New MapQuest Beta

I didn’t hear about the new beta of MapQuest, which launched Friday, from MapQuest, but from another blog (BlinkGeo). That writer apparently found/heard about the new MapQuest blog. Apparently there was no official announcement, just the new blog and the http://blog.mapquest.com/2007/10/12/mapquest-com-beta-launches/”>first post touting the beta and some of its features.

You can see all the new tweaks in a “tour” on the site. It’s interesting to note the tour’s URL includes the terms “New UI.” That suggests to me limited new functionality, but changes in the interface, at least at this point.

Here are some new interface features I particularly liked:

- The ability to move map icons out of the way to clearly see locations. Leaders lines pop up or extend themselves to retain connection to the reference numbers. I think this will be particularly useful for those printing out maps.

- Single field for location information – no more tabbing from one field to another. That’s becoming standard.

- Enhanced support for multiple stops. It’s easier to add in a second, third, etc. destination.

According to TechCrunch this new look will take over the main site by the end of the year. Alas, there’s no details on changes for developers. But the article does note upcoming new features:

You will soon be able to drag the location pins around to read what’s underneath (they will remain connected to the spot they are marking by a thin line). [That’s already implemented.] The maps will become embeddable in other sites. Live traffic updates will be added. And people will be able to annotate the maps.

I visited the main MapQuest site, which I’ve not visited in some time. Of note, the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy have been updated, as of October 9. Most of the changes have to do with use of MapQuest on mobile devices. This one does not: “In the unlikely event you choose to bring a legal claim against MapQuest or the MapQuest Group, you must now do so within one (1) year of when your claim arose.”

One note for MapQuest: I’m pleased to see you spell NAVTEQ correctly in the copyright notices on your maps. However, you spell Tele Atlas incorrectly. It’s two words. This error is on both the main and beta sites. [Disclosure: I am a Tele Atlas contractor.]

WSJ Discusses Acquisition Timing and PB MapInfo

Here’s the part about that acquisition from the freely available article:

Bruce Nolop, CFO of Pitney Bowes, thinks trying to time acquisitions is as complicated as trying to time the stock market—and can lead to bad choices. “We’d much rather pay a fair price for something that makes sense than a bargain price for a bad acquisition or anything we don’t need,” he adds.

In the past six years, Pitney Bowes, the Stamford, Conn., mail-management-equipment company, has spent some $2.5 billion to acquire about 70 small businesses. Executives there set a maximum price they will pay before they begin negotiations. Among its acquisitions: MapInfo, a software business that provides location-technology information used by MapQuest and others, for $408 million. Pitney Bowes’s chief rival in the bidding was a private-equity firm. If the negotiation was taking place today, “we might not have had to pay as much for it,” says Mr. Nolop.

On the other hand, MapInfo put itself up for sale only after if had been approached by the private-equity firm—“so competition from this arena cuts both ways,” he notes, both heightening competition and providing opportunities.

I was not aware MapInfo provided location-technology information (does that mean data?)  to AOL’s MapQuest.

Podcast: What to Expect in Geospatial as 2007 Closes

As summer ends our editors look ahead to the remaining months of 2007. We will share some expected events including satellite launches, regulatory decisions and business rollouts that we expect may impact our work in geospatial. Let’s have a look into the future. The podcast is 14 minutes long as was recorded on August 31.

Subscribe to Podcast RSS

Listen Now (to download, right click on the link at left and choose "save target as")

Read the show notes

Missed any podcasts? Want to subscribe via iTunes, Yahoo, etc? Here’s the index with all the info.

Compare Mapping Services Directions on One Page

I’m sort of suprised I’d not seen something like this before, but Seeaarch offers up a single page where visitors can key in two addresses and compare the directions from three different online providers (Yahoo, Google, MapQuest).

Podcast: The Next Level of Internet Mapping

This week Adena Schutzberg and Joe Francica take a spin on the major and not-so-major web mapping portals to see how the new features from Google, Microsoft and others take the user experience to the next level. The editors look at how technology is allowing more interaction with users than ever before. The podcast is 14 minutes long (~ 5 Mb) and was recorded on July 9, 2007.

Subscribe to Podcast RSS

Listen Now (to download, right click on the link at left and choose “save target as”)

Read the show notes

Missed any podcasts? Want to subscribe via iTunes, Yahoo, etc? Here’s the index with all the info.