NEW MAPPING FEATURE CREATES CUSTOMIZED VISUAL SEARCH CAPABILITY

Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, today announced the launch of SmartView on Yahoo! Maps. The new feature offers consumers an interactive and visual way to search for local content on the Web and is part of Yahoo! Search's ongoing efforts to offer the most relevant and comprehensive search experience to users.

As the number one destination for local information on the Web, we are in a unique position to innovate, improve and redefine the way people search for local content online, said Paul Levine, general manager of Yahoo!'s local services. SmartView is a great example of how we can leverage Yahoo!'s breadth and depth of content to provide a truly differentiated search experience that enables users to find what they are looking for faster and easier than before.

SmartView enhances the current Yahoo! Maps product by allowing consumers to choose local points of interest and attractions -- such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, parks, ATMs and post offices -- to customize the current map display. Once displayed on the map, expanded information, including address and phone number, pricing, user ratings, website address and access to driving directions can be found by clicking on the identified icon. Consumers can easily search the web for additional information on a particular point of interest by clicking on the Web search link in the information box. Additionally, by typing an address into Yahoo! Search, consumers can retrieve a direct map display in their results where they are then one-click away from the SmartView search experience.

The local points of interest and attractions displayed in SmartView leverages content from across the Yahoo! network including:

* Yahoo! Search for web search results

* Yahoo! Yellow Pages for address and telephone number

* Yahoo! Travel for detailed information on a travel destination or to book a hotel room

* Yahoo! Movies for local movie times and ticket purchasing

Today's announcement marks yet another in a continuing line of innovations designed to fulfill our mission of providing the highest quality search experience on the Web, said Jeff Weiner, senior vice president, Yahoo! Search and Marketplace. SmartView on Yahoo! Maps is just one of many new features consumers can expect from our local initiative going forward.

This innovation also builds on recent Yahoo! Maps enhancements including faster panning and zooming, new large map view, turn-by-turn maps with driving directions and improved in-car readability of printed directions. For more information, on the latest GPS News see maps gps.

Author Notes:

Mark Houghton contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.handheld-gps-reviews.com.  A wealth of information about Global Positioning Systems for commercial or personal use.