MapText Launches Low-Cost High-Quality Integrated Text Placement Software for MapInfo

Plainsboro, New Jersey - March 29, 2005

MapText, Inc. has announced the release of SmartLabel 1.0, a long awaited low-cost text placement engine that seamlessly integrates with MapInfo Professional, MapInfo's GIS. The product, which is designed to provide high-cartographic quality label placement, will be demonstrated at MapInfo's MapWorld 2005 User Conference in Miami, FL, April 6-8, 2005.

MapText has selected important capabilities of its flagship high-end multi-GIS text placement product, Label-EZ, and created SmartLabel, an easy to install and fully integrated software package that MapInfo users can use to display or print high-quality maps.

SmartLabel has two modes of operation: (1) dynamic and (2) static labeling. In the dynamic labeling mode the system automatically re-labels the map as the user pans or zooms, thereby optimizing the placement of labels in the current view. In the static mode, users can provide a scale or map extent at which the text placement should be done.

Labeling is flexible and custom parameters are configurable through an informative and easy-to-use graphical user interface. The selectable placement capabilities are illustrated by descriptive pictograms to facilitate instant understanding.

Such capabilities for line features include placing labels above, below, or in the middle of the feature, cased (European-style) text placement, and stacking, spreading or repeating words. For point features, the capabilities include eight selectable preferred positions of the text relative to the feature, allowing or disallowing labels to cross lines, or allowing or disallowing overlapping text. For area features, users are able to select whether the text should be fully or partially inside the feature, placed horizontally or along the dominant angle of the polygon. Numerous more capabilities are also at the user's fingertips.

“Although MapText has not yet determined a final retail price, we want to position SmartLabel to penetrate the MapInfo mass market and we expect to sell a permanent single-machine license for under $1,000. We expect the product to be released by the end of May” Dr. Herbert Freeman, President of MapText, Inc., commented.

Prospective resellers and customers are encouraged to contact MapText at sales@maptext.com for updated information about this product.