More than 100 New Zealand websites have now added mapping functionality from GeoSmart's SmartFIND environment.
December 28, 2006 -- "Websites are usually a window into a brick and mortar business," said GeoSmart's Business Development Manager, Luigi Cappel. "A website is there to inform and engage people and in many cases guide them to the business or activity they are interested in. Once people are interested, helping them to take action in the real world is made much easier through the addition of interactive maps, and that's where we come in."
GeoSmart has created a library of tools that allow web developers to mix and match mapping functionality normally associated with complex GIS software, facilitating a wide range of options such as interactive pop-up windows, proximity, turn by turn driving directions as well as displaying locations from a secure proprietary database or from the huge GeoSmart Points of Interest (POI) database. For example:
Bayleys Real Estate allows people to drill down to the area they want to search from a map of New Zealand and then on selecting the property they are interested in, they will see its position on a map. Visitors to the site can then also view schools, medical centres and shops on the map in relation to the property.
Professionals Real Estate offers similar functionality, but also includes the locations of Open Homes on the map which is great for people planning their day.
AA SmartMap allows people to generate a route and driving directions for any trip from A to B in New Zealand, but also allows them to make up to 20 stops along the way, thereby creating a complete holiday itinery. This is one of the AA sites which uses not only GeoSmart's maps but combines the NZ Automobile Association's database of Accommodation and Activities and GeoSmart's Points of Interest (POI) database which has everything from beaches and boat ramps, public toilets and ATM's through to restaurants, car parking and most things you would want to find on the road.
The Ministry of Education uses SmartFIND in many ways including showing the location of all schools on their Team Up website as well as other tools on their Intranet such as calculating school bus routes.
Other organisations with websites using SmartFIND WebMap technologies include WellingtonNZ.com, NZ Tourism Online, Finda, Eldernet, Chateau, Hells Gate, Silver Birch, TNT Couriers, Athenree Hot Springs, Tourism Bay of Plenty, Ridge Country Retreat, Puriri Park, MicroTel Accommodation and Kuaka New Zealand.
GeoSmart has many new features coming to SmartFIND in the New Year which will bring more functionality to web sites and intranet that previously required complex GIS software and skills to access.
Background
"Because there was no definitive national mapping database with turn restrictions (one way streets, no right turns etc) and excluding paper roads (roads that were created on paper but never constructed) we had staff drive almost every public road in New Zealand with differential GPS equipment to create one." Said Cappel. "We are an aerial photography company with our own aircraft as well as a mapping company and were able to combine the driving information with highly accurate data collected from the air in our mapping room to create a navigable database. If you want to use the more sophisticated mapping features like calculating driving routes, you can't send someone the wrong way up a one way street, or have an instruction half way though a route telling you to turn into a road that either doesn't exist, or is a track on private property. Suddenly the rest of the instructions become useless and what seemed like a cool idea to add to your website now becomes the source of countless complaints."
GeoSmart is also the provider of services such as SmartFIND on Vodafone Live mobile phones and in car and portable navigation brands such as Navman and Siemens VDO. Their latest product Invite2GO was launched just before Christmas which allows people to send an invitation which provides unique turn by turn directions from anywhere in NZ to a location or event. Several thousand invites have already been sent using this new application which can be used by consumers for free.
