http://https://youtu.be/ufPZUSvrI9M
Map Business Online was originally released in 2010 as a web-based business mapping service in The Cloud. For the last eight years, Map Business Online customers have accessed the tool almost exclusively through standard web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer (now obsolete), Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Google Chrome.
However, for a variety of business reasons, two-years ago we released a downloadable version of Map Business Online, which we now refer to as either the Windows App or the Mac App. To be clear, the Map Business Online Windows and Mac Apps remain a Cloud service that requires an Internet connection. You can’t log into the application unless you are connected to the Internet.
Downloadable Apps for Windows & Mac
Both App versions are always available to any Map Business Online subscriber as an alternative to the traditional browser-based Map Business Online at NO additional cost. Your saved maps will be there for you in your saved map library. In general, the Windows and Mac Apps are pretty much the exact same user experience to our web browser version, but cleaner and faster.
At first, the Map Business Online apps where developed so that users could avoid clunky and temperamental web browser challenges. For example, Internet Explorer (now obsolete) updates were often problematic, sometimes breaking features and requiring software changes. Recently Firefox has developed a few glitches that conflict with Map Business Online. We’ll fix them all, but with Desktop Apps we control much more of the map rendering software which generates a better user experience.
Last year Adobe announced that support for Adobe Flash Player was ending in 2020. Map Business Online, like many other web services, uses Flash Player to render the web map experience. So, we started rethinking how we would render our business mapping applications moving forward. That work is ongoing.
A Sales Territory Map
Downloadable App Benefits
The major benefits a user get by using the Downloadable Apps instead of the browser-based versions of Map Business Online are:
- Map Clarity – A cleaner interface. I personally used to use Map Business Online on Firefox for web demos because I thought it looked nicer and cleaner than Chrome. Now I use the Windows App because it presents a cleaner visage, better color rendering, and it offers a little more detail.
- Update Datasets Faster – Windows and Mac Apps streamline imported data updates enabling a one-click super fast update. (Requires the use of a unique ID column in the imported spreadsheet)
- Easy Map Access – A taskbar launch button can be set-up for Windows or Mac Apps that lets you launch Map Business Online with one click. Right now, web browser Map Business Online require a variety of steps to launch Flash Player-based applications.
- Enhanced Application Speed – I find the process to launch Map Business Online is much faster using the Windows App. Heavy application processes like data import run a little faster.
- Avoid Clunky Browser Issues – Internet Explorer is obsolete so it shouldn’t be used at all. You’ll run into application issues, credit card issues, and other problems. Firefox updates of late have broken some map functionality on 64 Bit machines. Safari versions have a few bizarre issues addressed in our Help section.
- Updates are Painless – Software updates, if required, occur automatically and quickly at launch time.
- Does not require Adobe Flash Player – As mentioned above, development is underway to replace Adobe Flash Player as a rendering agent for Map Business Online. These changes will be available before Flash Player is officially canceled.
- For IT System Administrators – Map Business Online Windows App installations do not modify the Windows system file. A user does not require admin rights to install and update the App.
Keep in mind the downloadable Apps require an Internet connection. Imported user data is still stored in the Cloud. Remember that imported user data is always encrypted to protect it from bad actors. We use HTTPS for transit data encryption and stored data is encrypted on the server. (Your IT Department will know what that means.) And as always, we strongly suggest our users never upload credit card data, personal health information, or other critical private data.
Map Business Online Windows and Mac Apps are the most effective and efficient tools to use to access your business mapping. For the foreseeable future, we will continue to support web browser access but consider trying the Windows App and Mac App for the most advanced features and optimized user experience.
Win a $20 Gift Card! Refer a business associate to Map Business Online in exchange for a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com for their business mapping software and advanced sales territory mapping solution. The best replacement for Microsoft MapPoint happens to be the most affordable.
Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com or Jason Henderson jhenderson@spatialteq.com
