In+ersec+ion for Spatial People

- Open to all map makers who use Avenza mapping products -

Toronto, ON, May 1, 2013 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of geospatial plug-ins for Adobe Creative Suite, including MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator and Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop, and the PDF Maps app for iOS, is pleased to announce the return of its Annual Map Awards. The competition is open to all mapmakers from around the world who use Avenza products in the creation of their maps which were completed or published during 2012 or 2013. The various category awards recognize achievement in the art and science of cartography and promote the advancements and innovation made in mapping. Both professional mapmakers and students are encouraged to apply for the awards.

"In a few short years, we have witnessed the dramatic improvement in design and quality of maps,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “The visualization of information and how it is conveyed on a map is becoming more and more innovative. Mapmakers are living in a very fortunate time when map creation technology and the availability of high quality data sets are easily attainable,” he added. “We're constantly trying to push the creativity of our users with new geospatial tools available in our products. We now want to see the incredible maps created with those tools.”

Category winners will receive their choice of a one year license of MAPublisher or Geographic Imager and will be featured in the Avenza Map Store. Both winning and notable entries will also be displayed in a map gallery on Avenza.com. Avenza is currently accepting map submissions until June 30, 2013. There is no fee for map submissions. Visit http://www.avenza.com/map-awards for more information about map categories, submission guidelines, and judging criteria.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services, as well as the PDF Maps app for purchasing and using maps on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

- Includes streamlined export options and new automation tools -

Toronto, ON, March 26, 2013 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the PDF Maps app for iOS and geospatial plugins for Adobe Creative Suite, including Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher 9.2 for Adobe Illustrator. This exciting release includes a number of new and exciting product enhancements. Export has been improved and streamlined to make it easier to quickly export MAP Views and MAP layers. Also included in this release are several new tools including Automation and Path Utilities.

"We're delighted to release MAPublisher 9.2 which includes improved export functionality and advanced map-making automation,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “Not only can our users create high-quality maps with MAPublisher, they can also use it to increase file interoperability across multiple platforms and overall workflow efficiency,” he added. “We've improved export to geospatial PDF because we are focused on delivering this very popular format to suit the needs in many industries and agencies in all levels of government and to make it easier to produce maps for our mobile PDF Maps platform.”

Enhancements and new features of MAPublisher 9.2

• Streamlined export document to geospatial PDF with clearer indications of how layers and attributes are being handled and exported to appear in Adobe Acrobat.
• Improved MAP View and MAP layer export with multiple layer export supported.
• Export document to image can export a georeferenced image of the entire artboard.
• New Automation tool to configure settings that initiate MAPublisher operations upon data import to automate map production, such as manage MAP Views, apply MAP Theme stylesheets, create grids and graticules, label using MAP LabelPro, and export to geospatial PDF.
• New Path Utilities tool to perform optimization actions on line and area layers.
• New ability to view attributes in a tear-off panel.
• Various user interface and performance enhancements to improve usability.

More about MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator

MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator is powerful map production software for creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. MAPublisher tools leverage the superior graphics design capabilities of Adobe Illustrator to manipulate GIS data and to produce high-quality maps with accuracy and efficiency.

MAPublisher 9.2 for Adobe Illustrator is available free of charge to all MAPublisher users with an active maintenance subscription and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users at US$599. New licenses are US$1399. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons to MAPublisher 9.2 at prices starting at US$399 per license. Academic, floating and volume pricing are also available. Prices include one year of full maintenance. Visit www.avenza.com/mapublisher for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services, as well as the PDF Maps app for purchasing and using maps on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact: Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

Frisco, TX – ThinkGeo has launched their new Map Suite GIS Editor application, designed for Geographic Information System professionals who need an easy way to create, visualize, edit and analyze spatial data.  The GIS Editor, now available to the public as a free download, makes GIS more accessible to a broader range of users with varying degrees of experience, and does so at a lower cost than competing products.  It allows users to create and edit maps using a wide variety of spatial data in industry-standard formats, making it a valuable tool in an increasing number of industries and market segments.

