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The popularity of the navigation system for PDAs PocketGPS Pro Moscow came very close to the ten thousandth user milestone. In the next few days will be registered copy of round-number 10 000. "Jubilee" user PocketGPS Pro waiting for a valuable gift, which can be found here. Meanwhile, in anticipation of this momentous event, we decided to interview the head of the group developing navigation systems company MakTsentr Andrey Kuznetsov, in order to find out how he sees the present and the future of the program, in particular, and the navigation market in Russia as a whole. Anticipating a little, we say that rosy, despite the "growing pains" ... HPC.ru: Ten thousand users of the navigation system - it's a lot or a little? AK: It depends on who and at what angle looks. 10,000 copies sold for 2,5 years. Europe or America - small numbers. But for Russia, where the navigation market is in its infancy, it is quite a lot. HPC.ru: It is known that software piracy in Russia extremely high. Did you interfere with piracy? AK: Hmm ... Let's count. The volume of counterfeit goods in Russia is held at 85%. Such data, in any case, results in Microsoft, the chief domestic opponent of piracy. He, too, for someone refers to. I figure seems low, but not the essence. Suppose that 85% - of the total market. Then, the true number of all users PocketGPS Pro - about 65 thousand bad. Consider loss of earnings? But more is not so simple. These 55 thousand illegal immigrants are divided into several groups. The first - fans of "freebies" that will never buy licensed software. Principle. The second - the poor, which very well need a car navigation. Next come the lazy, hurried and busy. To buy something, you must go somewhere. At least to issue a credit card and put money in the bank. After purchasing the program, will have to wait to be brought. Simply a few minutes to rummage in the Internet and find or not find, and forget about it within half an hour. And the last group - are "testers" who want to make sure that will give money for the right thing. Poyuzat it to begin with. So. Quite a few people from the last two groups came to the conclusion that eventually bought the license PocketGPS Pro. Why? Then, the updates, new maps, support and all that. Yes, and "money hack", so to speak, usually below average. And for those who want poyuzat, can offer almost fully functional demo version. Starting with release 2.4.0, it will be collected regularly. True, the map updates for the demo are rare, but it is also a demo. If you add together, then - yes, without piracy would have been better. But our experience tells us that this is not fatal if the product is interesting and people want. HPC.ru: Do not you fight with pirates? AK: I would not say so. Rather, I would say something contrary. A set of actions is very wide: from technological protection program's access to updates, maps and so on. Works good technical support, and users appreciate it. Some time ago, we entered into anti-piracy association "Russian Shield". This should reduce the number of people willing to steal someone else's. HPC.ru: Technical support is available around the clock? AK: So far, only on weekdays and during office hours. I'd love to extend it to the evening hours and weekends, but so far for this is not possible. Working around the clock site www.pocketgps.ru, there is an automatic registration, file archive containing updates, a small knowledge base, etc. HPC.ru: By the way, all the time. What's new is expected in the coming months? What will rejoice in the new year? AK: I am happy to answer this question. The fact that we had a long period of shuffles, "fill the gap" and building a team that finally ended. Now we begin to repay, so that our friends will find a lot of interesting things. Firstly, we are working on full compatibility with Windows Mobile 5.0. It is for us now - the number one priority. Second, the cardinal went to redesign the user interface. Modern PocketGPS Pro - very flexible, supernastraivaemaya system.Route, for example, can pave the five different ways. Or six. But ... there, as if to say, the flip side. Need to read instructions. Some things are designed well, but realized not too successfully. In general, the program should become closer and more understandable to people. The overall concept: simplicity, rapidity, clarity. A minimum of clicks to actions. Evidence of each action. Managing your finger without the stylus. Tell me more about what will appear very soon. Firstly, it will be the new settings. Simple, understandable, extensible, organized on the principle Settings Pocket PC. Second, will be implemented to manage power and screen brightness of the PDA itself PocketGP Pro. Third, will be implemented "large" keyboard, built-in PocketGPS Pro, designed for putting a finger without the stylus. I must say that over its design had to smash his head, but eventually get an interesting and unconventional. For larger keys, managed to save enough space on the screen and not lose the functionality of a search engine, and others. The fourth change - the new GPS-utility. It is designed to easily connect the GPS-receiver. All the information coming from the receiver, will