Comments on: SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/ Startup and Technology News Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:43:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: GBTV #380 (small) | GeekBrief.TV | TechTV Update http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2385716 GBTV #380 (small) | GeekBrief.TV | TechTV Update Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:12:44 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2385716 [...] recently got TechCrunched. It’s a google map mashup that gives you a graphical representation of crime activity in a [...] [...] recently got TechCrunched. It’s a google map mashup that gives you a graphical representation of crime activity in a [...]

]]> By: Local Startup: SpotCrime, Mashing Up Local Crime : East Coast Blogging http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2342882 Local Startup: SpotCrime, Mashing Up Local Crime : East Coast Blogging Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:56:17 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2342882 [...] Thursday heading downtown to see Larry Page talk at Google Unwired, I saw SpotCrime spotlighted on Techcrunch .. damn they beat me to the punch yet again… :)  SpotCrime is a pretty cool concept and use [...] [...] Thursday heading downtown to see Larry Page talk at Google Unwired, I saw SpotCrime spotlighted on Techcrunch .. damn they beat me to the punch yet again… :)  SpotCrime is a pretty cool concept and use [...]

]]> By: John Smith http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2331826 John Smith Tue, 27 May 2008 21:52:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2331826 thanks for that it is very goooooood thanks for that it is very goooooood

]]> By: iFelony : http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2328299 iFelony : Mon, 26 May 2008 13:59:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2328299 [...] More at TechCrunch. [...] [...] More at TechCrunch. [...]

]]> By: » SearchCap: The Day In Search, May 22, 2008 A+ Computer Professionals: SEO, Web Design, Hosting, Site and Script Installations and Modifications, PHP Coding, and Web Traffic http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2321562 » SearchCap: The Day In Search, May 22, 2008 A+ Computer Professionals: SEO, Web Design, Hosting, Site and Script Installations and Modifications, PHP Coding, and Web Traffic Fri, 23 May 2008 12:36:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2321562 [...] SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks, TechCrunch [...] [...] SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks, TechCrunch [...]

]]> By: Inbal http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2321556 Inbal Fri, 23 May 2008 12:34:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2321556 "SpotCrime is a mashup that plots recent criminal activity..." - in the US (!) - "onto Google Maps, allowing users to shy away from seedier parts of towns they may not be familiar with." Please stop wasting my time with Americentrism; it's just stupid. “SpotCrime is a mashup that plots recent criminal activity…” - in the US (!) - “onto Google Maps, allowing users to shy away from seedier parts of towns they may not be familiar with.”

Please stop wasting my time with Americentrism; it’s just stupid.

]]> By: RickM http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319806 RickM Thu, 22 May 2008 20:35:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319806 Looks as if their data is pretty spotty. Only 29 crimes in the past twelve months in Detroit? Guess Grand Rapids with 162 crimes is the new crime capital of the midwest. Looks as if their data is pretty spotty. Only 29 crimes in the past twelve months in Detroit? Guess Grand Rapids with 162 crimes is the new crime capital of the midwest.

]]> By: FrontBurner » Blog Archive » Google Maps + Crime Reports = Glorious Waste of Time http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319609 FrontBurner » Blog Archive » Google Maps + Crime Reports = Glorious Waste of Time Thu, 22 May 2008 19:10:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319609 [...] helpful, Internet-y FrontBurnervian was reading TechCrunch and passed along a link to SpotCrime. Enter in a location and a date range and it presents a Google [...] [...] helpful, Internet-y FrontBurnervian was reading TechCrunch and passed along a link to SpotCrime. Enter in a location and a date range and it presents a Google [...]

]]> By: WIRELESS « Daily Marauder http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319569 WIRELESS « Daily Marauder Thu, 22 May 2008 18:54:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319569 [...] iPhone version (annoyingly, you have to manually navigate to http://www.spotcrime.com/iphone.php). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks [...] [...] iPhone version (annoyingly, you have to manually navigate to http://www.spotcrime.com/iphone.php). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks [...]

]]> By: » Mapas del delito Blog de Pablo Mancini http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319508 » Mapas del delito Blog de Pablo Mancini Thu, 22 May 2008 18:35:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319508 [...] TechCrunch [...] [...] TechCrunch [...]

