Anquet Mapping Arrives for Mac OSX and iPhone

The announcement for Anquet on Mac OSX has been trailed for some time now and it has now finally arrived!

The Anquet system software for Macs is free but (obviously) the maps have a cost to them. As usual Anquet maps can be bought as single maps or as collections. You will have to download the free application before you can find details of these maps and (importantly) pricing. Once you download the software — and create an Anquet account — the software will automatically download a series of sample maps. the sample maps include and A to Z guide page (B’ham which might be a cool piece of location), an OS Road map, and OS 1:50 and 1:25 maps.

I haven’t had time to really play with this but everything looks good and professional. Maps scale ver well and are readable.

I’m not sure whether the pricing is in promotional mode at the moment but, for example, the 1:50 map of NW Scotland is £10.00 and the equivalent for NE Scotland is just under £11.

OS 1:25 are more expensive — the equivalent NW Scotland is just under £400. these you will probably ant to buy on a sheet basis. SHeet 388 — Lochnagar — is £21.15

Harvey Maps are here as well although the pricing is more of what you expect — the Lake District map is about £40.

A full collection of OS 1:25 and 1:50 can be your for £2,345.44!

There is a large range of mapping here, including old and vintage maps. At the moment only UK maps would seems to be available.

Anquet has now given Routebuddy some competition. For walkers the main advantages seem to be an easier route creation system and route details including height ascended which is currently missing on Routebuddy.

I’ve asked for a proper review copy of a map and if that comes through I’ll be able to not only write a full review but able to compare these two systems back-to-back.

Finally, the Mac world has some real competition. It will be interesting to see how these alternative systems pan out over the next year or so.

To Website

 

The Anquet Press Release says:

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING MAKES UK EXPLORATION EASIER WITH ANQUET MAPS FOR MAC OS X AND iPHONE

- Innovative Applications Let Hikers and Bikers Plan and Edit Routes, Find Locations, and More on Mac OS X or iPhone -

July 8, 2010 – Exploring the UK by bike or on foot just became much easier with Virtual Programming’s release of Anquet Maps Mac and Anquet Maps iPhone applications, which offer the same features as Anquet’s popular mapping software for Windows. Users can easily plan and edit routes, look up points-of-interest along the way, and more. GPS functionality in the iPhone version lets mobile users easily navigate routes while on the go.

 

“Whether you want to hike through a national park, plan a multi-kilometer bike ride, or simply figure out the best path for a daily walk, Anquet Maps Mac and Anquet Maps iPhone are at your disposal,” said Virtual Programming CEO Mark Hinton. “These are far and away the most robust mapping applications we’ve ever seen.”

 

Both applications let users replace their bulky paper maps with powerful digital versions. Users can carefully create and edit routes in perfect detail, with the ability to see maximum and minimum altitudes along the way, as well as estimated travel time and other information. In addition, they can easily look up locations by National Grid coordinates or longitude and latitude, with the option to add those places as waypoints along a route.

 

Anquet Maps Mac is free software. Maps are purchased separately, but users only need to buy the coverage they require. Maps are available in definable parcels or as specific popular areas, such as national parks.

 

Maps and route profiles can be printed out and exported to Anquet Maps iPhone, which is available separately. This handy app offers the same route planning and editing features as Anquet Maps Mac, with added GPS functionality that lets users make sure they’re properly navigating their routes. Anquet Maps iPhone also enables users to track their routes and save average speed, distance traveled, and other data, along with text notes for handy reference.

 

 

Anquet Maps iPhone is available now at Apple’s App Store. Pricing is £19.99, and free digital maps are included to help users get started.

Anquet Maps Mac is free to download, although there will also be a box product version available at £29.99, which includes Map credit to the value of the full purchase price.

Additional map prices start at £10.00.

 

Anquet Maps iPhone requires iPhone OS version 3.0.

Anquet Maps Mac requires Mac OS X version 10.5.8, any Intel processor and 512Mb RAM.

 

More information, including screenshots and tutorials, is also available at: http://www.vpmaps.com/

 

About Virtual Programming

Virtual Programming, Ltd. publishes many of the most exciting games and utilities available today for Mac OS X, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. The company develops unique properties and works with some of the top developers around the world to bring gamers of all types top-quality entertainment. Its digital download service, Deliver2Mac <http://www.deliver2mac.com/>, serves content to hungry players 24 hours a day, while the iTunes App Store offers its best-selling games and other apps for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.