Geoscape Merges with Latin Force

Geoscape International, a supplier of demographic data for Latin American countries, has merged with Latin Force, an Hispanic marketing services company. Goldman Sachs provided the financial backing. According to the press release, advertising spending in the Spanish-language market reached $5.5 billion in 2006. Geoscape offers more than just demographic data and has several "business geographics" products but it was primarily known for its Latin American demographics for whom big-time retailers like Albertson’s, Blockbusters, Subway, Starbucks, and McDonalds were willing clients.

Podcast: Leica Takes Bold Steps with Multiple Acquisitions

This week Joe Francica and Adena Schutzberg explore Leica Geosystems three recent acquistions. Why did the company, itself acquired in 2005 by Hexagon of Sweden, purchase Acquis Technology, ER Mapper and IONIC Software? What do the three have in common and what are Leica’s future plans?

The podcast is 14 minutes long (5 Mb) and was recorded on June 25, 2007.

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Quote of the Week

“This whole thing has been a comedy of errors. You can go down to Hertz and rent a Chevy with a GPS in it.”

- Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper quoted in the Charleston Gazette on the latest challenges facing West Virginia’s E911 mapping. Apparently GPS units were to be provided for maintenence (recall the base mapping was interupted when contractor on the project microDATA was fired) but delays mean they have not been delivered to counties. Some counties have purchased and begun using their own.

Another Senseless Survey from a Nav Company

Ok, well, it’s not senseless, it’s marketing. And, like a dope I read such things… The company in question is Trafficmaster, a UK provider of GPS nav systems, tracking, and traffic info.  The survey notes that 1% of those 55 or older surveyed use maps from before 1950. Some can’t read maps. Others prefer satellite nav systems. The analysis provides this insight relating to the outdated maps:

This may be a problem if they were to get lost, as an accident could be more likely to occur and compromise a car insurance policy if the driver is in unknown territory.

- Yes Insurance