192.com Enhances Maps Service, Redraws Every UK Map
IT News Online Staff
2007-08-02
192.com has announced the first in a series of major improvements to its maps service, which launched last autumn. The company has republished all of its street maps after exclusively redrawing every UK map to incorporate the latest Ordnance Survey data and ensure street labeling was in an easy to read format.
192.com said it is unique on the Internet for labeling 100% of UK streets and so uses hand drawn labeling particularly for crowded, historic cities with many street names in close proximity.
The coloring of the maps has also been optimized to suit motorists and non-motorists alike and to accommodate the changing requirements of computer and mobile screens. The aerial photography has improved further and offers unrivaled clarity and resolution nationwide, not just in cities.
192.com said it is the transition between maps and photography that really sets its new maps apart, with the smoothest, cleanest transfer from map to map, and map to detailed aerial photography.
The update also sees a new 192.com Journey Planner including a fully interactive travel map and 'real route' directions that accurately navigate around major landmarks and highlight the major distances in one's journey; particularly important on unfamiliar routes.
192.com said its business mapping solutions have also received a major boost with the launch of five new ready to implement modules including a multi-criteria store locator, store profile module and customizable journey planner. A business Application Programming Interface (API) has also been made available, which will make it even easier for businesses to embed 192.com maps into their own Web sites and build their own dynamic interactive mapping applications.
"In an era of globalization and standardization, we are proud to be UK-centric and this will always be our focus," said Dominic Blackburn, new technology director, 192.com. "We are setting out to make our maps even better over the next few months and there will be some dramatic further improvements in the quality of our aerial photography in certain areas."
"The next step for the industry is to fully integrate business and residential data into maps, something for which 192.com already has products in beta test phase," added Blackburn.
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