be displayed in the main window. With it you can learn about the status of the receiver at the time of the connection state of the sky, the number of satellites used to accomplish the auto search for ports that access the NMEA-console - writing and reading NMEA-log files. At the beginning of GPS-utility appears as a separate application, which can be download for free. Then we embed it in PocketGPS Pro, but the free download will continue. There will be new dialogs search, POI and Waypoint'ov, sharpened on the management of a finger, standardized, easier to understand. By tab, you can be in one click Get Directions. There are few more important "little things" that we intend to do, without delay. We asked about this a long time. It is, for example, displayed on a screen a few diagrams, but also about changing the appearance of a point, which shows the GPS-position on the map (now - the red machine). Can change the vehicle type, size and color. There will be several options and click 'mode of movement. " By the way, with this button, we turned anecdote. It meant the steering wheel. The designer drew a beautiful "steering wheel with three spokes, in the style of 30-ies. But the little button wheel turned into a very recognizable three-beam star. Now its called - the button "Mercedes". We end the discrimination of other car brands (albeit unknowingly), but it'll do until I say. Surprise. Hold and something else up his sleeve yet. And when we finish with these pleasant, but still external changes, get down to serious problems - routing, and system prompts. There, too, have work to do. HPC.ru: Do prompted a male voice? AK: Yes, but it is just details. Change the compression format hints. Will have several options. Possible, record your own prompts. But most importantly - will finalize the targeting system on the route. Tips must comply with the traffic situation. "Left" should mean just to the left, and not a little to the right and then to turn ... HPC.ru: What will change in terms of routing? AK: the problem will be solved taking into account exchange rate movements during a route. That the program did not offer to go in the opposite direction to the actual movement of the machine. Now it happens when inaccuracies cards and "care" GPS-receiver. In other key quality routing - in the reliability and validity kartosnovy. Today, cartographers have no time for the development of Moscow. Card behind real life. In Moscow, for 2-3 years for construction of houses and half a year on the road network. Outside Moscow the situation is generally APB ... In fairness, this trouble is not just Russia. Maps anywhere behind the times. Only we have this gap while fatal, and the farther away from Moscow, the worse. And for the routing accuracy kartosnovy again, there naiperveyshee condition. In Europe the problem - it's density of road network and the uniform distribution of the population on the surface (and everywhere to build something and break). We have other circumstances: Draconian restrictions, a total monopoly in conjunction with the inconsistency of departments and razdolbaystvo. Again, too much break and build. Maps in the USSR were designed exclusively for the military and the KGB. It always has been, and largely remains today.The situation is gradually changing for the better. But not so fast as you want, because inertia is strong, and many profitable status quo. HPC.ru: What can I do to have appeared in Russia accurate maps? AK: Well, I'm not a cartographer ... For a start, it might be possible to lift the cartographic industry, abolish all restrictions on the detail maps and positioning accuracy. But a couple of months ago the Government decided yet leave everything as is. That is, to hold and not let go. My humble opinion is that in the life of the accuracy of maps will be determined by our usual way: economic feasibility for taking vital decisions and personal ties awaiting the decisions. Let me tell you more about what is really happening, no arguments on the topic "What do I do." Now in Russia seeking several European suppliers of GIS for car navigation. Dutch company Teleatlas and its Russian partner NavMaps managed to enlist the support of the "Roscartography. They started with Moscow: take one of the best available to date, local maps and the "exit" her, that is cross-checked to the road network and struck her on the map with road signs, markings, etc. Now they are treated with Peter, then proceed to other major cities. According to the standard "Teleatlas" cities should be connected highways. In such a way that throughout the mapped road network could move, paving the route from city to city. HPC.ru: How will evolve PocketGPS Pro in connection with the appearance of maps Teleatlas? AK: "MakTsentr today has, in my opinion, the best domestic technology of car navigation - PocketGPS Pro. "Teleatlas" has a remarkable technology development kartosnovy for car navigation, and a set of cards for Russia. How could we go past each other? We are actively cooperating. So significant that we have an experimental version of PocketGPS Pro with support for cards "Teleatlas. Here are a few "experimental" screenshots. "Painting" card and placing the names in the screenshot are in alpha version.
