Google Dumping Needlebase for Public Use
Unbelievable. I just signed up last week and was checking out their demos when this email arrives:
Dear Subscriber,
We've been hard at work planning how to best integrate Needlebase's technology with Google's portfolio, which includes structured-data initiatives like Fusion Tables, Google Refine, Public Data Explorer, and Freebase. As we focus on our next steps, needlebase.com will be retired on June 1. To ensure our community of users has time to export any needed data, the service will remain fully operational until then.
We're looking forward to sharing future product developments as soon as we can. On behalf of the Needlebase team, thank you for all your feedback and support.
Justin Boyan
Needlebase lead, Google
I know, Google is dropping projects left and right, and I understand why, but Needlebase is really great and doesn't have an easy replacement. Check it out if you haven't already. Sure, some time from now the technology will be available again, but in the meantime it's going back into Google Stealth Mode. Bummer.
