Digital Maps Go ASP - Application Service Provider Model Applied to Digital Map Services

Digital maps that visualize geographic data are a specific type of multimedia data. Today spatial data can be stored like any other data in relational databases, and disseminated e.g. via Internet and into mobile devices like PDA’s or Nokia Communicator. Digital geospatial content is exploited not only by engineers and ‘professional map users’, but also in new and expanding application areas of digital geographic information, like enterprise information systems, field services, location based services and personal navigation. Cheap and easy-to-use positioning systems have become available and more accurate embedded positioning capabilities for mobile phones are being developed. The potential of GI usage is immense, and the hearts of the systems and services are the geo-enabled databases and digital maps.