mapNinja: iPhone and iPod touch Mapping Software

mapNinja is the iPhone and iPod touch Mapping Software! Useful Networks, a leading developer of location-based products and services for mobile and Web, announces today the availability of mapNinja, a fully touch-enabled map viewer, which enables rapid development of location-relevant applications for iPhone and iTouch.

The mapNinja software development kit (SDK) enables developers to embed an interactive map viewer within their native iPhone applications in just three lines of code. Prior to mapNinja, iPhone developers had limited and unappealing options when deciding how to incorporate mapping into their iPhone apps.

Previous options included shutting down the app and linking to the pre-loaded maps application on the iPhone, using static map images which don’t offer interactivity, or investing heavily in creating a map viewer from scratch.

Key features of mapNinja include touch-enabled pan and zooming, customizable background loading tiles, the ability to display multiple map types (satellite, road, hybrid), vector and image graphics overlays, developer documentation and continuous re-centering in auto-tracking mode.

The mapNinja SDK also includes out-of-box connectivity to four different mapping providers including Microsoft Virtual Earth, CloudMade and Useful Networks mapping services, giving developers the choice of up to 12 different map styles.

Several licensing options, including a no-fee ad-supported license, will be available to suit the needs of commercial iPhone development shops, as well as independent iPhone developers. For more information, visit www.mapninja.com.