Show exhibitor and sponsor Mapquest announced the following news today at Where 2.0:
“Advanced Offering Provides Developers Additional Choice and Control within Advantage API”
DENVER & SAN JOSE, CA, May 29, 2007 - MapQuest today announced the beta
launch of a new API for Adobe(r) ActionScript(tm). The latest API
option within MapQuest’s Advantage(tm) API, allows developers to use a
robust toolset with the added benefits of ActionScript 3.0.
Developers can now build rich applications with Adobe(r) Flex(tm) or
Adobe Flash(r) software using a true, native API for ActionScript for
superior developer productivity without runtime abstraction layers that
can slow application performance.
Whether applications require compelling, complex animations and graphics
or quickly rendered multitudes of custom points, lines and shapes to
display points of interest (POIs), routes or physical boundaries,
MapQuest’s API for ActionScript allows developers to tap into the deep
capabilities of the MapQuest(r) platform.
Because Adobe’s Flash Player reaches over 97% of the world’s
Internet-enabled desktops1, developers can spend less time focusing on
cross-browser support and more time building compelling applications
that bring business value.
As an industry leading provider of geospatial web services, MapQuest
has created a foundation for developers to bring a rich multi-media
experience to end-users. Future enhancements will open up the
possibilities even further, ultimately allowing developers to customize
location-based applications that offer significant end-user control,”
said Christian Dwyer, Vice President of Business Solutions and
Operations for MapQuest. “Created to offer more choice, the new
ActionScript API offers the possibility of enhanced interactivity, lower
development costs and faster time to market while providing all the same
great mapping, routing, geocoding and search feature sets that customers
rely on from MapQuest.”
Customers are finding that the MapQuest API for ActionScript opens up
the realm of possibilities for the creation of a rich multi-media
experience. “The API developed by MapQuest for ActionScript opens up
new avenues for the Web 2.0 developer ecosystem, especially those who
use Flash, Flex and Apollo to build rich Internet applications (RIAs) in
the browser or right on the desktop,” said Jeff Whatcott, Vice President
of Product Marketing, Enterprise and Developer Business Unit at Adobe.
“Now, RIA developers can quickly and easily integrate MapQuest’s mapping
services into their Web 2.0 mash-up applications, enabling them to go
beyond simple HTML to create more engaging, data-rich and interactive
mapping applications.”
Apollo is the code name for Adobe’s cross operating system application
runtime that brings RIAs to the desktop. In addition, AOL’s Userplane
and other MapQuest Business Solutions customers are beginning to build
dynamic applications with the API for ActionScript to enhance their
overall customer experience. Current and prospective customers, as well
as developers can find out more information, request an evaluation and
see a demonstration of an Apollo-based application at
http://company.mapquest.com/mqbs/4a.html.
Additional JavaScript Enhancements to MapQuest’s Advantage API:
MapQuest’s Advantage API offers the reliability of a robust
location-based platform with the flexibility and efficiency of a web
service. A recently released and updated version, Advantage API 5.1,
offers 16+ million POIs, premium listings that can be licensed to enrich
any application, as well as several key JavaScript enhancements to make
applications even more compelling and easier to use.
The latest version of Advantage API 5.1 adds the following JavaScript
enhancements:
Advanced Overlays: Robust capability to create and interact with custom
lines and shapes such as polygons, rectangles and ellipses. These
overlays can then be used to create custom search areas and allows the
user to define the geographic search area right on the map.
Icon Declutter: For times when a map view contains map icons overlapping
each other, decluttering moves those icons away from each other and
allows distribution in a selected style.
To learn more about MapQuest Advantage API 5.1, visit
http://company.mapquest.com/mqbs/4.html or request an evaluation at
http://company.mapquest.com/jsp/eval.jsp.
About MapQuest
MapQuest offers Internet, wireless and business solutions that help
people find places. MapQuest is one of the most recognized and trusted
brands on the Internet and is the leading consumer Web site for maps and
directions, serving more than 49 million users a month. MapQuest
wireless services extend the desktop experience into a variety of mobile
devices. MapQuest Business Solutions provides a geospatial platform for
location-enabling web and wireless applications for more than 1,400
global brands. MapQuest, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, is
based in Denver, Colorado.
About AOL
AOL(r) is a global Web services company that operates some of the most
popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software
and services, runs one of the country’s largest Internet access
businesses, and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A
majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC is based in
Dulles, Virginia. AOL and its subsidiaries also have operations in
Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.
1Adobe whitepaper, 2006: Flex 2 Technical Overview
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(c) 2007 AOL LLC. All rights reserved. MapQuest and Advantage are
trademarks or registered trademarks of AOL LLC. JavaScript and Java are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the
United States and other countries. ActionScript, Flex and Flash are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the
United States and/or other countries.
Contacts
MapQuest
Dori Salcido, 703-265-0622
Dori.Salcido@corp.aol.com