When developing the Map Suite GIS Editor, ThinkGeo focused on a wide array of common GIS features and sought to provide them in an easy-to-use way.  The centerpieces of the application are the familiar ribbon bar, the ability to create multiple maps inside of one project, and the unique Style Builder which makes crafting professional-looking maps easier than ever.   The GIS Editor’s intuitive user interface provides quick access to a wide variety of tools without burdening the user with cryptic menus or stacks of mosaic-like toolbars.  The result is that GIS users of nearly any skill or experience level can find their way around the GIS Editor with ease.

For the end user, ThinkGeo has provided the GIS Editor Wiki, a growing source of documentation, walkthrough videos and sample projects aimed at helping new users get started quickly.  Numerous support channels are also available, including an online discussion forum monitored by ThinkGeo’s staff.

ThinkGeo is offering the Map Suite GIS Editor as subscription-based software, providing a significantly lower cost of entry and enabling occasional users to pay only for the time they need to use the application.  A free, fully-functional 14 day evaluation is offered to all users, who can then sign up to continue using the GIS Editor for as little as $49.95 per month or $495.00 per year.  Subscriptions can be canceled at any time and with no questions asked, simply by visiting a web site.  Bulk licenses will also be made available for businesses and multi-user organizations.

The Map Suite GIS Editor is currently offered as a beta version, meaning that it is still undergoing fine-tuning and performance tweaks, but that major work on the software has been completed and tested.  Users are encouraged to offer their opinions of the application in the official discussion forum, and to submit specific requests for new features or improvements to the ThinkGeo Enhancement Tracker.

ThinkGeo is an industry leader in Geographic Information Systems and tools for GIS professionals.  With a full suite of GIS applications, software development controls and asset tracking solutions, ThinkGeo provides spatial solutions to clients from a wide base of industries ranging from agriculture to aerospace.  For more information about ThinkGeo’s GIS products or professional services, visit www.thinkgeo.com or contact a ThinkGeo sales representative at [email protected] or (866) 847-7510. 

- Geospatial PDF reader updated with new features and tools -

Toronto, ON, December 21, 2012 - Avenza Systems Inc., the leading developer of cartographic software –including MAPublisher® for Adobe® Illustrator® and Geographic Imager® geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop®– is pleased to announce the release of PDF Maps 1.6, the latest version of the popular map and navigation app on the Apple iOS platform. The PDF Maps app allows users to explore and navigate maps offline without having to worry about cellular data connectivity or incur data roaming charges compared to other streaming map apps.

"The focus of this release is about enhancing existing features and tools to allow our users to experience, navigate, and view maps on Apple iOS devices even better" said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. "Many of the optimizations and improvements have stemmed from user feedback. We're listening to our users and creating tools that suit their needs. In the end, we're making a much better product than even we anticipated," he added.

This release of PDF Maps offers many features including:

• Data collection - You can now create, import, and export attribute schemas with pick lists.
• Improved organization - Added folders to the Map List and the ability to move maps between folders.
• Nearby maps - Maps within 100 km will be shown when panning to the edges of a map.
• Measure Tool optimization - Measure Area and Measure Direction tools are now merged into one tool. There is also a new option to create custom units.
• New coordinate display format - Added the Degree Decimal Minutes format.
• Add placemark optimization - Placemarks can now be added while following your current location.
• GPS mode optimization - GPS mode is more tolerant to movements and allows adding placemarks while following your location.
• Photos taken within the app are now saved to the Camera Roll.
• Improved KML/KMZ file compatibility with Avenza MAPublisher and Esri software.

The PDF Maps app takes advantage of geospatial technology that allows travelers to view and measure real world locations and attributes. Paired together with mobile devices that utilize GPS, such as an iPhone or iPad, the PDF Maps app provides constant access to geographic locations and even points of interest without the risk of losing reception due to cell tower proximity – making it the ultimate traveling accessory for those that are enthusiastic about travel or anywhere internet bandwidth is not available or is cost-prohibitive when roaming internationally. In combination with the embedded map store PDF Maps takes map use commerce into the iTunes-like digital age previously reserved for music, books and videos.

