Thanks Neil, that was some good info. Surely nobody is terribly keen on
spending a million dollars getting up to speed with Oracle if they can help
it.
Has anybody had a go at developing using any Windows CE specific languages?
or is that just dreaming?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil Havermale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Stuart Bell'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, 15 September 2000 15:36
Subject: PSA - Personal Spatial Assistant - MapXtend and MapinHand
As far as I can tell the MapInfo PDA (read PalmOS) offering is in support of
Oracle's WANization via the internet. Oracle has a very strong Java offering
in PDA related technologies known as 8i Lite (9iLite is about to be
released) that allows the Oracle PDA developer to distribute its Enterprise
server data to PDAs.
http://www.oracle.com/oramag/oracle/00-Jan/10mob.html
Oracle8i Lite includes three main components:
1) Oracle Lite DBMS A small-footprint Java-enabled database-management
system built specifically for laptops, hand-held computers, PDAs, and
information appliances (neat!);
2) iConnect Integrated components that allow for the synchronization of
application data and the creation of store-and-forward messaging
applications with advanced-queuing functionality (how big of a back-end does
this really mean - 8i Enterprise? - sounds scary);
3) Web-to-go A collection of components and services that facilitates
development, deployment, and management of mobile Web applications (thanks
for the pointers how much does the support phone cost!).
What is not provided in the Oracle 8iLite solution is the geographical stuff
we are so hungry for. MapInfo may again be Oracle's player in this regard.
Importantly MapInfo's PDA interest is in the wireless revolution that seems
to be taking off.... (Didn't they buy into some Swedish WAN outfit a year or
so ago? And Nokia is about to go public with a "next generation cell
phone)......
"Convergence of Internet and wireless communication technologies is creating
huge demand for access to Internet services from wireless handheld devices.
This convergence creates a significant opportunity for telecommunications
and Web portal providers to offer new and enhanced services for their
customers who use handheld devices. It also gives telecommunications
providers the opportunity to build a competitive advantage by deploying
their own enterprise applications via handheld devices to mobile field
workers. In both cases, the net result can be a more satisfied, loyal
customer base."
As far as I can tell at this moment, MapInfo has only one product that
extends spatial data to the PDA (read PalmOS). They do it via Java and
geo-Java extensions known as MapXtend. It looks to me to be an "enterprise"
scaled offering (so I guess we little-guys can forget it?).
Given the MapInfo PDA solution is wireless and implies 3G technologies, I
don't think the MapBasic developer will be able to overcome the need for a
1) Oracle Enterprise Server, 2) an internet portal, 3) connection to the
local-national-world wide wireless net, and 4) the thousands of users paying
just pennies a minute to "rent" the solution.
There is hope!
MapInfo is about to offer a complete "service and consultation" for MapXtend
to the its larger or enterprise clients with a service name of "MapinHand".
MapinHand buyers will receive installation, testing, customer support and
product maintenance. A Certified MapInfo Developer will arrive at your site
to help quickly implement MapinHand (bummer - who are these certified
developers?)
What is MapXtend?
http://www.mapinfo.com/software/mapxtend/index.html
MapInfoŽ MapXtend(tm), Java(tm) Technology Edition is a developer tool for
creating location-based applications running on wireless Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs).
The MapXtend API offers rapid development, scalability, and flexibility to
build and deploy wireless PDA applications quickly, efficiently, and
securely. Its architecture follows a 3-tier model, with specific MapXtend
packages designed for each tier (there may be hope?).
Mapxtend will not stand alone as far as I can tell in that it requires on
the PDA:
1) Palm Computing 3.1 (or higher) operating system (Super!!!!) and a
2) TCP/IP connection (double bummer!)
3) and a server - Oracle or SQLServer.
ESRI's AkePAD costs over $500 per PDA but it can stand alone, has good KISS
syconization features, and has built-in integration to GPS receivers.
MapXtend seems to be in the domain of MapInfo's "Server Based Deployment"
which means that the licensing will likely not be real affordable for small
shop developers. This may not be absolute but as of this posting there are
no pricing schedule(s) for MapXtend.
Lastly there is also another rather good CE based PadGIS named as StarPal
(Http://www.starpal.com). It can read MapInfo MIF as well as SHP. I
believe it uses SHP as its native format. It has good "heads-up and
feet-down" digitization features. It does tend to run slowly if the files
are very big. It also needs plenty of memory on the PDA but will also run
in a WIN98 environment as well.
This midnight mapper is still very interested in a MapInfo PDA but I don't
think I can carry the Oracle Enterprise Server in my pocket - I don't think
it will fit in with my wallet!
FWIW,
MidNight Mapper
aka Neil
9/15/00
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