Torstein Hønsi from Vevstein Web has created a really impressive Javascript charting library. Highcharts allows a developer to easily include interactive charts in websites and webapplications. It currently supports line, spline, area, areaspline, column, bar, pie and scatter chart types.

The graphics are rendered using the Canvas tag or occasionally SVG & VML. The supported browsers are Safari, Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer+ and it also runs great on the iPhone. The default skin for the visualizations does quite a good job regarding readybility and clarity. Unfortunately there are some Powerpoint-esque skins as well (please, just cut them out). One really nice feature is the zoomable timeseries, which I haven’t seen before in any Javascript library.

The library is free to use for non-commercial applications and there are commercial licenses as well. I look foreward to see some real-life examples of it but the Demo Gallery looks good so far.

Ever had the need to communicate data clearly without having to distribute the raw data? Maybe by quickly include an interactive chart in a webpage? Then FusionCharts Google Gadget maybe the perfect solution for you.

Created by the FusionCharts Team, FusionCharts Google Gadgets are an easy and effortless way to visualize data on any webpage. The Google Gadgets are based on Adobe Flash technology and the FusionCharts platform. Unlike the FusionCharts platform, the Google Gadgets are for free. The configuration happens on a dedicated interface giving you plenty of possibilities to create the clearest visualization of your data. The Gadged can then be easily included in a webpage, your iGoogle or Google Desktop.

The workflow as described by the FusionCharts Team:

Using FusionCharts Google Gadget, you can plot a variety of charts, ranging from the simple 2D charts to complex 3D charts. Each chart can be generated with the same ease of use. All you need to do is visually configure your chart, enter data, and finally copy-paste the generated code to your blog/web page. No need to get your hands dirty with any sort of programming or coding.

The FusionCharts Google Gadgets are suited to be used with static data. If you need a solution for dynamic data you might want to have a look at the excellent FusionCharts platform. The commercial platform supports over 75 chart types and 200 maps for your webapplication.