GeoVector and CyberMap Japan Enhance the World’s First Pointing Based Local Search Solution for Mobile Phones

location based services

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GeoVector Corporation:
Mapion Pointing Application Release 2.0, powered by GeoVector, offers new mobile local search capabilities including first of its kind user driven, opt-in advertising, sponsored categories and preferred placement.
Innovative, intuitive pointing interface to information on 700,000 Points of Interest across Japan now available on over 2 million Sony Ericsson, Kyocera and Casio mobile phones using the KDDI network.
GeoVector Corporation, the leader in pointing based search solutions, and CyberMap Japan Corp., owner of mapping services leader Mapion, today launched Mapion Pointing Application 2.0, called Mapion Pointing Appli, for mobile phones in Japan. This upgrade transforms Mapion’s existing GeoVector pointing mobile search service into a fully commercial application available to over 2 million phones.
Mapion Pointing Application is an exciting tool that allows users to easily find and launch rich content by pointing and clicking mobile phones at retailers, restaurants, historical sites or any of Mapion’s 700,000 Points of Interest (POI) across Japan. The service combines Mapion’s POI data with GeoVector’s pointing based technology and spatial search engine, providing the world’s first truly personal local search.
The new release builds upon the success of Version 1.0, user feedback and solid experience, greatly improving functionality and ease of use. New capabilities include user driven opt-in advertising, sponsored categories and preferred placement.
“These upgrades greatly improve our mobile local search capabilities, giving users the information they need, wherever they need it most,” explained John Ellenby, President of GeoVector. “Users and advertisers can now connect based on the user’s interests, without the exchange of any personal information.”
“Mapion is always searching for pioneering technologies to improve our user experience,” said Takehiko Murata, President of CyberMap Corp. Japan. “GeoVector’s exciting technology allows us to bring users an experience available nowhere else in the world, giving us a significant advantage over our competitors.”
“Soon people will pick up any GeoVector capable mobile device and merely point it at something to access a wide variety of rich content,” added Ellenby. "While a computer and mouse help you to surf the world wide web, GeoVector enables you to Surf the Whole Wide WorldTM just by pointing your mobile phone."
The service was initially launched over the KDDI network in January of 2006 and is now available for download with Sony Ericsson models W32S, W41S, W44S and W51S phones, the W41K by Kyocera, the W42CA by Casio and, in July, the W52S from Sony Ericsson.
About GeoVector Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, GeoVector develops solutions for location-based services and tools for wireless communications manufacturers, wireless service providers and mobile content developers. Supported by significant intellectual property, GeoVector’s spatial search engine technology provides the foundation for new community, gaming, advertising and other location sensitive applications. GeoVector allows mobile web services to be attached to any object or location and launched just by pointing at them with a mobile device. This includes Point to Call® services for one click calling and Point to Buy® M-commerce transactions. Please visit http://www.geovector.com.
About Mapion
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, CyberMap Japan Corp.’s Mapion service has over 700,000 page views per day and is Japan’s leading mapping search service. With over 200 enterprise customers including Starbucks, ANA, Ford, NEC and Panasonic, Mapion is also Japan’s leading mapping ASP service. Mapion’s nationwide service in Japan is ubiquitous across PCs, PDAs and all of Japan’s mobile phone operators. Mapion’s shareholders include Toppan, NTT Communications, Dentsu, Yahoo! Japan and Sharp.