(SYS-CON Media) - MapQuest Business Solutions, provider of enterprise software for location based services, announced the launch of its MapQuest  Advantage API v5 (AAPI 5.0) platform, which enables businesses to integrate high-powered, location-based technology into their web and wireless applications.

Serving key industries such as real estate, retail, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, insurance and banking, AAPI 5.0 not only introduces much sought-after new features like “grab and pan,” aerial imagery and hybrid views, it also provides an overall interface that is much easier to deploy and use. The platform’s new AJAX interface allows developers to quickly and easily location-enable their applications.

“It’s our next generation API, the foundation from which we will build our products and services," said Christian Dwyer, Director of Operations for MapQuest. “Designed to be flexible, the new platform translates into higher quality web and wireless applications, lower development costs, and faster time to market while providing all the same great routing, geocoding and feature sets that customers already use on MapQuest.com.”

“With Advantage API 5.0, an end user can switch between various search parameters, points of interest, map and aerial views, grab and pan, zoom, icons, and rollovers without an image refresh,” said Joel Macintosh, CEO of WolfNet Technologies. “And the key that brings it all together is the ease of implementation with the new API."

MapQuest’s AAPI 5.0 enables various industries to leverage the power of a location-based platform to build their own custom developed applications designed to meet their customer needs. From enhancements to key real estate functions, including plotting listings on a map and property searches, to analyzing sales territories, fleet management, asset tracking, customized routing and competitive market analysis, businesses can develop innovative location-based services which take advantage of AAPI 5.0 development tools.

AAPI 5.0 emphasizes:
-- Developer Ease-of-Use - build highly functional location-enabled applications with little development effort required.
-- Rich, Interactive Maps - the AJAX API enables developers to build rich Internet applications with a desktop-like experience.

AAPI 5.0 Key Features include:
-- Drag and Pan Interface
-- Build a map interface that allows users to 'drag and pan' to move the map location.
-- Aerial imagery and hybrid