking the mouse gives you the option to zoom in to that one article's information, or to go straight to the article. Annoying when you do that and find out the article's expired.

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