]]> By: SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks « Big Ghetto Mess http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319445 SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks « Big Ghetto Mess Thu, 22 May 2008 18:10:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319445 [...] SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks [...] [...] SpotCrime Keeps You On The Right Side of The Tracks [...]

]]> By: web doyenne http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319357 web doyenne Thu, 22 May 2008 17:35:31 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319357 Worthless. Looked at info for my city. Data used was essentially crime stories from the local news -- including trials about crimes that happened a long time ago. Not sure what the point is. Worthless. Looked at info for my city. Data used was essentially crime stories from the local news — including trials about crimes that happened a long time ago. Not sure what the point is.

]]> By: S_Rob http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319251 S_Rob Thu, 22 May 2008 16:46:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319251 I'm concerned for the damage this might do to property values or retail activity in an area. Without a way to time-lapse the reporting, will a crime committed 5 years ago near my house still reflect alongside other more recent crime near my home as reflected by this service? If so, the property value of my house my fall as a result. Shall I have my lawyer launch a class action now, or later? I can smell this one coming a mile away. Sure, the information comes from public sources - law enforcement, news media, etc. - but to use of the public sources in a way which directly causes financial damages to real estate owners or reduces the traffic for retail establishments may be actionable. To reduce risk, the website better put a time limit - a short time limit - as to how long a location is reported on their website for a crime. That, or they better have the option for the user to select the time period. Regardless, I know that there is at least one lawyer smelling the lawsuits already. Lawyers may call this "spotcash" instead of "spotcrime". I’m concerned for the damage this might do to property values or retail activity in an area. Without a way to time-lapse the reporting, will a crime committed 5 years ago near my house still reflect alongside other more recent crime near my home as reflected by this service? If so, the property value of my house my fall as a result.

Shall I have my lawyer launch a class action now, or later? I can smell this one coming a mile away.

Sure, the information comes from public sources - law enforcement, news media, etc. - but to use of the public sources in a way which directly causes financial damages to real estate owners or reduces the traffic for retail establishments may be actionable.

To reduce risk, the website better put a time limit - a short time limit - as to how long a location is reported on their website for a crime. That, or they better have the option for the user to select the time period.

Regardless, I know that there is at least one lawyer smelling the lawsuits already. Lawyers may call this “spotcash” instead of “spotcrime”.

]]> By: Greg http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319203 Greg Thu, 22 May 2008 16:22:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319203 Seems inaccurate. It mixed up California Avenue in Walnut Creek with California Street in San Francisco. Seems inaccurate. It mixed up California Avenue in Walnut Creek with California Street in San Francisco.

]]> By: Dominic http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319168 Dominic Thu, 22 May 2008 16:12:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319168 Wow very cool what will be next with google maps. I love the satellite view, street view, and now this i love it. GOOGLE MAPS Wow very cool what will be next with google maps. I love the satellite view, street view, and now this i love it. GOOGLE MAPS

]]> By: Josh http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319039 Josh Thu, 22 May 2008 15:37:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2319039 Addresses are very inaccurate for New York City. Check out Manhattan - many of the addresses for outer boroughs are being mapped to Manhattan. If you can't get the basic mapping right, what's the point? Addresses are very inaccurate for New York City. Check out Manhattan - many of the addresses for outer boroughs are being mapped to Manhattan. If you can’t get the basic mapping right, what’s the point?

]]> By: randy http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318981 randy Thu, 22 May 2008 15:23:20 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318981 This is a great idea. Unfortunately, right now the mashup only reveals the fact that more crimes occur where population density is highest. A second variable needs to be introduced, and the mashup of crime with this second variable (some sort of inverse log of population density multiplied by crimes per hectare?) needs to be made into a heat map layer instead of plots. I also think that after you use spotcrime to calculate your route, the tool should warn you when your destination falls within a danger zone (most of which are "theft from vehicle"). This is a great idea. Unfortunately, right now the mashup only reveals the fact that more crimes occur where population density is highest.

A second variable needs to be introduced, and the mashup of crime with this second variable (some sort of inverse log of population density multiplied by crimes per hectare?) needs to be made into a heat map layer instead of plots.

