MapMechanics Press Room - 2005

Faster online mapping experience with GeoConcept High Traffic Client

Dec 2005...Digital maps viewed on the Internet or via intranets can now be delivered much more quickly and seamlessly to Web browsers, thanks to a new High Traffic Client feature available with the latest version of GeoConcept Internet Server, the powerful geographic information system from MapMechanics. The new feature is likely to have particular appeal for organisations running very busy Web sites or intranets that have to handle extensive amounts of data traffic. Full story>>>

Future mapping arrives now - seminar hints at latest trends

Nov 2005...Mapping the future – this teasing prospect was shown to be not just possible, but also practical and affordable, with the launch of a new population dataset at a lively seminar held in London last week. The host was MapMechanics, the leading specialist in digital mapping and geographic information systems. The new “Not Yet Built” dataset was just one of the highlights of the packed event, which also featured the introduction of more interactive online mapping and faster refreshing of maps in Web browsers. Full story>>>

Seven Eye adds configurability to vehicle tracking system

Oct 2005...Following the introduction of the GeoConcept Internet Server geographic information system as the core mapping technology behind the Seven Eye vehicle and asset tracking system, the company is progressively adding a range of new features to add value for users. Already, with the help of some development work by GeoConcept supplier MapMechanics, a London Congestion Charge alerting system has been introduced. The company is also adding the ability to identify tolled roads, and is developing a system to show the location of low bridges. Full story>>>

Smarter territory management for Northern Ireland

Oct 2005...Territory management in Northern Ireland has just become faster, easier and more precise, streamlining a whole range of activities in marketing, planning and geographic analysis. The advance comes courtesy of a range of new products from MapMechanics, the specialist in geographic information systems. With these new MapMechanics tools, users can create logical territories for Northern Ireland interactively and with a high degree of automation, achieving results comparable to those provided in Great Britain by Code-Point data with polygons. Full story>>>

Enhancements to road speed and traffic volume maps

Sep 2005...How fast does traffic flow on Britain ’s roads, and how much of it is there at any given point? The latest digital maps from MapMechanics with traffic speeds and volumes draw on twice as much source data as previous versions, and the information is therefore even more reliable and statistically robust. Digital mapping with ITIS traffic speed and volume data is a unique resource from MapMechanics, and is now used widely in public and private-sector planning and geographic analysis. Full story>>>

Software, data and technology innovation at AGI 2005

Sep 2005...Mobile computing, corporate data sharing, more tightly-targeted demographic analysis and more powerful real-world routing and scheduling – these are among the diverse yet inter-related range of products and capabilities on show on the MapMechanics stand (no 29) at AGI 2005, which runs at Chelsea Village , London from 8 to 10 November. They are supported by a range of new products such as Flash downloadable mapping. Full story>>>

MapMechanics Mobile launched into field service market

Aug 2005...MapMechanics Mobile, a practical and accessible wireless planning and management solution for businesses with mobile work forces, makes its first public appearance in important field service market sector at the Service Management Europe show, which runs at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham from 4 to 6 October 2005. MapMechanics is sharing a stand at the event (no 1410) with NAVTEQ, the leading producer of digital map data for in-vehicle guidance systems and geographic information systems. Full story>>>

NAVTEQ & Andes Northern Ireland maps get full coverage

Aug 2005...NAVTEQ street-level digital map data for Northern Ireland is now available with the same amount of detail as comparable mapping for Great Britain. The data, which previously only included detailed mapping for major towns and cities, now offers street-level mapping across the whole of Northern Ireland. MapMechanics is not only offering the Northern Ireland detailed NAVTEQ vector data, but also the Andes raster equivalents. Full story>>>

Lost Wax smoothes web browsing with Flash mapping

Aug 2005...Flash on-screen mapping from MapMechanics, with its fast displays, animated zooming and smooth transitions, features in a brand new online capability developed by software innovator Lost Wax for Sea and Water. The enhanced Sea and Water web site brings together a range of new resources in accessible, interactive form. Users can look up data and statistics on shipping lines, agents, ports and waterways, find freight services for specific destinations, and even look up details of individual vessels. Full story>>>

MapMechanics fills in holes and links islands together

Aug 2005...Solving postcode anomalies is just one element in drive to customise geographic data. Does your postcode lie in the “wrong” postcode sector, geographically speaking? Up and down Britain, the physical location of many postcode addresses is inside a different postcode sector from the one that logic might suggest. The reasons for this are various. The addresses could relate to a cluster of houses forming part of a development that falls largely in a different postcode sector, or buildings on a large site that spills into an adjacent sector. Full story>>>

MapMechanics puts delivery information in drivers’ hands

Aug 2005...MapMechanics Mobile, a practical and straight-forward solution for transport and logistics operators that integrates real-time navigation with routing, scheduling and vehicle tracking, goes on public show for the first time at the Logistics Link North exhibition, which takes place at Doncaster Race Course on 21 and 22 September. This new system from MapMechanics (stand no 9), is the latest innovation from the leading developer and supplier of logistics and geographic solutions. Full story>>>

30% Fuel Reduction for Phocol

July 2005...The journeys of mobile staff can be planned and routed much more quickly, and in finer detail than ever before, in the latest version of a ground-breaking system in use with Phocol, one of Britain’s leading firms of civil enforcement agents. Built for the company by MapMechanics, the system uses routing, scheduling and digital mapping technology. Every year Phocol’s team of over 50 agents deals with around 300,000 client cases made up mainly of parking offences and other fines. Full story>>>