PDF Maps is available now on the iTunes App Store free of charge for personal use. For more information about the app and Avenza Map Store , visit the PDF Maps website at www.pdf-maps.com. Pricing of each map is set by the publisher and free maps remain free to users through the PDF Maps in-app map store.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services. For more information visit the Avenza website at www.avenza.com.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

- New Basic license available and new formats supported -

Toronto, ON, December 19, 2012 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of MAPublisher® cartographic software for Adobe Illustrator® and PDF Maps for Apple iOS, is pleased to announce the release of Geographic Imager 4.1 for Adobe Photoshop. New formats are supported, including the ability to read the BSB compressed raster format generally used for nautical charts, and the ability to save to MrSID format. In addition, there are a number of new and exciting product enhancements. This release also introduces the Geographic Imager Basic license level that provides support for the georeference framework in Adobe Photoshop and limited import and export abilities at an introductory price level.

“With the introduction of the Geographic Imager Basic license in this release, we're broadening the appeal to light users who may not necessarily need the full Geographic Imager toolset,” said Doug Smith, Avenza Director of Sales. “The Basic license maintains the same geospatial framework and can still import all support spatial imagery that the Full license can, but only allows for limited export to major GIS formats including GeoTIFF and geospatial PDF. For those interested, we'll offer an upgrade to a Full license for users that require the entire suite of tools”, he added.

“We've partnered with Lizardtech to bring the MrSID writer to Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “There has been strong demand for this and we're delighted that supporting this format continues to expand the capability of Adobe Photoshop while working with geospatial data.” he added.

Additional Geographic Imager 4.1 features

• Available Geographic Imager Basic license
• MrSID write support (when Lizardtech GeoExpress is installed, Windows only)
• BSB format import support
• Geographic Imager panel improvements, including new Measure tab
• New ability to load DEM layers individually and to set transparent alpha channels in Advanced Import
• New option to overlay (drape) an image in Terrain Shader
• Streamlined user interactions with command boxes and simpler messages
• Various bug fixes and user experience enhancements

More about Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop

Geographic Imager is software for Adobe Photoshop that leverages the superior image editing capabilities of raster-based image editing software and transforms it into a powerful geospatial imagery editing tool. Work with satellite imagery, aerial photography, orthophotos, and DEMs in GeoTIFF and other major GIS image formats using Adobe Photoshop features such as transparencies, filters, and image adjustments while maintaining georeferencing and support for hundreds of coordinate systems and projections.

Geographic Imager 4.1 is immediately available and free of charge to all Geographic Imager Maintenance Program members and at prices starting at US$319 for non-maintenance members. Geographic Imager Basic licenses start at US$149 (introductory). Academic and volume license pricing are also available. Geographic Imager 4.1 is available for Adobe Photoshop CS5, CS5.1 and CS6. Visit www.avenza.com/geographic-imager for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps and for working with spatial imagery. In addition to software offerings for Mac, Windows and Apple mobile device users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

- New ability to export HTML5 web maps and enhanced MAPublisher LabelPro features -

Toronto, ON, November 19, 2012 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the PDF Maps app for iOS and geospatial plugins for Adobe Creative Suite, including Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher 9.1 for Adobe Illustrator which includes a number of new and exciting product enhancements. MAP Web Author now has the ability to export HTML5 web maps (in addition to the already available Flash output), which are suitable for mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. In addition, the MAPublisher LabelPro extension has been updated to include the ability to use label filters and expressions for even more detailed labeling as well as a redesigned and more flexible user interface.

"We're excited to release MAPublisher 9.1 that now supports the export of HTML5 web maps. We've seen a growth in online mapping and the upward trend of using HTML5 technology to make websites more interactive and interesting. More importantly, map makers and webdesigners alike can extend their HTML5 web maps to smartphone and tablet browsers without the need for additional plug-ins,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “Our MAPublisher LabelPro add-on has proven to be invaluable to cartographers all over the world. With this new version, we are seeing increased labeling performance, detail, and flexibility. We are focused on delivering geospatial tools as Adobe Illustrator continues to evolve as a high-quality graphics application. We have also included several new features and enhancements which our users will definitely find very useful,” he added.

