Webraska Launches SmartZone Navigation Suite and Signs New Deals in the Enterprise and Fleet-Management Markets
MAISONS-LAFFITTE, France--June 3, 2003--Webraska, the worldwide provider of location-based services, telematics applications and enabling platforms is pleased to announce the launch of the SmartZone Navigation Suite. Based on Webraska's patented IbDN(R) technology (Internet-based Distributed Navigation(R)), the SmartZone Navigation Suite comprises on-the-shelf applications and software development kits (SDKs) for the development and deployment of wireless, turn-by-turn navigation applications.IbDN(R) has established a reputation as one of the most effective technologies powering real-time navigation software solutions. It enables dynamic extraction of cartographic corridors from remote servers and high-speed transmission to mobile or embedded devices over cellular networks. Optimized mapping corridors and high compression enables data download to remote terminals within seconds. GPS and voice enabled driving directions are initiated as soon as the download starts and the connection is dropped once data transfer is completed.
The SmartZone Navigation Suite currently includes:
| -- | SmartZone Navigation for PDAs: An on-the-shelf, off-board, real-time navigation application for Pocket PC platforms. The graphical user interface can be easily customized according to the customers' graphic and feature requirements; |
| -- | SmartZone Navigation Duo: Designed for use in the fleet management sector, this is a hybrid navigation application for Windows(R) platforms providing on-board and/or off-board navigation. In other words, the application is able to generate real-time navigation instructions from map data stored in the device or on a remote server when necessary. Delivered as a DLL (library), it can be easily integrated into turn-key productivity improvement solutions developed for fleet operators by service providers and system integrators; |
| -- | SmartZone Navigation for SmartPhones: An off-board navigation application specifically developed for advanced mobile phones. A version is already running on Microsoft Windows(R) powered SmartPhones. |
| -- | SmartZone Navigation SDK: Available in C++ and Java OSGi versions, the Software Development Kit allows Webraska customers to integrate IbDN(R) into their new generation of telematics platforms. They can develop their own wireless navigation applications which can communicate interactively with other embedded or remote applications for security, tracking and fleet-management; |
| -- | SmartZone VectorMap SDK: This Active X(TM) control enables customers to develop their own dispatch or mobile applications through the manipulation of vector data. It also permits easy integration of mapping and routing features in their own mobility, tracking or fleet management applications for Windows environments. |
The strength of the offering is reflected in recent customer wins across Europe, by service providers integrating SmartZone Navigation within their solutions:
-- Grizzli Mobile Systems, has just signed a contract with
Carrefour, the leading French retailer, to equip the trucks of
Carfuel, a subsidiary of the Carrefour group dedicated to the
oil business, with SmartZone Navigation Duo to improve the
efficiency of the drivers. The product was developed in
partnership with GRIZZLI Mobile Systems, one of the leading
Service Providers in France, specialized in the provision of
turnkey fleet-management services.
"This navigation solution allows us to optimise vehicle journeys by sending the destination addresses from the dispatch application directly to the driver," commented Gerard Melin, managing director at Carfuel. "The navigation application is automatically launched in the vehicle using the addresses received by the dispatch software without the need for the driver to enter different destination addresses by himself. We have selected the GRIZZLI mobile systems solution integrating Webraska navigation solution for the real productivity gains it provides. Productivity gains calculated during the pilot phase for trucks were in excess of 15 %."
-- Webraska is also pleased to announce that ASP Virtual Computer
(France) has signed an agreement to launch SmartZone
Navigation for PDAs to business users in France. Virtual
Computer will begin rolling out the product this month to
customers with large mobile sales and field forces, as well as
to individual business users. This follows a successful launch
of the product by Telepointer in the Benelux region.
"When you consider that IbDN(R) technology can be ported and integrated in virtually any type of hardware and professional application to provide access to up-to-date proximity and real-time navigation services optimised with traffic information, the flexibility and competitive advantage of the technology is apparent," commented Laurent Vandebrouck, Vice-President for Telematics at Webraska. "It is also the only available technology packaged in SDKs allowing fleet operators from the transport and distribution industry to integrate navigation in their dispatch applications in order to achieve additional productivity gains."
About Webraska
Webraska provides the advanced software solutions required to develop, integrate and deploy location-based and telematics services. Webraska's carrier-grade offering includes the SmartZone(TM) Geospatial Platform, the SmartZone(TM) CallCenter, award-winning SmartZone(TM) Navigation Suite and the SmartZone(TM) Wireless Application Suite including CityGuide, BuddyFinder, RoutePlanner and MapViewer.
Webraska has its worldwide headquarters in Paris, France, and offices in North America and around the world. The company currently powers the LBS and telematics offering of service providers in four continents, including Bell Mobility, E-Plus, Sensis (Australia), Telecom Italia Mobile, O2, Vodafone Live! and Orange, and has partnerships with leading technology and content providers including Ericsson, HP, IBM, NavTech, Nortel, Openwave and SAIC-Telcordia.
Webraska has long been recognized as a leading player in the location-based services and telematics worlds, winning awards from Unstrung Magazine, TIME, Business Week, Tornado Insider and Frost & Sullivan.
For more information: www.webraska.com
About Grizzli Mobile Systems
Grizzli is a provider of global on-board management solutions for fleet vehicles, its hardware offering includes portable computers, cradles, printers, on-board GSM/GPS black box devices, meter interfaces, and on-board briefcase systems. Software modules include satellite positioning, data transmission by GSM data, interfaces with measuring units, invoicing and payment. Grizzli also provides customer specific solutions. Hosting, ASP, installation, training, maintenance and telephone assistance services are also part of their offering.
Grizzli Mobile Systems, headquartered in Vienne, France was established in 1993 and is active throughout Europe. The company specialises in integrated mobile computing solutions for, amongst others: insurance assessments, public housing inspections, petroleum product deliveries, van sales, waste material collection, emergency medical intervention teams, sales order entry and field technicians. On-board management systems are deployed in several major petroleum groups and major retail distributors.
For more information visit: www.grizzlisystems.com