I also think that after you use spotcrime to calculate your route, the tool should warn you when your destination falls within a danger zone (most of which are “theft from vehicle”).

]]> By: Allen http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318819 Allen Thu, 22 May 2008 14:10:58 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318819 This is a really incredible application. i just checked my local town and I was surprised to see all the activity. I'm sure all kinds of industries like alarm systems, insurance, etc. could make great use of this data. I think spotcrime.com has a very bright future ahead of them. This is a really incredible application. i just checked my local town and I was surprised to see all the activity. I’m sure all kinds of industries like alarm systems, insurance, etc. could make great use of this data. I think spotcrime.com has a very bright future ahead of them.

]]> By: Daniel Peterson http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318809 Daniel Peterson Thu, 22 May 2008 14:06:14 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318809 Bart, The problem with looking at Chicago is that the geolocation on the crimes isn't accurate, and there's crimes listed on there that I can't find anywhere else, so who knows if that data is correct. Bart,

The problem with looking at Chicago is that the geolocation on the crimes isn’t accurate, and there’s crimes listed on there that I can’t find anywhere else, so who knows if that data is correct.

]]> By: Danny McDanielson http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318803 Danny McDanielson Thu, 22 May 2008 14:03:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318803 Ubersweet app dude! Ubersweet app dude!

]]> By: Livingston Waterbury http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318780 Livingston Waterbury Thu, 22 May 2008 13:54:31 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318780 yes...this idea interests me very much. As the heir to a large adult diaper empire fortune I believe this is just the kind of kind of services needed to power our economy in the 21st century. Now during my brisk morning constitutional as I stroll down the avenue in my tophat and monicle, I shant fear thugs and criminals lurking in the darkness...for I will have my iphone with me! with which I will be able to check the criminal activities of the past. yes…this idea interests me very much. As the heir to a large adult diaper empire fortune I believe this is just the kind of kind of services needed to power our economy in the 21st century. Now during my brisk morning constitutional as I stroll down the avenue in my tophat and monicle, I shant fear thugs and criminals lurking in the darkness…for I will have my iphone with me! with which I will be able to check the criminal activities of the past.

]]> By: Get Your Map On! http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318772 Get Your Map On! Thu, 22 May 2008 13:49:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318772 [...] have to ask yourself where this information is being pulled from. According to Jason Kincaid over at TechCrunch, the information is direct from either the local Law Enforcement agencies or through news reports [...] [...] have to ask yourself where this information is being pulled from. According to Jason Kincaid over at TechCrunch, the information is direct from either the local Law Enforcement agencies or through news reports [...]

]]> By: Bart http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318598 Bart Thu, 22 May 2008 12:16:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318598 holy shit HAHAHAHHA some of the cities have so much crime. I almost spit out my tea when I looked at Chicago My smallish town of 250,000 people gets like one crime a week and usually it's some small robbery or a lady having her purse stolen (We have a Google Maps mashup of crimes for our town too, but it's much more boring) But I live in Canada, that may say something holy shit HAHAHAHHA some of the cities have so much crime. I almost spit out my tea when I looked at Chicago

My smallish town of 250,000 people gets like one crime a week and usually it’s some small robbery or a lady having her purse stolen (We have a Google Maps mashup of crimes for our town too, but it’s much more boring)

But I live in Canada, that may say something

]]> By: SmartLogic Solutions Blog » Blog Archive » SpotCrime iPhone Application gets TechCrunched http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318573 SmartLogic Solutions Blog » Blog Archive » SpotCrime iPhone Application gets TechCrunched Thu, 22 May 2008 12:01:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318573 [...] The iPhone application we recently developed for SpotCrime just got written up in a TechCrunch article at http://tinyurl.com/5hnx38. [...] [...] The iPhone application we recently developed for SpotCrime just got written up in a TechCrunch article at http://tinyurl.com/5hnx38. [...]

]]> By: arona http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318493 arona Thu, 22 May 2008 11:18:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/spotcrime-keeps-you-on-the-right-side-of-the-tracks/#comment-2318493 cool, and obviously getting your iphone out in public to check whether its will automatically double your chances of getting mugged)))) cool, and obviously getting your iphone out in public to check whether its will automatically double your chances of getting mugged))))

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