2 replies to this topic

[Ted Florence]

Yesterday's Toronto Star newspaper featured an article on mobile apps and Toronto based companies involved in that space.
Avenza was featured in that article for its new PDF Maps iOS app.
The online version of the article can be found here: http://www.moneyvill...obile-apps?bn=1

More information on the PDF Maps app and embedded digital map store distribution system can be found here:
http://www.avenza.com/pdf-maps
and here
http://www.avenza.com/pdf-maps/store

[Jacques Gélinas]

From the above article...

“If map publishers don’t adapt to changes like camera companies, from film to digital, they’ll be out of business,” said Florence.

“With paper maps, you have to guess how many copies to print, ship and warehouse,” he said, and any new streets require printing a new version. “With this, you can change a map on the server.”

Bold statements...
One slight nuance, unlike camera companies map publishers are more like photographers. Cartographers don't make the tools to make maps, they create them with the available tools.

Also with a print on demand system you don't have to guess how many copies to print...

I think the main issue for map publishers is HOW do you increase revenues in the digital world?
Maybe if you go all digital you will be out of business?
Maybe you need to combine both?
Ideas???

[Ted Florence]

I suppose I should clarify that although the reporter spent considerable time with us during her investigation, and took copious notes, she did not get everything right that we/I said. As is typical of most news reporters, they paraphrase and edit and quite often what gets reported and attributed as a quote to an individual is not what actually happened or was said.
Certainly we did not tell her that we scan maps, because we don't (although scanned and referenced maps will work in PDF Maps), and that comment about camera companies was exaggerated and not reported EXACTLY as said.
Nonetheless, we are very pleased with the coverage and publicity.
Ted

From the above article...

“If map publishers don’t adapt to changes like camera companies, from film to digital, they’ll be out of business,” said Florence.

“With paper maps, you have to guess how many copies to print, ship and warehouse,” he said, and any new streets require printing a new version. “With this, you can change a map on the server.”

Bold statements...
One slight nuance, unlike camera companies map publishers are more like photographers. Cartographers don't make the tools to make maps, they create them with the available tools.

Also with a print on demand system you don't have to guess how many copies to print...

I think the main issue for map publishers is HOW do you increase revenues in the digital world?
Maybe if you go all digital you will be out of business?
Maybe you need to combine both?
Ideas???