Enhancements and new features of MAPublisher 9.1

• MAP Web Author HTML5 export
• MAPublisher LabelPro redesigned interface, new label filters feature, and improved performance
• Various user interface and performance enhancements to improve usability

More about MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator

MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator is powerful map production software for creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. MAPublisher tools leverage the superior graphics design capabilities of Adobe Illustrator to manipulate GIS data and to produce high-quality maps with accuracy and efficiency.

MAPublisher 9.1 for Adobe Illustrator is available free of charge to all MAPublisher users with an active maintenance subscription and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users at US$599. New licenses are US$1399. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons to MAPublisher 9.1 at prices starting at US$399 per license. Academic, floating and volume pricing are also available. Prices include one year of full maintenance. Visitwww.avenza.com/mapublisher for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services, as well as the PDF Maps app for purchasing and using maps on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

The Cartography and Geovisualization Group at Oregon State University has been experimenting with ways to improve web mapping. An OSU summary page explains the current situation:

"Today's web maps (such as those by OpenStreetMap, Google, Bing, or Yahoo!) have two major shortcomings.

(1) They use the Mercator projection for all scales and for all locations, and

(2) they only provide pre-rendered views for a series of predefined scales."

Avenza® Releases MAPublisher® 9.0 for Adobe® Illustrator®
- Powerful cartography tools now compatible with Adobe Illustrator CS6 -

Toronto, ON, June 25, 2012 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the PDF Maps app for iOS and geospatial plugins for Adobe Creative Suite, including Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher 9.0 for Adobe Illustrator. This release provides long-awaited support for Adobe Illustrator CS6 as well as a number of new and exciting product enhancements.

"We're delighted to release MAPublisher 9.0 that now supports Adobe Illustrator CS6. More importantly, this release is 64-bit compatible for our Windows users, a new sought-after feature that brings many benefits such as increased performance and stability to the Illustrator cartographic and GIS environment,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “We are committed to delivering high-quality geospatial tools as Adobe Illustrator continues to evolve as a high-quality graphics application. We have also included several new features and enhancements which our users will definitely find very useful,” he added.

Enhancements and new features of MAPublisher 9.0

• Fully compatible with Adobe Illustrator CS6 32-bit and 64-bit.
• MAPublisher 9.0 64-bit users on Windows will realize increased performance.
• New icons to match the new Adobe Illustrator CS6 user interface brightness.
• Various user interface improvements and performance enhancements to improve usability.

More about MAPublisher for Illustrator

MAPublisher for Illustrator is powerful map production software for creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. Developed as a suite of plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator, MAPublisher leverages the superior graphics capabilities of this graphics design software for working with GIS data and producing high-quality maps with efficiency. 

MAPublisher 9.0 for Illustrator is available free of charge to all MAPublisher users with an active maintenance subscription and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users at US$599. New licenses are US$1399. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons to MAPublisher 9.0 at prices starting at US$399 per license. Academic, floating and volume pricing are also available. Prices include one year of full maintenance. Visit www.avenza.com/mapublisher for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services as well as the PDF Maps app for purchasing and using maps on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices, including GeoPDF®,  geospatial PDF and GeoTIFF files. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact:

Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

Leading publisher of printed map products expands into digital world through PDF Maps app

TORONTO, (May 22, 2012) – Avenza Systems Inc., the leading developer of cartographic software --such as MAPublisher® for Adobe® Illustrator® and Geographic Imager® geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop®-- has partnered with Mapmobility, Canada’s most prominent producer of printed urban mapping products to announce the largest offering of Canadian digital maps for consumer use on the iOS platform. Avenza will host Mapmobility’s highly detailed maps in the PDF Maps app and digital map store providing a new way for mobile device users to access a rich resource of content that was previously only available in print. The PDF Maps app allows users to explore and navigate Canada without having to worry about losing reception due to cell tower proximity or high data roaming charges typical of other “streaming” map services, making it the ideal travel accessory.

