Google tests new 'Mashup Editor'

First there was Yahoo Pipes. Then Microsoft's Popfly. Today, it's Google's Mashup Editor.

Google has begun offering limited test to "a small number of developers." The news comes as Google launches a host of new toys for developers including Google Gears, which is designed to provide offline access to Web applications (see Podcast, blog focus, news story and Techmeme).

Google says the Mashup Editor can allow developers to publish mashups with a "few lines of code and one click of a button."

Specifically, the search giant notes the Mashup Editor allows you to:

• Take some AJAX UI components, data from your users and Google services like Google Base and Google Maps or external feeds and mash them all together using our simple framework. We make it easy with the Google Mashup Editor.
• Use HTML, Javascript, CSS and XML to create an infinite variety of applications with technology you are familiar with.
• Create, debug and deploy your application in one interface.

Google has also created a group to walk developers through the application.