TUMONZ - The Ultimate Map of NZ : v3 Standard product reviews

After seeing an early version of TUMONZ on TV a while back, and having a good play with it, and it's subsequent v2 update, it was clear that both were built on the same architecture. Full of great features all bundled into one big package, it was quite a toolbox.

Thus, it was quite a shock when v3 arrived and it was designed around a totally new paradigm... instead of packing everything into one huge application, this version has split some of the other functions off into their own applications, such as the 3d view functions. The upside of this... you only need to load the feature you want to use... the downside... you can't flip your current view into 3d at a click.

However, this is quite a small niggle, when you look at the new design as a whole. For a start, the main window is chopped up into 3 main sections. On the left, taking up about 65-70% of the screen, is the map area. This is where you will do most of your navigation, zooming and myopic peering. The mouse actions are a little different in this version, so be aware that reading the manual, tutorials, etc IS actually a good idea... unless you are like me and enjoy learning by playing with it. Left-click-&-move controlls zooming. Your zoom is centered on where you click. Right-click-&-move will drag the map around without affecting the zoom level. If you hold down the SHIFT button and left-click-&-drag will bring up a marching-ants marquee box, which you can use to select an area of focus. The map will zoom to whatever level is required to fill the viewing area with your selection. Small selections = big zoom = lots of stunning detail. As well as all this, you have the simpler options... Left-click and it will center that spot in the window and zoom in 1 step, Right-click zooms out 1 step. So easy.

Down the right side you have 2 main sections. At the top you have the non-scaling image of the whole country, with a dynamic device that give you a representation of what part, and how much, of the country is currently filling the viewing area. You can also left-click-&-move in this window to make large jumps around the country, without having to zoom-out to the whole country, then select your new target and zoom-in again. An excellent feature for travellers.

Under that you have the data section. In here you have an on-the-fly search engine, wherein you start to type your search, be places, owners or companies. As the engine locates matches, they will appear below the searchbox and are only a click away from being centered in the viewing window. Below that you have all the optional viewable data layers, such as topographical, streets, photos, property boundaries, whatever optional extras you have installed, as well as all of the 'cosmetic' stuff, like themes etc.

The rendering engine of this version is a lot more powerful and efficient, and this is reflected in the much lower rendering times required. You can load on a lot of data layers and the map hardly slows down at all! This, surprisingly, also includes the highly detailed property boundary layers that come with Property package and the Aerial Photo packs that come with the Business package. It really is quite a powerful new design. Every tourist should be required to have a copy of this installed on their laptops, so that they won't get lost and can find all the places they need, quickly and easily.

Overall, this has to be one of the most stunning applications I have seen in quite a long time, and it makes me proud to see it's 100% a Kiwi product.