Mapmobility holds the largest Canadian market share of printed map products with hundreds of atlas and folded map titles making the relationship with Avenza mutually beneficial for both companies and the consumer. The partnership enhances Avenza’s digital map database by adding more than 30 years-worth of Canadian cartographic content, while Mapmobility benefits from Avenza’s foothold in a digital marketplace to reach a new mobile map consumer with the PDF Maps app and Avenza Map store. Mapmobility has selected Avenza as its exclusive channel for selling and distributing digital versions of its maps making the Avenza PDF Maps app and store the only place to find the vast array of Mapmobility Canadian maps.

“Given the shift in how our audience has received their information in the last ten years, we wanted to focus on a hi-tech solution that allowed consumers to be more interactive with our detailed maps,” said Carl Nanders, Director of Business Strategy at Mapmobility. “What Avenza provided is a way into a digital retail space without having to recreate the wheel ourselves. Avenza’s Map store within the PDF Maps app provides a more meaningful way to reach an audience that has gone mobile which is extremely appealing to publishers who once relied solely on the paper product.”

Avenza’s PDF Maps app is an all-encompassing solution for the use, distribution and sale of digital versions of paper maps to mobile devices. It includes both an app for consumers to use, discover and purchase maps directly from their devices as well as an in-app store to facilitate the transaction and delivery of maps. The in-app marketplace provides a new mobile e-commerce venue that allows those in the industry to have access to more than 200 million Apple iOS users seeking information about specific maps.

“For years we’ve worked with publishers providing cartographic software to help create maps, but as consumers continue to change how they access and consume content, we’re delighted to be the conduit for the more than 130 map publishers, including Mapmobility, to deliver such detailed maps in a more interactive manner,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza Systems Inc. “As we continue to strengthen our community of vendors, many companies are beginning to see how useful the PDF Maps app can be in introducing content to consumers and we’re excited to be a part of how the industry evolves in a digital age.”

The PDF Maps app takes advantage of geospatial technology that allows travelers to view and measure real world locations and attributes. Paired together with mobile devices that utilize GPS, such as an iPhone or iPad, the PDF Maps app provides constant access to geographic locations and even points of interest without the risk of losing reception due to cell tower proximity – making it the ultimate traveling accessory for those that are enthusiastic about travel or anywhere internet bandwidth is not available or is cost-prohibitive when roaming internationally.

PDF Maps is available now on the iTunes App Store free of charge for personal use. For more information about the app, visit the Avenza website at www.avenza.com/pdf-maps. Pricing of each map is set by the publisher and free maps remain free to users through the PDF Maps in-app map store.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services. For more information visit the Avenza website at www.avenza.com.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com

Avenza Releases Geographic Imager 3.5 for Adobe Photoshop

- Includes new import and export formats for spatial imagery -

Toronto, ON, April 2, 2012 - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of MAPublisher® cartographic software for Adobe Illustrator® and PDF Maps for Apple iOS, is pleased to announce the release of Geographic Imager 3.5 for Adobe Photoshop. This release is encompasses new support for import and export of spatial imagery formats.

"We're delighted to release Geographic Imager 3.5 with even more format support,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “We've included several new formats to import and export that our users will find very useful. We've also added some priority fixes based on user requests and feedback,” he added.

Additional Geographic Imager 3.5 features

New import support for MrSID/MG4 LiDAR (*.sid) format [raster and LiDAR data (as DTM)].
New export support for ERDAS IMAGINE (*.img) raster format.
Channel management dialog box for easy control of channel mapping and assignment of color roles for false-composite multiband imagery.

More about Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop

Geographic Imager is powerful software for working with spatial imagery in Adobe Photoshop that leverages the superior image editing capabilities of this raster-based image-editing software and transforms it into a powerful spatial imagery editing tool. Work with satellite imagery, aerial photography, orthophotos, and DEMs in GeoTIFF and other major GIS image formats using Adobe Photoshop features such as transparencies, filters, and image adjustments while maintaining georeferencing and support for hundreds of coordinate systems and projections.

Geographic Imager 3.5 is available immediately free of charge to all Geographic Imager Maintenance Program members and at prices starting at US$319 for non-maintenance members. Academic and volume license pricing are also available.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps. In addition to software offerings for Mac, Windows and Apple mobile device users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training and consulting services. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.

For further information contact:
Tel: 416-487-5116
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avenza.com