Tracking across borders: it pays to choose mapping wisely

July 2005...If you install a satellite-based tracking and automatic vehicle location (AVL) system in your vehicle fleet, you’ll probably assume it includes a standard set of on-screen digital maps for displaying your vehicle positions. You might not expect to have any involvement in deciding what mapping is actually used, or in upgrading or changing it later. But if that’s your view you may not be getting the best product for your needs. Full story>>>

New solutions for pinpointing where people spend the day

MapMechanics takes the mystique out of mobile computing

June 2005... A practical, easy-to-implement mobile computing solution that brings routing information vividly to life out on the road has been created for vehicle fleet operators by MapMechanics, the leading developer and supplier of geographic and logistics solutions. MapMechanics Mobile delivers routing and scheduling information wirelessly in real time to drivers out on the road, guiding them to their destinations and reporting their progress back to base. Full story>>>

More range, more choice, more detail in new Data Catalogue

May 2005... The launch this month of the Data Catalogue 2005 from UK-based MapMechanics reinforces the position of this publication as a major printed reference source anyone needing digital mapping or business, personal and lifestyle data in their work. The new edition of this full-colour guide, which now extends to 64 information-packed A4 pages, shows how data from MapMechanics offers even more value to users – adding digital mapping of extra countries (Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance), listing price reductions in some datasets. Full story>>>

More usability in MapMechanics’ latest logistics solutions

May 2005... Usability and accessibility will come to the fore in the vehicle routing, scheduling and network planning solutions plus digital mapping on show by MapMechanics at this summer’s Logistics Event, the new name for the annual Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport exhibition, which runs at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham from 7 to 8 June. Full story>>>

Added usability for TruckStops routing & scheduling solution

May 2005... Users of TruckStops, the world-leading vehicle routing and scheduling system from MapMechanics, can now see routes mapped out more clearly on screen, identify individual call points more easily, and set up their system to reflect real-life operating experience even more closely than before. These are among the attractions of the enhanced TruckStops 3.0 May-05 release of the solution, which is launched by MapMechanics this month. Full story>>>

Digital maps that show traffic density

April 2005... Street-level digital map data that shows not only real-world traffic speeds on different roads at different times of day, but also traffic densities on those roads, is now available from MapMechanics, the leading specialist in digital mapping and geographic information systems. This new facility results from the integration of two key new resources – the latest street-level map data from NAVTEQ, and a new traffic density dataset derived from ITIS statistics. Full story>>>

Interflora refines its routes with GeoConcept

April 2005... Interflora British Unit has undertaken a major analysis exercise to gain a clearer picture than ever before of the resources that are involved within the organisation’s delivery network. With the aid of a new pricing matrix based on travel time and distance, which has been developed with the help of the GeoConcept geographic information system from MapMechanics, Interflora can now pinpoint what a delivery actually involves. Full story>>>

TRACKER Network’s seamless mapping switch enhances and saves

March 2005... TRACKER Network (UK) Ltd, the leading automatic vehicle location and asset management specialist, has made a fundamental change in the way it generates on-screen mapping for its Web-based fleet management systems – reducing costs significantly and paving the way to add a range of new features. Yet to end users the move has been completely invisible. Full story>>>

Off the wall or on the wall – Customised Mapping has the answer

February 2005... Where would you turn if you wanted a detailed wall map the size of a small room? Or a set of maps showing the outlines of UK counties as they were fifty years ago? Or a map mounted on metal sheet? In every case, the answer could be a specialist company called Customised Mapping Limited. Full story>>>

MapMechanics’ brand new web site sets out its stall to inform

January 2005... Businesses wanting to enhance their capabilities in sales and marketing, logistics planning and geographic analysis have an appealing new first port of call at their disposal – a completely redesigned, informative and user-friendly web site from MapMechanics, one of the leading UK-based specialists in all these markets. It has just gone live, and can be found at the company’s existing Internet address, www.mapmechanics.com. Full story>>>

MM Postman works out shorter, smarter walking routes

January 2005... Organisations making house-to-house deliveries now have a new way to work out the most efficient walking routes for delivery staff automatically. It’s done with a product called MM Postman, which has been developed by mapping and digital information specialist MapMechanics. MM Postman ensures delivery staff walk the shortest distance without doubling back on themselves or crossing roads unnecessarily. It can also print out a list of the streets for staff to visit, helping to reassure them they are taking the right route. Full story>>>

Routing, scheduling and map-based planning innovations from MapMechanics at Softworld Supply Chain 2005

January 2005... Vehicle routing and scheduling systems really can be powerful and flexible, and make use of the latest developments in digital mapping and real-world operating conditions, while at the same time offering accessibility, user-friendliness and ease of set-up and integration. Map-based analysis is also easier and more practical then ever before, harnessing and improving the efficiency and reducing the costs of network planning and logistics operations. For the full press release Full story>>>

Mapping in a Flash – quicker, smoother browser-based mapping

January 2005... Digital maps delivered over an intranet or the Internet and viewed on Web browsers can be downloaded more quickly and displayed more smoothly, thanks to new Flash mapping capability introduced by MapMechanics, the specialists in digital mapping and geographic information systems. Users also get the benefit of more seamless transitions between different map views – for instance, when panning or zooming round the map. Map views seem to “dissolve” from one to the next, rather than changing abruptly. Full story>>>

SmartVector brings more compact, resizable maps to the Web

January 2005... With the launch of SmartVector by MapMechanics, digital mapping in advanced vector point-and-line format can now be delivered over intranets or the Internet to Web browsers. When vector mapping is viewed in most browser-based GIS systems, the user receives a raster image which has been created from the vector on the server. Now, with new SmartVector from GeoConcept, the definition of the vector data can be sent to the browser and recreated locally, so some of the processing is performed at the client end using an ActiveX plug in. SmartVector enables more clients to access the server at one time. Full story>>>