Dear Readers,

This message is in response to the postings that were placed recently with regards to the link utility connection that MapInfo is releasing for Google Earth (TM).

As part of MapInfo’s continued commitment to interoperability with industry accepted technologies including Microsoft (R), Oracle(R) and IBM (R) among others, we saw an opportunity to enhance the MapInfo Professional (R) output options to support export of maps to the Google Earth (TM) file format. For MapInfo Professional customers, the ability to export analysis maps to Google Earth format will serve as one additional output option for presenting location-based analysis with others in their organizations. The release of this utility underscores MapInfo's on-going commitment to supporting the diverse IT environment of our customers.

To this end, MapInfo reviewed Google’s public documentation for KML/KMZ file formats and developed the MapInfo Professional Link Utility for Google Earth. The utility enables MapInfo Professional v8.0 customers to export both geographically referenced map images (KMZ files) and map elements with attribute information such as buffers, custom territories, drive time regions, etc. (KML files).

An example of these outputs (KML/KMZ) outputs can be viewed here:

First Example is a thematic analysis based on demographic information. The analysis-map shows the Cook county area at a ZIP code level that is thematically shaded using the ranged thematic with the number of households with income over 125K. The dark green ZIP codes represent the greatest concentration of high income households:
http://resource.mapinfo.com/static/Software Products/North America/MapInfo_IL_ZIP_Codes_By_Income.kmz



Second Example is the use of geographic map objects and related attribute information which can be used to extrude the geographic elements based on numeric value in this case number of households that have over 125K annual income:
http://resource.mapinfo.com/static/Software Products/North America/MapInfo_ZIP_Codes_By_Income_regions.KML



We expect to post the link utility to our web site by November 11, 2005. MapInfo Professional v8.0 customers will be able to get this utility via the Help-->Check for updates menu option found in the product.

For more information about the MapInfo Professional Link Utility for Google Earth, please contact me, Moshe Binyamin, Senior Product Manager (moshe.binyamin@mapinfo.com)

No, Mr. Cattini did not misspeak, MapInfo Professional Link Utility for Google Earth has a feature to launch Google Earth to enable immediate use of their imagery data as a backdrop for the map built into MapInfo Professional. Of course we recommend that before you leverage this feature, that you have the appropriate Google Earth license for your intended use. Thanks for your comments!

Adena,

The capability we implemented in MapInfo Professional (R) Link Utility for Google Earth (TM) is this:

1.We do generate KML files that can be viewed in Google Earth

2.If Google Earth is installed on the same system as MapInfo Professional, we automatically launch Google Earth and pass the map output to Google Earth.

As to your reference for product pricing, you are correct that it costs $20 for personal use. However, since MapInfo Professional is primarily used for business, the Google Earth price for business use according to this site: http://earth.google.com/ is $400 per year.

Moshe