Gotcha

Posted on June 5, 2007

And here’s what can happen when you truly do make something interactive:

“One of Britain’s most wanted men has been arrested after being featured on the Sky News website. Police had been hunting the 62-year-old man in connection with the murder of a woman in Cannock, Staffordshire. Detectives said that the arrest came from people looking at our interactive map, which forms part of our Crime Uncovered section.”

How about that?

Clicking around on the site, I found another nice interactive about keeping your home safe from these criminals. The video was a tad bit jumpy for me. Not sure if that’s how it is or if it’s my connection.

(The interactive map application was made by Puffbox; link found via Martin Stabe’s del.icio.us bookmarks)

Where’s the interactivity?

Posted on June 5, 2007

Oh, I’m so disappointed. The headline “Attention Google map surfers” on USATODAY.com’s Interactivity blog caught my attention. This’ll be good, I immediately thought.

The post explains how the interactive came about (it goes with a print story by Craig Wilson about how Google’s map service is picking up rooftop messages) and highlights that readers can submit their own images of rooftop announcements, ads, etc.

They urge us:

“So, go to Google Maps and start surfing! I did, and spent a happy hour skimming major cities and suburbs searching for messages.”

Sounds great.

>> Except there’s no link to the interactive on USATODAY.com.

>> There’s no link to Google Maps

>> When I go to the text story (this link IS provided) I only see two photos. This is a gallery?? That’s all that could be found during an hour of surfing?

>> And as for the interactivity — readers have to e-mail in their photo samples? Really?? C’mon. That’s so last year. This is supposed to be Web 2.0, no? Where reader interaction is most accessible and instantaneous?

Celebrity March Mania

Posted on March 28, 2007

OK, I have to confess. This interactive, by USATODAY.com has me repeatedly coming back to the site to find out if brains, beauty, brawn or beast will be the celebrity champion (my money’s on McDreamy!).

How’s that for stickiness?