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HPC.ru: Are there plans to release a commercial version PocketGPS Pro on the map "Teleatlas? AK: While I can not answer. In any case, it will not tomorrow. Today, we have worked with the best cards, in my opinion, the domestic supplier of navigation GIS in Moscow, the firm Geocenter consulting. This GIS is supplied Moscow - Moscow region. The "Teleatlas" area appears, judging by the details of their Russian partner, NavMaps, in the second quarter of 2006. By the way, "Geocenter Consulting is also actively treats other regions, so that the monopoly in this market does not threaten us. HPC.ru: PocketGPS Pro Moscow - that's fine. And how about Sankt-Peterburg, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg and other? AK: I have a little bit about this. You hear from all sides that the auto navigation in Russia is only beginning. Have patience. Two years ago we started in Moscow. Now developed an interest in other regions. We have interesting offers from our partners and we are definitely going to expand the geography PocketGPS Pro. HPC.ru: Do you plan to develop PocketGPS Pro is not for PocketPC?
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AK: Not only is planned, but now even have something to brag about. Built-in navigation computer and CARMAN I BestWay sold with PocketGPS Pro on board.Now the work we have several promising new avtonavigatorov very well known brands. Some of them have to hit the market in early 2006. As a navigation system, again, chosen PocketGPS Pro. HPC.ru: What about other platforms? AK: For the Palm OS in its current state - definitely not. I myself have been using Palm, but it'll be the first opponent of such a development. If Palm will move to Linux, it would be reasonable, then we strongly think. Smartphones on Symbian - an interesting but difficult to navigate the product. Variety of user interfaces, the modest hardware features ... With today's abundance of problems Symbian have to be postponed. But for smartphones based on Windows Mobile 5.0 - why not? The gulf between them and conventional WM-PDA narrows. Soon it will be possible to jump. And these smart phones become more and more. In general, think about it. HPC.ru: Whom do you consider your main competitors? AK: There are many. This western and eastern navigation systems. For example, TomTom Navigator, Destinator, Navigon. Serious and expensive development, popular in Europe. In Russia they are unavailable, but it's a matter of time. The second competitor - built car navigators. Today 10% of the cars (I think in the world) are equipped with embedded navigation systems. If Europe and America are usually high-class car, in Japan - already the most ordinary. They too will come to Russia, this time is not far off. However, in my opinion, these competitors may not be as much our enemies as allies. Now the market is not enough critical mass to start the chain reaction. This is how the PDA market in 1997: the romantic period of enthusiasts, the pioneers, the fans. Then comes the sales and marketing, and romance is converted into money, though it is a shame. After 2-4 years the market of Russia will navigate to the stage of "beginning of the massive sales." The more interesting players, and the more active they will behave, the sooner it will happen. From my perspective, coming to us Western products - the benefit of the strategic plan, although the operational-tactical, it will be harder. But the competition - a useful thing, it makes spinning and invent something new. HPC.ru: What about the Russian competitors? AK: Are you talking about? In Russia there are a few interesting GPS-programs, for example, GIS Russa, Novosibirsk products from Vito. But this is not automobile navigation. Rather, it is a superGPS receiver, with a lot of functions, one of which is to view the maps and drawing on her GPS-position. But the car navigation - this is, first of all, the route and traffic on it for tips. Well, still searching for objects, perhaps. Alternative Russian navigation system in technical terms now can not seriously compete with PocketGPS Pro. They are very inferior in speed and functionality. On aesthetics, finally. UI elements of some of these systems, "borrowed" from us, and, in my opinion, not too successfully. Probably, "alternativschiki" are well positioned as a low-cost OEM applications, if a vendor wants to save on functionality. In general, it is difficult to assess our competitive position in commercial terms, because I'm far from the marketing department. In my opinion, PocketGPS Pro has good sales figures. We are positioning PocketGPS Pro as an expensive, but worth the money application. HPC.ru: Finally I want to take an interest in the fate of the "younger brother", MacCentre PocketGPS. Are you going to maintain and improve? AK: Yes, we are going. In MacCentre PocketGPS has great potential. Unfortunately, our resources are not sufficient for the development of this GPS-program. First and foremost, should improve the performance of raster maps to remove the restriction on their maximum size, add the union cards in the "Atlas". Needs to be done and the support of various coordinate systems, as paper maps are rarely created in the WGS-84. Well, actually, a lot of things I want to do, if it will be possible. By the way, some features MacCentre PocketGPS future perekochuet in PocketGPS Pro. HPC.ru: Thank you very much for the detailed and interesting story. We wish you continued success, plans, and of course the early twenty thousandth anniversary. The authors, translation: